Vote Robbie White - So You Think You Can Dance, Final
08/02/10 14:14 Filed in: Support my little brother Robbie White (on BBC's 'So you think you can dance')
Support Robbie White this saturday.
Once again this is a Quick non-food Blog.
I just want to appeal to everyone to vote for Robbie White, my little brother to win ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ the final, this Saturday Night on BBC One.
I’m incredibly proud that hes gotten to the Finals, and he really is an amazing dancing, but this Saturday he needs everyone that can to vote for him. The result of the final will be entirely down to the public vote, so please if you are able to, Vote Robbie White to win this Saturday.
Thanks
Eddie x
Once again this is a Quick non-food Blog.
I just want to appeal to everyone to vote for Robbie White, my little brother to win ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ the final, this Saturday Night on BBC One.
I’m incredibly proud that hes gotten to the Finals, and he really is an amazing dancing, but this Saturday he needs everyone that can to vote for him. The result of the final will be entirely down to the public vote, so please if you are able to, Vote Robbie White to win this Saturday.
Thanks
Eddie x
0 Comments
Madrid Fusion
08/02/10 14:02 Filed in: Madrid Fusion
Madrid Fusion 2010
Last week I had the pleasure of spending an inspiring few days in Spain at ´Madrid Fusion´, the international summit of gastronomy.
Now in its 8th year ´Madrid Fusion’ is the international culinary conference/ festival/ celebration of food, technique, art, philosophy, science and the Avant-garde in modern cuisine, and is one of the most important culinary events of the year.
As with previous years the festival was once again showcasing the latest techniques, dishes and thoughts of some of the worlds greatest and most influential chefs - Ferran Adria, Alain Ducase, Grant Achatz Yoshihiro Narisawa, to name just a couple.
Much time was given, unsurprisingly, to Spanish chefs and the distinctly Spanish take on modern Avant-garde cooking, much of which has ‘El Bulli’s’ Ferran Adria to thank for blazing a trail in the wake of which many other Spanish restaurants and chefs have been able to develop with their own personality and take on ‘modern gastronomy’ or the ‘Avant-garde’. However there were plenty of Michelin starred chefs from elsewhere aswell, Australia, Japan, Britain, America, Norway, Denmark, France etc etc. What is consistent about the chefs and the festival is that everything is the most up to date possible of gastronomic style, preparations, fashion, technique, produce.
The particular theme of this years festival was environmental sustainability and economic viability, particularly in the haute cuisine central to the festival, although much of what was discussed applies to most restaurants or will in the future as we see a trickle down effect from the very top establishments.
Something that is being explored and discussed more at this level is being environmentally responsible, and too some degree an increase in vegetarian dishes on the menus of the haute cuisine restaurants could be a part of this. Also as far as new directions and continued development of food at this level it might be something to explore, in fact some high-end modern restaurants are already offering vegetarian tasting menus.
To set the scene a little the Festival centers around demonstrations in a massive theatre, with digital translation into French, English and Spanish. Out side the main demonstration area, upstairs was a huge array of stalls showcasing and selling some wonderful and sometimes baffling gastronomic technology, ingredients, products and books. Around these stalls from midday we were served various elegantly presented foods on mass in small delicate dishes, which logistically alone was impressive. Not to mention the amount of wine and cocktails being carried around and the eight or nine free bars each specializing in different drinks. For instance on the last day I was served a frozen mojito made in front of me with liquid nitrogen, which was beautiful and incredibly smooth due to the ultra quick liquid nitrogen freezing. All these gratuities had the effect that the afternoon demonstrations were slightly less well attended than those in the morning, but that the atmosphere after lunch became considerably more jovial
If you could tear yourself away from the massive variety of free food and drinks being served in the afternoon there were brilliant demonstrations and talks to watch.
