by Tom Stieber, CEO

You know that list of fantasy dinner party guests, alive or dead?  Admit it.  You know you have one.  Everyone does.  In my imagination, I’ve had dinner parties with Oprah Winfrey and even Saddam Hussein.  I like a little danger with my amuse bouche.  I’m thinking about this as I’m sitting on an airplane, sharing in the annual human pilgrimage to visit family for Christmas, and I’m pondering who would be fun to have at the table.  I haven’t decided yet.

Lucky for me, Christmas comes early for me each year, namely in the form of Hanukkah.  You see, I had the good fortune to marry into a Jewish family and not only eliminate holiday conflicts but also vastly expand my yearly allotment of fattening, celebratory family dinners.  Right now, I’m wishing I could shake out some crispy latkes and apple sauce out of my puffy bag of honey roasted peanuts, but my daydreams are quickly quashed.  Just peanuts.

I am, however, enjoying one of my Hannukah gifts – a food journal from an unlikely but compelling writer, which is turning out to be one of the best I’ve read.  One of my favorite things about it is that I’m not reading it on a Kindle, Nook, or iPad, but in a (gasp!) paperback book.  Completely removed from the maddening clutter of indistinguishable online food bloggers, this book’s old-fashioned tactile approachability, complete with cartoonish drawings of sausages and sad-faced toilets, evokes an artsy, retro tone that I find ideal for reading about food.

The book’s premise mirrors its source, as the author is none other than Alex Kapranos, lead singer and songwriter of the talented Scottish pop band Franz Ferdinand.  In Sound Bites: Eating on Tour with Franz Ferdinand, Kapranos details myriad globe-trotting gastro-adventures while on tour with his bandmates.  Combining an unexpected previous career as a drunken misfit chef in kitchens too rough for his sensibilities with an insatiable craving for new culinary experiences, Kapranos stitches together a series of vignettes that he originally wrote for a successful column in the UK’s Guardian.

Whether he’s “munching donuts with cops in Brooklyn” or swallowing bull’s balls… …in Buenos Aires,” his stories carry a raw in-your-face wallop that’s somewhat reminiscent of Anthony Bourdain, only with a genteel Scottish whiff of whiskey on the breath.  Oh yes, he gives us similar locker room stories about the wild hijinks that take place in restaurant kitchens, but more of the book focuses on the more relatable perspective of a foodie who is ready to discover every possible culinary experience from the filthy to the sublime.   Instead of letting us into a crazy, off-limits world like Bourdain does, Kapranos is part of our world.  He’s the food nerd that every fledgling blogger and social media addict aspires to be, because while they tweet blurry photos of pho at this week’s hippest restaurant and clamor to write ‘the most ironic. Restaurant. Review. Ever,’ he’s created an enduring homage to that sublime mix of food, atmosphere, and conversation that makes for great personal stories and memories.

I’d like to call Kapranos a romantic, but maybe it’s just that he’s European.  On my most recent trip to Europe this past spring, I was giddy over the fact that in a week’s time, I only saw one single laptop at the many cafés around town.  People in Europe don’t text; they talk and linger for hours.  And while a crop of new high-tech culinary businesses are encouraging American restaurant customers to increasingly dehumanize their dining experiences by ordering food on iPads, Kapranos reminds us that “the best background noise in any restaurant anywhere is the warm murmur of people enjoying their food and each other’s company,” while “the worst background noise is the… …bland house wash that appeared in the mid-nineties in hip minimalist bars and restaurants.”  I happen to strongly share his sentiments and aspire to incorporate them into Big City Chefs’ vision to give our clients much more than a beautiful plate of food.  The pleasure of eating is about connecting with our humanity, and whether you find it at a private dinner party or read about it in Kapranos’s stories, you’ll remember to slow down and notice life’s details.  Hey, I may just want to invite this guy over for Christmas dinner.

