Exact Recipes: The X Factor

(The Philippine Star) Updated August 19, 2010 By: Ernest Reynoso-Gala

Many aspects of my method are based on my feelings and experiences. For instance, I always give my bird a generous butter massage before I put it in the oven. Why? Because I think the chicken likes it — and, more important, I like to give it. —Julia Child

A jazz musician can improvise based on his knowledge of music. He understands how things go together. For a chef, once you have that basis, that’s when cuisine is truly exciting. — Charlie Trotter

What distinguishes a chef from a cook? Chefs have a profound understanding of how cooking works and apply that knowledge to making exact, original masterpieces. It is this distinct skill combined with talent and experience that brings forth the ability to reach culinary excellence, both in flavor and sales for your clients.

One of my students, Lani (not her real name), who attended my sisig and street-food class and nine-kinds-of-barbecue course came back after two months and proudly stated that in the span of two days, her rental at Tiendesitas was fully paid and the remaining 28 days was gravy and worry-free for her whole family. Her sales jumped from two kilos to 20 kilos of pork barbecue a day, with customers lining up for take-home as well. The twinkle in her eyes gave me joy and personal satisfaction as a culinary instructor and recipe developer.

Last year, George (not his real name) approached me with a dilemma. As part owner of many chicken stalls in a well-known mall, his sales were plummeting and an immediate solution was necessary to save the business. For one week I observed the movement of traffic at his various stores. I noticed that there was no problem with the locations; therefore, the weakness lay in the product. I purchased some, brought it home and analyzed it. After careful scrutiny, I discovered that it had a foul smell and taste because the top ass of the chicken and wingtips were not removed by the chefs, resulting in fast deterioration, leaving an unwanted aroma and unappealing taste. Secondly, I noticed that there was a lack of a distinct flavor necessary to make it a best-seller. After my evaluation I reported back to George and gave him my recommendations. I conceptualized and formulated three exact recipes that would cater to the Filipino palate.

Last January, I met with George again. He looked visibly younger with a demeanor like a spring chicken (no pun intended). He excitedly shared the fantastic news of the meteoric rise in his sales, highlighted by last December’s eight-figure income. The demand was so high that there was nearly no supply left in the inventory. Last week I received a call from George asking me to develop a hamburger recipe for his new venture.

I find it quite tragic that food companies spend millions of pesos on a product, only to see it fail due to lack of acceptance by the buying public because the recipe published was a mistake. No amount of marketing or advertising hype can propel a food product to succeed unless the recipe is precise, delicious, and consistent. You cannot violate the sacred rule: In the culinary universe, taste is king.

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