Some particular highlights for me were, the interview with Grant Achatz of ‘Alinea’, which was inspiring and thought provoking. Ferran Adria’s demonstration, Jose Andres, Jason Atherton, Yoshihiro Narisawa’s ‘Earth, wind and Fire’ demonstration (during which we were given tasters including a biscuit made from Japanese cedar sawdust), Mark Best on ‘Technique and Minimalism’.
It was great to see Jason Atherton, from ‘Maze’, championing the quality of British produce, and interesting to find out that foraging for uniquely British wild herbs plays an important role when designing his dishes. It was also fascinating to hear him talk about the logistics of doing 1800 haute cuisine dishes a night at his restaurant, where the dishes themselves are Michelin star level ‘Modern British’, but people are encouraged to order in a tapas style. In contrast to Jose Andres ‘Mini Bar’ which does 12 diners a night in two sittings of six. It goes to show the variety of ways in which Chefs are approaching Modern cuisine and the demands of serving often complex and demanding dishes whilst still having to make a profit at the end of the day. Jose Andres demonstration was engrossing, and his food showed a lot of intelligence and passion and he certainly came across as one of the most passionate and charismatic chefs demonstrating.
I could go on about ‘Madrid Fusion’ and some of the things that were demonstrated, talked about etc for ages. However I shall save that for another blog, but I hope I have been able to give you just a taster of what went on at this years conference and just how inspiring and eye opening it was.
Last week I had the pleasure of spending an inspiring few days in Spain at ´Madrid Fusion´, the international summit of gastronomy.
Now in its 8th year ´Madrid Fusion’ is the international culinary conference/ festival/ celebration of food, technique, art, philosophy, science and the Avant-garde in modern cuisine, and is one of the most important culinary events of the year.
As with previous years the festival was once again showcasing the latest techniques, dishes and thoughts of some of the worlds greatest and most influential chefs - Ferran Adria, Alain Ducase, Grant Achatz Yoshihiro Narisawa, to name just a couple.
The particular theme of this years festival was environmental sustainability and economic viability, particularly in the haute cuisine central to the festival, although much of what was discussed applies to most restaurants or will in the future as we see a trickle down effect from the very top establishments.
Something that is being explored and discussed more at this level is being environmentally responsible, and too some degree an increase in vegetarian dishes on the menus of the haute cuisine restaurants could be a part of this. Also as far as new directions and continued development of food at this level it might be something to explore, in fact some high-end modern restaurants are already offering vegetarian tasting menus.
If you could tear yourself away from the massive variety of free food and drinks being served in the afternoon there were brilliant demonstrations and talks to watch.
Some particular highlights for me were, the interview with Grant Achatz of ‘Alinea’, which was inspiring and thought provoking. Ferran Adria’s demonstration, Jose Andres, Jason Atherton, Yoshihiro Narisawa’s ‘Earth, wind and Fire’ demonstration (during which we were given tasters including a biscuit made from Japanese cedar sawdust), Mark Best on ‘Technique and Minimalism’.
It was great to see Jason Atherton, from ‘Maze’, championing the quality of British produce, and interesting to find out that foraging for uniquely British wild herbs plays an important role when designing his dishes. It was also fascinating to hear him talk about the logistics of doing 1800 haute cuisine dishes a night at his restaurant, where the dishes themselves are Michelin star level ‘Modern British’, but people are encouraged to order in a tapas style. In contrast to Jose Andres ‘Mini Bar’ which does 12 diners a night in two sittings of six. It goes to show the variety of ways in which Chefs are approaching Modern cuisine and the demands of serving often complex and demanding dishes whilst still having to make a profit at the end of the day. Jose Andres demonstration was engrossing, and his food showed a lot of intelligence and passion and he certainly came across as one of the most passionate and charismatic chefs demonstrating.
I could go on about ‘Madrid Fusion’ and some of the things that were demonstrated, talked about etc for ages. However I shall save that for another blog, but I hope I have been able to give you just a taster of what went on at this years conference and just how inspiring and eye opening it was.