Behind the Scenes
We get the scoop in the industry so you don't have to
This week:
Restaurants
Let's go!
Meet Chef Brady
It was a pleasure learning about the restaurant world from this pro. With a combined 2+ decades worth of kitchen, bar and service work in restaurants, we couldn't have asked for a better person to open this subject up for debate. Follow the story to get the scoop!
Continue!
The Good, the Bad and the Industry Podcast
Next!
Story
A modest bar covered by dozens of bottles filled with liquor and non-alcoholic accoutrements for drinking to the high heavens. A rolling kitchen island topped with a butcher block and shelved with bulk flours, sugars, salts and seasonings for worldly dishes. A four-layer air fryer, a 20-year-old Vita-Mix, one KitchenAid with every accessory to handmake pasta, a 50-pound vacuum sealer, an ice cream maker, and crocks and pots of varying sizes and materials. This large-for-Denver kitchen covered in counters and floor-to-ceiling storage belongs to a local chef, Brady Marcotte. Multi-talented Marcotte “loves this space,” he said. “I frequently open the door and windows to let fresh air and natural light in and get to work.” With its bright and colorful energies, creativity is bound to flourish here. Homemade chai and banana bread to keep us company, Marcotte discussed with me the trials he endured in his early years as a professional chef. “It was a lot easier when I was younger,” he said. “The demand of time and labor became a challenge. I wanted fair working conditions and to be paid more than 15 dollars an hour. No kitchen can offer that.” So Marcotte moved on from kitchens to bartending. According to him, this was easier work if you could socialize with strangers.
The front-of-house is where he met his closest friends. Tyler Moser, once a server who worked with Marcotte in an Erie, CO restaurant said, “Service work is not for the weak. It’s this work that will have you questioning humanity and life. I was severely underpaid, undervalued and overworked.” When prompted about the relationship he built with coworkers, Moser said, “It gets you through the day. Some of the best kinds of people do that work and making those friendships helped a lot.”
Marcotte learned to cook homestyle French cuisine from his first-generation grandfather. It piqued his interest at an early age watching his grandparents cater to dozens of family and friends every month. He translates that now through his home kitchen, catering to friends, family, neighbors and any stranger he might meet. “I love cooking for people,” Marcotte said.
'Your content is liked, but it's much more engaging when it's interactive'-Genially
Continue!
Story
Craig Debolt, longtime friend, colleague and frequent gym buddy to Marcotte said, “His cookouts are amazing. You will never leave hungry.” Marcotte’s specialty right now is smoked meats. Having recently purchased a 36” wood-burning, reverse-flow cast-iron smoker, he’s routinely serving up whole chickens, racks of ribs, briskets, and homemade bacon to name a few. “I made porchetta last year. I broke down a 120-pound half-pig in the trunk of my Volvo before I could bring it inside,” Marcotte said. Marcotte has similar plans this year to go above and beyond, and summer is just around the corner. Sending me off with homemade beef jerky, pastrami and smoked salmon is one of the many kind gestures Marcotte exemplifies. His love for catering and serving his circle of friends with the raw talent he possesses is an obvious homage to his childhood memories of family. And if you haven’t met him yet, go out and find him. You won’t want to miss this year’s invitations.
Additional links:
2014 Westword article about Marcotte
Make A Way Media article reminding us all to be better to our servers
'Your content is liked, but it's much more engaging when it's interactive'-Genially
Was it also your first time hearing about porchetta? Here's the Wiki page!
Next!
Chef Brady's Favorite Recipes
Ramen
Chai Tea
Risotto
Banana Bread
Soft Pretzel
Ramen
Ramen may seem like a complex meal to make at home, but it's very simple. With some broth and some flavors easily found at any Asian market, you can enjoy this delicious staple any day of the week.
Chai Tea
Chai is a popular drink in South Asia, originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is aromatic, can be spicy and made warm with milk can be a sweet treat for breakfast or dessert.
Banana Bread
Who doesn't go bananas for banana bread?
Soft Pretzels
About $550 million worth of pretzels are sold in the United States each year. Don't deny you love them!
How popular is ramen in Japan?
Very!
There are about 10,000 ramen shops in Tokyo alone! Ramen was a cheap food favored among civilians and the Japanese military during World War II. After the war, instant ramen noodles were introduced becoming even more accessible and convenient.
Chai has excellent health benefits
Just ask your doctor!
Depending on the flavors incorporated, chai can be a great source of antioxidants, calcium, manganese, potassium and Vitamin K. And the mere smell of cinnamon can improve attention and memory. Plus, it's delicious!