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by Big City Chefs, 2011

We are undeniably smack-dab in the middle of the entertaining season.  And whether you’re looking to hire a private chef to make your parties effortless, or you’re an aspiring Martha Stewart who loves to impress with your own culinary accomplishments, here’s a behind-the-scenes glimpse at some of the creative holiday party menus that our professional chefs have been custom-creating for our clients this season, coupled with some tips to steer you in the right direction:
 
Idea 1: Keep it Fresh, Local, and Light

In the San Francisco Bay Area, where fresh produce, meats, cheeses, and wines abound year-round and many of our clients tend to have healthy diets, Private Chef Alex likes to bring out winter flavors without the usual holiday heaviness.  “Salads aren’t just for summer,” he says.  “This time of year, my clients love a salad of winter chicories, creamy Gorgonzola balsamic vinaigrette, crispy shallots, toasted hazelnuts, and local grapes.”  Chef Alex’s other standout dishes include brined and roasted chicken breast with bread salad (yum!), mustard greens, currants, and onions; Butternut Squash soup with bacon and apples; and Crispy Polenta with braised sausage, peppers, onions, and tomatoes.  “All of these dishes have a light touch but totally satisfy those homey, hearty winter cravings.”

Idea 2: Put A Twist on the Traditional

Bored with Spinach and Artichoke dip?  The same old stuffing?  Too much pumpkin pie in your life?  Our San Diego Private Chef Justin likes to prepare appetizers, dishes, and desserts that echo familiar comforts wrapped up in a whole new package. 

For unique holiday appetizers, Justin recommends a mix of  both hearty and light, as well as traditional and nontraditional items.  For all menu items, always minimize your last-minute workload.  “I love making a classic Italian Braised Beef in Barolo, served with Gorgonzola in a Phyllo Cup,” he says. ”You can braise the meat the day before — in fact, it tastes better the next day — and make your phyllo cups ahead of time.  Just fill them at the last minute and set them out for your guests.”

For a light appetizer with crunch, Chef Justin likes a simple Goat Cheese Crostini with Organic Honey and Toasted California Walnuts.  If you don’t have time to toast your own crostini, you can use store-bought ones that are ready to go.  If you’re tired of stuffed mushroom caps or Spinach and Artichoke Dip, combine them into a single appetizer.  A hot spinach, artichoke, and parmesan stuffing pairs perfectly with big mushroom caps.  Lastly, don’t forget the unexpected.  Crab Cakes with Poblano Cream and Mango Salsa are a fun south-of-the-border bite that break up the monotony of holiday appetizers.

Want to host a pre-holiday dinner without roasting a whole turkey with all the trimmings?  “Try a Turkey Leg Roulade with Apple Sourdough Stuffin, simple Pan Gravy, Brussels Sprout Hash, Shallots, and Pancetta,” then finish the evening with Chocolate Pumpkin Bread Pudding, Ginger Crème Anglaise, and Cinnamon Whipped Cream.

For additional dessert ideas, especially for buffet style parties, Chef Justin recommends mixing up your old standbys with some unique offerings.  “Assorted miniature Irish Pub Cakes are super whimsical.  I make one called Irish Car Bomb, and I make others with Guinness cake and either Irish Cream Frosting or Whiskey Ganache.  They’re great for parties.” 

Idea #3: Take an Italian Christmas “Staycation”

The Italians sure know how to do Christmas right.  Combine one of the most important Catholic holidays with the birthplace of one of the world’s most popular cuisines, and you’ve got a great reason to explore Italy’s vast holiday food traditions.  Typical Christmas dinners have many courses served family-style, ranging from pasta to whole fish to “Seven Seas” seafood stew, but you can opt for anything from the Italian repertoire, and even give menus an American spin.  For example, Pannetone, Italy’s fluffy, yeasty holiday  bread, makes an amazing bread pudding that can be served with an Italian Espresso Zabaglione.  Or, use crusty ciabatta bread as a base for an Italian sausage and fennel stuffing that pairs with any holiday meat.  Of course, there’s no reason not to enjoy straight-up Tuscan comfort food, such as Atlanta private chef Emilee’s classic Chicken scaloppini with Marsala sauce, wild mushrooms, soft polenta, and sauteed rapini.  Paired with Italian wines and spirits such as montepulciano, or a shot of amaretto with dessert, the holidays take on an entirely new dimension.

Great memories are made at holiday gatherings with friends, family, or colleagues.  Whether you follow these make-ahead tips for yourself or you prefer to hire a private chef for the day, you’ll be sure to enjoy the party instead of manning the kitchen.

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