Owners Mark and Mat have left Ted behind to continue his training and education under an award winning chef. Here is what Ted had to say about Day 4:
Saw Mat and Mark off to the Train station and went to work
Today we started processing beets and turnips and Ignacio showed me how to make the house Tofu, which was like making ricotta cheese, theirs is unpressed (pressed by its own weight), firm, but delicate.
Family meal was shrimp spring roll filling that was too wet to serve to customers but delicious for us. There was dozen of us eating today, Staff that wasn’t scheduled came to visit and was welcome.
I worked Guarde Manger putting out cold plates where chef expedites, I wasn’t allowed to cut fish yet but made winter rolls and feel comfortable with several plates. Chef Takashi watched and checked the plates I put out.
Takashi and I talked about Okada in Las Vegas, he explained 600 covers per night at Okada was a far different than this restaurant selling 60 covers. Their goal was to sell 16 million per year but they only sold 11 milllion. Wow.
Jonathon Reaume (Toscana) and wife visited us from Windsor for Dinner and had Omakase as well. Jonathon told me that walking around this neighborhood made him feel more at home than on Ouellette.
After blowing Jonathon away by an experience at the Violet Hour and after we found some cool bar that was doing a live music charity function for Haiti, I don’t even think there was a name on the front of the bar, there’s a lot of cool places all next to each other. I joined the band and played drums for a half hour.
Wicker Park allows us to hang around locals who are so friendly and welcoming. I’d like to bring that feeling back to Windsor.