National Banana Bread Day is February 23rd
But don't let that limit any celebration with the delectable treat the rest of the year!
Pretzels are inherently religious?
Soft pretzels are believed to have originated from Christian monks around 610 A.D. Their shape resembles arms crossed in prayer and were rewarded to children for learning their prayers. The named pretzels comes from the word "pretiola" meaning "little rewards." Fitting!
In a mortar pestle or spice grinder, crush/grind all spices enough to release oils and open spice pods. You may grind to powder or in shredded pieces. Begin to heat water. Add in all spices, ginger and tea leaves. Bring to a rolling boil, then drop the temperature to simmer (medium). Boil for 3-4 minutes. Add milk and sugar. Increase temperature to medium-high heat to bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to let simmer for 5-10 minutes. Optional: A layer of cream will appear on top within a couple of minutes when simmering. You can aerate the tea by pulling the cream with a ladle. Scoop some cream with a ladle and pour back into the pot. Repeat this until most of the cream has mixed in with the tea. Strain chai into cups and serve!
Ingredients:
16 oz., 2 servingsFlavors of chai can be intense, adjustments and replacements are recommended for milder to stronger tastes. 4-5 green cardamoms2-4 cloves1/4-1/3 tsp. cinnamon2-4 peppercorn1/3-1/4 cayenne1/2 tsp. chopped ginger2 petals star anise (optional)3 tsp. black tea leaves1 1/2 cups water1 cup milk2-3 tsp. sugar
Hard-boil eggs and prepare/cook any veggies you'd like to add to the ramen. To make broth, simmer water and chicken stock in large pot with kombu, bonito flakes, onion and garlic. Simmer for 30 minutes and then strain. In empty serving bowls, add soy sauce, mirin and rice wine vinegar. In a separate pot, blanche noodles. (Check package instructions)Add cooked noodles to serving bowls. Top with broth. Add veggies, meats and egg as garnishes. Top with your favorite crunchy chilis, spicy oils, etc. All ingredients are interchangeable. Add whatever veggies, proteins and flavors you prefer.
Ingredients:
2 servings1 qt. chicken stock1 qt. water15 grams dried kombu15 grams bonito flakes4 stalks green onion1 crushed garlic cloveDried ramen noodlesBeansproutsBamboo shootsBok choy - sauteed or blanched2 hard-boiled eggsSoy sauce to taste2 Tbsp. mirin (1 Tbsp. per serving)2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar (1 Tbsp. per serving)Optional: Choice of proteinOptional: Chili flakes
Preheat oven to 350* F. Grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan with nonstick spray. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice together. Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar on high speed until smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes). With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating each well. Add the yogurt, mashed bananas and vanilla extract until combined. On low speed, slowly beat the dry ingredients 1 cup at a time until no flour pockets remain. Do not over-mix. Fold in any nuts if chosen. Pour and spread the batter into the baking pan. Bake for 60-65 minutes until done. By checking your bread with a toothpick, you are looking for clean or only a few small crumbs left on the toothpick. Let bread cool for 1 hour before removing from pan and serving.
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour1 tsp. baking soda1/4 tsp. salt1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg1/2 tsp. ground allspice1/2 cup room temperature unsalted butter3/4 cup dark brown sugar2 large eggs at room temperature1/3 cup greek yogurt2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4)1 tsp. vanilla extractOptional: 3/4 cup chopped pecans/walnuts
Add warm water, yeast and sugar to a bowl. Mix and let sit. Combine flour and salt in a stand mixer.When the yeast mixture begins to foam, add that, butter and milk to the stand mixer. With a dough hook, mix all ingredients until combined into a dough ball. Set the dough ball into a greased bowl. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and proof until it doubles in size (approx. 45 minutes). Portion dough ball into 12, approx. 90-gram portions. Individually roll into tight buns. Cover and proof for 30 minutes. To shape the pretzels, roll them out into long snakes wider than shoulder span. Twist into a pretzel shape and press the legs firmly into the pretzel. In a pot, boil a gallon of water with baking soda. Blanch pretzels in boiling water for 15-20 seconds. Lay them out onto a baking tray, brush with eggwash and dust with salt. Bake on convection (or bake) at 400* F for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Optional: Brush with melted butter when done. Serve immediately.
Ingredients:
Serving size: 12 pretzels200 grams warm water14 grams yeastPinch of sugar700 grams all-purpose flour25 grams salt200 grams milk40 grams room temperature butter1/2 cup baking sodaEgg wash and flaky salt to top
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Transcript
Behind the Scenes
We get the scoop in the industry so you don't have to
This week:
Restaurants
Let's go!
