Fine dining joys

I started STREAT with a very limited knowledge of food. I have always loved fine dining and have always wanted to be able to make fancy dishes, presenting them with excellence, working with complex tastes, but not overpowering or being over complex. Now I feel I have acquired the right knife skills and understanding of different tastes and sensations to make dishes even I am surprised of.

It wasn’t always like this. About a year ago I was working in a call centre. It was hell. I was getting abused by angry customers 100 times a day. I ended up having panic attacks and got emitted into hospital. It really is the worst feeling working in a job your hate and I believe it is bad for the body and soul.

Now that STREAT has helped me with accomplishing my goals I feel a lot happier and healthier, I have made some good mates and am always motivated to come into work. I am sure it shows too. Everyone is telling me I’m looking better and am smiling a lot more.I have always loved fine dining because the representation of dishes is like artwork to me, the way the colours, tastes and textures of all the different ingredients complement each other. I find that when food is presented really well it tastes so much better as you eat with your eyes and it makes your mouth water just by looking at it.

One example of this is meringue; the crunchy outer shell, the sweet soft cloud on the inside that melts in your mouth, the thickened cream that lathers your tongue, then the fruit which gives that burst of flavor in your mouth.

 I even like to present my breakfast just like how it is served at a restaurant: the toast perfectly golden, covered by scrambled eggs seasoned with salt, pepper and finely chopped spanish onion, then finished by bacon laying on top. Then on the side of the plate a tomato cut in half and seared on the soft side, fried or seared mushrooms with either raw or boiled baby spinach leaves, displaying a pallet of colours. Sometimes I even like to cut some strips of avocado and place on the eggs in place or with the bacon.

I’d have to say that my favorite thing to eat is strawberries. I’m unsure of why but just that simple, natural, burst of flavor excites me. But then when I cook I like the extravagance and complexity of a fine dining dish, the colours, flavors, textures and the way it is sculptured.