Rotation 7: SUZE Restaurant

I've been looking forward to this rotation for about 2 years! This is the restaurant I wrote about in my first blog where Dad, Mom, Sara, and I had dinner. I got to learn from 2 extraordinary chefs, Gilbert Garza and Jeffery Hobbs, and eat a lot of yummy, mouthwatering food all week. I worked Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 2:30-10:30.

On Tuesday I worked in the "back of the house" (in the kitchen). I did a lot of observing and listening to the lingo of the kitchen. I helped make Sticky Toffee Pudding and sliced and diced vegetables. I tasted a very interesting delicacy...Foie Gras...aka...Duck Liver with aged balsamic dried cherry cassis reduction. I loved the flavor, but I did not like the texture. I got to go take home dinner: Almond crusted Idaho rainbow trout with red quinoa, artichoke, capers, poached tomatoes, and a citrus Italian beurre blanc.

On Wednesday I went to a Holiday Food Show in the afternoon. It had tons of food samples from food vendors. I was stuffed from all the delicious desserts, fried foods, ice cream, cheese, meatballs, ham, and prime rib. From that food show I went to SUZE to help prepare for the March of Dimes Signature Chefs of Dallas Auction. The 15th annual event cost $300 per person and was held at the Frontiers of Flight Museum where 20 top local chefs showcased their culinary masterpieces to the 600 guests who attended the event. The culinary creations were paired with 40 different wines from Napa Valley. SUZE Restaurant served seared expresso rubbed Cervena venison with braised Japanese eggplant, poached lemley tomato, and basil. I got to plate up the eggplant and tomato. I wish I could have taken pictures, but I was busy till the end. For the auction each of the chefs created a special package to be bid on. They sold for $5,000-$30,000! I got to see some of the richest in Dallas. After the auction some of the chefs and I stayed after and finished off some opened bottles of wine...Oh and I also tried on a $135,000 yellow diamond ring.

On Friday I worked the "front of the house" (in the service area) as a hostess. It was slow for a Friday night because everyone was probably watching the Texas Rangers play the Yankees in the World Series. It was still interesting. I got to seat people and take reservations. I enjoyed a nice dinner with wine and champagne on the patio with the hostess, Melanie, and Chef Jeffery. I had Oven roasted baby rack of lamb with rosemary roasted new potato, lemley tomato relish, and mint gremolata.

On Saturday I created descriptions for 5 specialty cheeses to be included on the appetizer and dessert menu. I named the menu: Say Cheese! The different cheeses on the menu are Buttermilk Blue(Wisconsin cheese), Roaring Forties Blue, Chevre Purple Haze, Prairie Breeze, and Kunik. We made sample cheese plates so the waiters knew what they tasted like. I had a hard time choking down the blue cheeses, I think blue cheese tastes like moldy basement floor. The Purple Haze (goat cheese) tasted like how sheep smell, ahhhh yuck! I also got to try some jalepeno jelly. It is bright green and has a sweet taste at first, but then it kicks you. HOTT stuff! It was a very busy Saturday night. The tiny restaurant served 108 guests! I got to end my night by eating Cast iron roasted King Salmon with chilled cucumber mint salad, chilled rice noodle, wasabi rice wine vinaigrette and toasted sesame seeds. Check out http://www.suzerestaurant.net/ to see the menu and the chefs I got to work with.