Meet Chef Brady
It was a pleasure learning about the restaurant world from this pro. With a combined 2+ decades worth of kitchen, bar and service work in restaurants, we couldn't have asked for a better person to open this subject up for debate. Follow the story to get the scoop!
Continue!
The Good, the Bad and the Industry Podcast
Next!
Story
A modest bar covered by dozens of bottles filled with liquor and non-alcoholic accoutrements for drinking to the high heavens. A rolling kitchen island topped with a butcher block and shelved with bulk flours, sugars, salts and seasonings for worldly dishes. A four-layer air fryer, a 20-year-old Vita-Mix, one KitchenAid with every accessory to handmake pasta, a 50-pound vacuum sealer, an ice cream maker, and crocks and pots of varying sizes and materials. This large-for-Denver kitchen covered in counters and floor-to-ceiling storage belongs to a local chef, Brady Marcotte. Multi-talented Marcotte “loves this space,” he said. “I frequently open the door and windows to let fresh air and natural light in and get to work.” With its bright and colorful energies, creativity is bound to flourish here. Homemade chai and banana bread to keep us company, Marcotte discussed with me the trials he endured in his early years as a professional chef. “It was a lot easier when I was younger,” he said. “The demand of time and labor became a challenge. I wanted fair working conditions and to be paid more than 15 dollars an hour. No kitchen can offer that.” So Marcotte moved on from kitchens to bartending. According to him, this was easier work if you could socialize with strangers. The front-of-house is where he met his closest friends. Tyler Moser, once a server who worked with Marcotte in an Erie, CO restaurant said, “Service work is not for the weak. It’s this work that will have you questioning humanity and life. I was severely underpaid, undervalued and overworked.” When prompted about the relationship he built with coworkers, Moser said, “It gets you through the day. Some of the best kinds of people do that work and making those friendships helped a lot.” Marcotte learned to cook homestyle French cuisine from his first-generation grandfather. It piqued his interest at an early age watching his grandparents cater to dozens of family and friends every month. He translates that now through his home kitchen, catering to friends, family, neighbors and any stranger he might meet. “I love cooking for people,” Marcotte said.
'Your content is liked, but it's much more engaging when it's interactive'-Genially
Continue!
Story
Craig Debolt, longtime friend, colleague and frequent gym buddy to Marcotte said, “His cookouts are amazing. You will never leave hungry.” Marcotte’s specialty right now is smoked meats. Having recently purchased a 36” wood-burning, reverse-flow cast-iron smoker, he’s routinely serving up whole chickens, racks of ribs, briskets, and homemade bacon to name a few. “I made porchetta last year. I broke down a 120-pound half-pig in the trunk of my Volvo before I could bring it inside,” Marcotte said. Marcotte has similar plans this year to go above and beyond, and summer is just around the corner. Sending me off with homemade beef jerky, pastrami and smoked salmon is one of the many kind gestures Marcotte exemplifies. His love for catering and serving his circle of friends with the raw talent he possesses is an obvious homage to his childhood memories of family. And if you haven’t met him yet, go out and find him. You won’t want to miss this year’s invitations. Additional links:
2014 Westword article about Marcotte
Make A Way Media article reminding us all to be better to our servers
'Your content is liked, but it's much more engaging when it's interactive'-Genially
Was it also your first time hearing about porchetta? Here's the Wiki page!
Next!
Chef Brady's Favorite Recipes
Ramen
Chai Tea
Risotto
Banana Bread
Soft Pretzel
Ramen
Ramen may seem like a complex meal to make at home, but it's very simple. With some broth and some flavors easily found at any Asian market, you can enjoy this delicious staple any day of the week.
Chai Tea
Chai is a popular drink in South Asia, originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is aromatic, can be spicy and made warm with milk can be a sweet treat for breakfast or dessert.
Banana Bread
Who doesn't go bananas for banana bread?
Soft Pretzels
About $550 million worth of pretzels are sold in the United States each year. Don't deny you love them!
How popular is ramen in Japan?
Very!
There are about 10,000 ramen shops in Tokyo alone! Ramen was a cheap food favored among civilians and the Japanese military during World War II. After the war, instant ramen noodles were introduced becoming even more accessible and convenient.
Chai has excellent health benefits
Just ask your doctor!
Depending on the flavors incorporated, chai can be a great source of antioxidants, calcium, manganese, potassium and Vitamin K. And the mere smell of cinnamon can improve attention and memory. Plus, it's delicious!
