Just recieved some pictures from a former coworker. I remember cooking for this photo shoot like it was yesterday. Looking at these pictures, I do miss cooking French. However, I absolutely love what I am doing right now and wouldn't go back to working for anyone. Anyway, take a look. It's pretty decent food porn. HA!




Tarte Flambee


Grand Plateau




Cote de Beouf for 2

Chorizo crusted Cod, Coco Beans and Pistou

Bone Marrow and Oxtail Jam

My New Beginning

It's been a while since I've written anything. I just haven't been inspired to write.

My entire life, I've always lived with great passion and many inspirations. I'm not going to lie. These past few months have been very hard on me. After leaving my last post as exec chef at Cosmopolitan's French eatery a few months ago, I didn't want to work for another restaurant for as long as I could hold off for.

The same week I left, I had 3 offers for an exec chef position here in Vegas and another in SoCal. I was not interested in working for anybody though. I took some time off to plan what I wanted to do and what my next steps were. This was what I knew: I couldn't stay away from the food industry and I couldn't work for anybody else anymore. That's when the Great Bao idea came alive. I had been playing around with the idea of starting a truck for a while in my head and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to start up, as the Vegas food truck scene was just starting to gain followers.

The idea was Chinese street food: Bao and Potstickers. I wasn't going to do anything too crazy...this was my grandma's type of cooking, but cooked and seasoned through my senses. I quickly snatched up a truck and begun work on it. Unfortunately, after pouring in all my savings $$$, it is a business that I still haven't been able to get started.

A cafe space became available on Tropicana and Decatur, which I signed a lease for. It is my temporary space. I love the location, however, I lack the kitchen space that I desperately need. I am serving a smaller food menu than I had planned for the truck. The emphasis on the cafe space will be more about the drinks and building the Great Bao brand.

So...my goal, is to save enough money to move into a larger space in 1 years time.

This is my new beginning and my new inspiration. Alive. Energized. Engaged.

944 Magazine Article

Click on pic to read full article.

The Great Bao Truck

Thank you to all who have followed my blogs detailing my journies through Las Vegas to Mexico City and then Las Vegas again. Please check out my new project: The Great Bao Truck.

http://www.greatbao.com/

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook @GreatBaoTruck

Escargot

Have you had great escargot?

My guess is most people who have tried it haven't had it the way I've had it. It's one of the tastiest dishes in the history of French gastronomy, yet most places just don't do it justice.

Escargot, aka sea snails, are usually prepared with butter, garlic and herbs. Here in town, Mon Ami Gabi does a solid traditional version. At Comme Ca Las Vegas, we serve Escargot en Croute. It is garlicky, buttery, has the aroma of roasted shallots, briny like the ocean, lemony and herbal all at the same time. It's fantastic and whenever I take a bite, it brings me back to Paris.

Team

Putting together the best team out at Comme Ca is no small task.

Raw Bar @ Comme Ca Las Vegas

From the very first time Chef David told me that Balthazar had the best raw bar in the country, I've been on a quest to make Comme Ca Las Vegas' raw bar into something phenomenol. It's been my obsession. We are currently featuring a rotation of 3 west coast oysters and 3 east coast oysters, Alaskan king crab legs, Maine lobsters, littleneck clams, P.E.I. mussels, osetra and kaluga caviar...and the best shrimp cocktail in Las Vegas!

I've always been demanding for the best produce available. This past week, we started featuring some of these amazing ingredients for our guests in the dining room. These were provided by Melissa's World Variety Produce out of Southern California.

(photos are from Max Korekt)

Comme Ca NYE menu

Raw Bar Display in the Dining Room


Amuse: House Cured Salmon Tartar, Chive Creme Fraiche, Crispy Purple Potato


Roasted Chestnut Soup, Foie Gras Terrine, Lemon Creme, Beuree Noisette

Maine Lobster, Salad of Roasted Red and Golden Beet, Upland Cress, Puree of Fennel (Top and Bottom)

Butter Poached Turbot, Celery Root and Truffle Puree, Salad of Apple and Celery, Red Wine Vinegar Reduction

Chorizo Crusted Cod, Stew of Littleneck Clams and Coco Bean, Noilly Prat Sauce


Duo of Beef: Prime Strip Steak, "Bourgignon", Pomme Aligot, Glazed Winter Vegetables

Truffles

1# of White Alba Truffles; cost: $2800/lb
1# of Perigord Black Truffles: $850/lb

I brought in one pound of each for the New Year at Comme Ca Las Vegas.