A UNIQUE CULINARY CONSULTING OPPORTUNITY

A UNIQUE CULINARY CONSULTING OPPORTUNITY

Chef Robert Kirk consulting currently sees an incredible opportunity for culinary organizations to reset and create the magnificent offer they have always dreamed of. Chef Robert Kirk has an unwavering commitment to mastering the dynamics of the hospitality industry and for a limited time, he is offering unique consulting services during this seismic shift in the world. Chef Robert Kirk consulting is a full-service consulting and advisory firm providing innovative and strategic solutions to the hospitality industry at large in the MENA region. 

Chef Robert Kirk is a world-renowned 5 Star Executive Chef obsessed with the World's Cooking Traditions. He has enjoyed building a global career full of leading organizations in culinary advances, from the result on the plate to the result on the balance sheet including years with freestanding fine dining restaurants in major cities like London and Toronto. He has led a life full of amazing food, great friends, and co-workers while driving culinary inspiration in hotels in SE Asia, China, UK, Canada, United States, the Caribbean, Malaysia, Thailand, and Saudi Arabia.

With over 25 years of experience in restaurant and hotel openings along with revamping struggling or financially distressed operations, Chef Robert Kirk Consulting ranges from concept development, food, and beverage strategies, menu development, operational procedures, and staff training.

- Turn-Key Projects with follow up.

• Rebranding and Freshening of existing concepts

• Quickly able to upskill unskilled labor to world-class level quickly in both cooking and hygiene.

• Menu implementation and training

• Complete Set up of new Culinary Concepts or existing for Restaurants Coffee Houses wanting to Franchise in MENA Worldwide Franchise to International Standards.

• Resources to implement Creative Functional Design Retail Packaging

• Commercial Central Kitchen and Factory Design

• Supervision of Large Kitchen Construction

• Competitive Menu Pricing Promotion Strategies

• TV-quality Video presentations of restaurants

• Food & beverage sourcing and costing

• Vendor selection

• Assistance Setting Up integrated Purchasing Systems Seamless to POS Recipes Costing Method Step by Step Pictures or Video,

• Kitchen design & layout to Industry Accepted HACCP standards.

• Kitchen Equipment selection, Redesign Renovations

Access to Social Media Management and Branding Companies

• Access to World-class Food Photo Videographer

• Staff recruiting & training (Worldwide Connections)

• Food safety audits & system development

A beautiful Grilled Octopus Recipe

GRILLED OCTOPUS THAT DOES NOT DISAPPOINT

I was recently posting some of my memories from my times traveling through Greece and other places.  I wrote about some great eating experiences I enjoyed on the Greek Islands. One dish that always stuck with me was the island octopus, part preparation, part smell that mixed the food with the sea air. It was magical. I was discussing this with someone and offered to share a recipe I have for octopus. Unfortunately, I cannot add the sea air. I  actually learned to cook this octopus from a Mauritian guy I worked with in Toronto. He spent half his life in Mauritius and the other half in the UK. As I found out, they have cooking octopus down to a science. His name is David Le and I worked with him at Centro Restaurant. This one is for you David.

Grilled Octopus:

Adapted for Scotland without sun drying😊

Serves 8 as an appetizer best shared,

Ingredients:

2 x Medium Sized Octopus appx 2 Kg Ea

Copper Penny Clean 1

6 L Water

5 Plum Tomatoes Quartered

2 Red Onions Peeled Quartered

1 Head of Garlic Separated and Crushed

2 Piece Celery

1 Large Handful Coriander Seeds

1 Tablespoon Oregano

4 piece Tarragon

1 Tablespoon Black Peppercorns crushed

600 ml Red Wine Vinegar

400 Ml Red Wine

1 Slice Of Lemon

5 Bay leaves Dry

Salt To Taste 

Finishing:

Ground Black Pepper

Sliced Lemon

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Method:

1.       Cut out the beak of octopus underneath the head.

2.       Remove Fibrous tissue From Head and Turn inside out. (Keep octopus intact 1 piece)

3.       Add to pot with all other ingredients bring to the simmer.  (Do not Boil) Just simmering over lightly.  Appx 2-4 hours until the thickest part of a tentacle can be pierced with a kitchen fork.  Caution you need to check every 20 minutes for doneness after 2 hours.  If overcooked will become dry and stringy.

