Food
Friday, November 27, 2009
User post: Top Chef's Michael Voltaggio
user
My original post on MyLastBite.com
It's no secret that I'm a big fan of Chef Michael
Voltaggio. Luckily for me, I also get to call him a friend.
Ever since I first tasted
Michael's food at the Bazaar by José Andrés last year, I made
sure to keep an eye on the man that chef Andrés selected to open
(as Esquire Magazine recently coined), the "Restaurant of the
Year". The L.A. Times even gave the Bazaar a rare
FOUR STAR review, and yes... I understand that the restaurant, menu
and concept belong to the great José Andrés (I adore him too). But
it was primarily Michael Voltaggio I saw in the kitchen each time I
sat down for dinner in the Bazaar's Roja room.
Michael now runs the kitchen at the Dining
Room in Pasadena, which is located in the Langham Hotel. Before
starting this most recent gig, he took some "time off" to
compete in Bravo's Top Chef
- Season 6 (which is currently airing). He even squeezed in
time to helm a one-night-only Hatchi guest chef event at BreadBar
Restaurant in Century City, and it was there that I got to taste
creations that were finally, truly his own.
BreadBar
describes the Hatchi Series as a "unique venture
featuring a different guest chef every month preparing an original,
one-night-only suite of eight plates, including six
'savory' dishes and two 'sweet' creations".
Hatchi means number eight in Japanese: 8 Plates offered at $8 each.
I love the Hatchi dinners, and do my best to attend each
one!
The
best part about Michael Voltaggio's Hatchi dinner,
surprisingly, wasn't about the food. OF COURSE the food was
STELLAR, it's Michael Voltaggio for goodness
sakes, but my favorite part was meeting and
getting to know Michael's mother, Sharon and his stepdad,
Bob.
Top
Chef 6 hadn't started airing yet, and there
was a lot excitement and anticipation at the restaurant that night.
Sharon and I now email each other every Wednesday night after the
show has aired, so we can dish about how her TWO sons are doing on
the show. In case you don't watch Top
Chef, Bryan Voltaggio (Michael's equally
talented big brother) is also competing for the title this year.
Sharon is certainly one proud mom, that's for
sure!
Michael Voltaggio's incredible
Hatchi menu: An Experience of Texture and
Flavor
Artichokes "Barigoule" Salmon
Belly, Philadelphia Cheese, Smoked Salmon Roe
Japanese Tomato Tartare: Green Almonds,
Parmesan "Overeasy", Tapenade
Hamachi Crudo: Smoked Egg Yolk, Sea Sponge,
Watermelon and Wild Rice
Veal Sweetbread, Poached Egg, Coffee
Cardamom Soil (before adding Pea Consomme)
Veal Sweetbread, Poached Egg, Pea Consomme,
Coffee Cardamom Soil
Crispy Chicken Thigh: Cuttlefish, Green
Garlic, Sweet and Sour Mushrooms
Wagyu Beef: Short Rib, Saul's Pastrami,
Tamarind, Broccoli Textures, Horseradish
"Styrofoam"
Miso Cake: Jasmine "Rice Cream",
Strawberry, Yuzu
Fool's Gold: Hazelnut Praline, Salty
Caramel, Nitro Coffee Mousse. Sommelier Matthew Lathan paired each
dish beautifully with wines, sherry and beer!
Chefs Michael Voltaggio and Marcel Vigneron
(Top Chef Season 2)
Pastry Chef extraordinare Waylynn Lucas (I
first met her at the Bazaar too!). If you live in L.A.,
don't miss Waylynn's Hatchi dinner on November
19th!
BreadBar Century
City 10250 Santa
Monica Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90067 310 277 3770
WebSite
Hatchi Dinner: 8 Plates for $8 See website (link above) for
upcoming Hatchi dinners!
The Dining
Room at the Langham
Michael Voltaggio's Top Chef
Bio
All my Michael Voltaggio photos on
Flickr
More awesome Voltaggio tattoos
(posted with permission)!
More about Michael
Voltaggio
http://www.MyLastBite.com
Follow me on Twitter!
@MyLastBite
Related: voltaggio brothers, voltaggio, top chef, the bazaar, nitro, molecular gastronomy, molecular cooking, modern cookery, michael voltaggio, marcel vigneron, las vegas, horseradish styrofoam, hatchi series, hatchi, guest chefs, chef voltaggio, chef michael voltaggio, byan voltaggio, breadbar, bread bar, “liquid nitrogen”
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Posted by Britt Mon Nov 2, 2009 3:16pm PST
I completely agree - Chef Michael seriously seems like an ass.
He says on the show something to the effect of "People sometimes confuse confidence with arrogance."
Gotta admit, HE seems like the one who has the two confused. From what they show of him on Top Chef, he seems like a douche. Even to the point that it overshadows his food - which does look great most of the time.
His brother seems much more down-to-earth, while still being a fantastic chef. At least, this is how the Top Chef producers are portraying the two of them.
On a related note: I think it's ridiculously stupid for two brothers to compete against each other on the show. They obviously already have a huge brother-to-brother competition going on; if they make it to the finale and one of them win, it will ALWAYS be something that comes between them. Sure, you want your brother to succeed, but yeah...just seems like a stupid thing to risk.
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Posted by D E Mon Nov 2, 2009 5:27pm PST
I think he is so hot and his food is just so out of the ordinary. His ideas just keep coming, and he is nowhere near annoying as that sneaky lying ass Ilan, Mr. let's use saffron in every freaking thing!
Still cannot believe that condesending jerk won! You go Michael, but I like his brother just as much!
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Posted by Frank Mon Nov 2, 2009 7:45pm PST
Britt-
You have OBVIOUSLY never worked in the food business or if you have you didn't get it. Chef Michael is VERY confident because of his talent, I've worked in this business for 36 years and although the Chef is not always easy to get along with they are the CHEF! They put their name on every dish, sweat the details and assure that folks, like you, are happy to spend their money. His attitude or demeanor is not the issue, his food is! The restaurant business doesn't seem "Warm and Fuzzy" to outsiders but to us on the inside we are proud to work with folks like Chef Michael. Get over it and enjoy the food or move on-he doesn't want to be your friend, just the fella who makes you glad you chose his restaurant!
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Posted by Laura Tue Nov 3, 2009 7:05am PST
I don't care if its part of the business, I wouldn't eat at this douche's restaurant.
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Posted by Kathleen Wed Nov 4, 2009 2:32pm PST
This guy is talented, there is no question. But he needs help on the Emotional IQ front. To be a TOP CHEF, you need to be a leader.
Not a performer. Not a talent. A COLLABORATIVE leader.
That is where he should/could be concentrating his evolution, and his learning energy.
In the long run, he will be a better chef, and a better person, for having done that.
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Posted by janie Tue Nov 24, 2009 10:35pm PST
I love the V bros because of their amazing talent. Tho' I haven't been fortunate enough to taste their creations (yet), just seeing them makes me want to. There are so many haters out there. Judge the talent, not the personalities - it's called Top Chef (and they both deserve to win), not Most Popular Reality Show Contestant. Get a life ya'll.
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