National Banana Bread Day is February 23rd
But don't let that limit any celebration with the delectable treat the rest of the year!
Pretzels are inherently religious?
Soft pretzels are believed to have originated from Christian monks around 610 A.D. Their shape resembles arms crossed in prayer and were rewarded to children for learning their prayers. The named pretzels comes from the word "pretiola" meaning "little rewards." Fitting!
In a mortar pestle or spice grinder, crush/grind all spices enough to release oils and open spice pods. You may grind to powder or in shredded pieces. Begin to heat water. Add in all spices, ginger and tea leaves. Bring to a rolling boil, then drop the temperature to simmer (medium). Boil for 3-4 minutes. Add milk and sugar. Increase temperature to medium-high heat to bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to let simmer for 5-10 minutes. Optional: A layer of cream will appear on top within a couple of minutes when simmering. You can aerate the tea by pulling the cream with a ladle. Scoop some cream with a ladle and pour back into the pot. Repeat this until most of the cream has mixed in with the tea. Strain chai into cups and serve!
Ingredients:
16 oz., 2 servingsFlavors of chai can be intense, adjustments and replacements are recommended for milder to stronger tastes. 4-5 green cardamoms2-4 cloves1/4-1/3 tsp. cinnamon2-4 peppercorn1/3-1/4 cayenne1/2 tsp. chopped ginger2 petals star anise (optional)3 tsp. black tea leaves1 1/2 cups water1 cup milk2-3 tsp. sugar
Hard-boil eggs and prepare/cook any veggies you'd like to add to the ramen. To make broth, simmer water and chicken stock in large pot with kombu, bonito flakes, onion and garlic. Simmer for 30 minutes and then strain. In empty serving bowls, add soy sauce, mirin and rice wine vinegar. In a separate pot, blanche noodles. (Check package instructions)Add cooked noodles to serving bowls. Top with broth. Add veggies, meats and egg as garnishes. Top with your favorite crunchy chilis, spicy oils, etc. All ingredients are interchangeable. Add whatever veggies, proteins and flavors you prefer.
Ingredients:
2 servings1 qt. chicken stock1 qt. water15 grams dried kombu15 grams bonito flakes4 stalks green onion1 crushed garlic cloveDried ramen noodlesBeansproutsBamboo shootsBok choy - sauteed or blanched2 hard-boiled eggsSoy sauce to taste2 Tbsp. mirin (1 Tbsp. per serving)2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar (1 Tbsp. per serving)Optional: Choice of proteinOptional: Chili flakes
Preheat oven to 350* F. Grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan with nonstick spray. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice together. Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar on high speed until smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes). With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating each well. Add the yogurt, mashed bananas and vanilla extract until combined. On low speed, slowly beat the dry ingredients 1 cup at a time until no flour pockets remain. Do not over-mix. Fold in any nuts if chosen. Pour and spread the batter into the baking pan. Bake for 60-65 minutes until done. By checking your bread with a toothpick, you are looking for clean or only a few small crumbs left on the toothpick. Let bread cool for 1 hour before removing from pan and serving.
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour1 tsp. baking soda1/4 tsp. salt1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg1/2 tsp. ground allspice1/2 cup room temperature unsalted butter3/4 cup dark brown sugar2 large eggs at room temperature1/3 cup greek yogurt2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4)1 tsp. vanilla extractOptional: 3/4 cup chopped pecans/walnuts
Add warm water, yeast and sugar to a bowl. Mix and let sit. Combine flour and salt in a stand mixer.When the yeast mixture begins to foam, add that, butter and milk to the stand mixer. With a dough hook, mix all ingredients until combined into a dough ball. Set the dough ball into a greased bowl. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and proof until it doubles in size (approx. 45 minutes). Portion dough ball into 12, approx. 90-gram portions. Individually roll into tight buns. Cover and proof for 30 minutes. To shape the pretzels, roll them out into long snakes wider than shoulder span. Twist into a pretzel shape and press the legs firmly into the pretzel. In a pot, boil a gallon of water with baking soda. Blanch pretzels in boiling water for 15-20 seconds. Lay them out onto a baking tray, brush with eggwash and dust with salt. Bake on convection (or bake) at 400* F for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Optional: Brush with melted butter when done. Serve immediately.
Ingredients:
Serving size: 12 pretzels200 grams warm water14 grams yeastPinch of sugar700 grams all-purpose flour25 grams salt200 grams milk40 grams room temperature butter1/2 cup baking sodaEgg wash and flaky salt to top