4.       Once cooked Remove from liquid and cover with cling film on the plate to prevent drying, let cool 15 minutes until just warm.

5.       Using a small spoon scrape the suckers out and discard as they are quite rubbery.

6.       For more even cooking cut tentacles into separate pieces.

7.       Marinate with good olive oil ground pepper and lemon for at least 30 minutes,

8.       Grill over low charcoal fire until hot all the way through and slightly crunchy on edges.

9.       Remove slice into bite-size pieces re-season with sea salt and more ground pepper a squeeze of lemon and lots of olive oil, serve with Ouzo Fried Potatoes Garlic Saffron Aioli for Dipping,

Note:  You may also marinate this with teriyaki glaze it is quite good. (very low heat on the grill to avoid charring due to sugar content in Teriyaki Glaze,

Also, excellent mixed into warm potato spinach salad with grain mustard and vinegar.

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs Full Recipe

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs  9 Portions

I was recently asked for this recipe and here you go, enjoy!

48 Hours in advance debone short ribs and marinate with red wine mirepoix mixture.

For Marinade:

Combine Mirepoix Spices Herbs Lemon with Red wine and Bring to the rolling boil for 5 minutes to remove the alcohol.  While still hot pour over deboned Shortribs, Blast Chill, and keep refrigerated for 48 Hours.

Cooking:

1.Season Beef ( ensure it is dried properly with paper towels )with Salt and Black Pepper. In a preheated large Soup or Braising pan add beef and sear very well dark brown. along with pork belly.

2. Remove Meats add onions and shallots to cooking fat to brown lightly followed by peppercorns herbs and spices.

3. Once evenly brown drain excess fat from mirepoix and return Meats to pot adding wine and port together, bring to the boil for 5 minutes while skimming add veal jus and continue to skim when braise returns to the boil. Reduce heat cover with Parchment paper and simmer slowly while skimming for at least 3-4  hours or until meat is tender. Adjust braising liquid with water if necessary.

4. When tender gently remove beef from braising liquid. Strain over cooking liquid through a chinois lined with 3 layers of Cheesecloth, Cool l, and refrigerate. 

5.Lay Cooked Short Ribs in a pan lined with butter paper and top with butter paper weigh down overnight in refrigerator

Portioning:

While still cold remove meat from the press (Cut out and large Pieces of fat) and portion into neat squares or rectangles weighing 160 G ea. Wrap or vacuum pack with a small amount of sauce for reheating.

For Service:

Reheat Short rib portion by portion with its own braising liquid/sauce add Remove Meat and finish sauce with cold whole butter. And 10 ml port wine

Marinated Process

Beef Short ribs Deboned	3	kg
Onions Large Dice	.5	kg
Celery Large Dice	0.2	kg
Carrots Large Dice	0.175	kg
Thyme Washed	0.007	kg
Black Peppercorns Cracked	0.001	kg
Juniper Berries	0.004	kg	15 pc
Garlic Smashed	0.025	kg
Parsley Stems	0.025	kg
Bay Leaves	0.001	kg	10 pc
Lemon Rind	1.000	ea
Red Wine	2.000	bttl
Cooking
Marinated Short Ribs (Dried)
Bacon or Pancetta Diced or Pork Belly	0.250	kg	68
Vegetable Oil	0.175	l	6
Shallots Peeled and Cut in Half	0.120	kg	15
Onions Large Dice	0.200	kg	3.2
Crushed Black Peppercorn	0.001	kg	72
Garlic Smashed	0.010	kg	9
Parsley Stems	0.005	kg	18
Bay Leaves	0.001	kg	10
Thyme Washed	0.010	kg	76
Red Wine	2.000	bttl	68
Port	.75	bttl	145
Veal Jus	1	l	173.19
Salt	0.001	kg	5