Chef's Studio - Branding Chef's
Chef's Studio is a showcase of culinary expertise launched in 1995 by Alan J Simpson and Linda Schnabl, to develop media and sales skills for chef's and to explore Culinary Tourism. It looks at branding and training future celebrity chef's for television and personal appearances. It is a fusion of sales training and culinary media.
In the US alone there are around 950,000 restaurants, cafes and food establishments, and this risky industry is growing daily, as more people choose to eat out instead of preparing meals at home. But the dreams of many who have devoted their lives to catering for others is facing hard times as the recession bites.
For fifteen years Alan Simpson has met and interviewed hundreds of the world's leading chef's, as well as many more young and upcoming chef's determined to make their mark on their chosen profession. He has met the entrepreneurs whose visions have become the household names in dining and entertainment. Without exception all have been happy to pass on the secrets of their success. Online Chef's Studio is known throughout the world for the work in New Orleans, Florida and the Chesapeake Bay. It draws from the input of many of the world's experts. But each successful media and culinary celebrity has had to work hard, and identify the winning strategies. Success did not just happen, it had to be earned.
Some like the world famous Graham Kerr concentrate on the safety of food preparation, and on the calorific value of food, fighting the dangerous problem of obesity.
Graham and his wife Trina have created nearly 2000 TV programs, and a whole shelf of books. His Galloping Gourmet programs are still seen in the far distant corners of the world, and he continues his writing.
Today his message is more of an evangelical approach to better, and safer living, the result of a long and interesting life in the spotlight. His ability to change lifestyles when faced with the pressure of success and fame should be noted by all the spoilt brats of today, filling the news channels with their sorrow stories. An excellent evening, and my sincere thanks for all the good advice.
Some interviews are truly memorable, like the one with Martin Yan. Martin has an uncanny skill of looking at the camera whilst chopping vegetables with his knife or cleaver.
Whilst it does not phase him that a razor sharp blade is rapidly chopping a fraction of an inch from his knuckles, it certainly caused me to get very nervous.
Martin is a very helpful and knowledgeable guest to interview, and with the influence of China increasing in the world, a good person to advise on how to entertain Chinese guests. China is seen as the emerging Superpower and the leading growth area for investment and marketing.
But the interviews have not only featured chefs, they have included leaders of the food and food service industry, farmers and growers of produce, and a whole spectrum of "behind the scenes" experts from fishermen to blenders of olive oil.
Amongst these silent partners of the celebrity chefs are the winemakers whose foresight in turning barren landscapes into vineyards, and then into wine are notable.
Over the years many of the worlds leading winemakers have been interviewed, and their advice has enlightened the palate of audiences.
The creations of celebrity chefs would be worthless unless they were supported by a whole army of dedicated professionals, to bring them the products and produce to enable them to create their dishes. These unsung heroes are an essential part of the "Food Chain" and in the glare of celebrity publicity for TV Chefs are often overlooked. My presentation to the US Senate brought home the importance of the "Global Food Chain".
Over the years Alan Simpson has visited many farmers, fishermen, ranchers and food producers. During our investigation of smoking fish we looked into smoking other meats. Take the time we spent as guests of Edwards Ham in Virginia. Here we toured every part of the production unit and saw pork arriving, and cured Hams leaving.
Sam Edwards took us inside the smokehouses, chilled us in the curing houses, and gave us a thorough grounding in the procedures, and science of getting the best Ham on to your table.
These experts are often overlooked in our obsession with the celebrity chefs seen on TV, for without their years of expertise there would be no raw material to create the dishes by the chef's.
The skills of these traditional food processors are being lost as giant factory processing plants are replacing time honored slow curing, with quick chemical fixes. The long term effects of these chemicals on our bodies is anyone's guess. It's only by visiting these disappearing family businesses that the old traditional techniques can be found.
To achieve these interviews it is often necessary to travel far and wide, off the beaten track, which in itself provides many more opportunities for finding that unusual interview.
A good example of the extent of developing interviews is our many visits to Food and Wine Festivals around the country. The New Orleans Food and Wine Experience is a good example. We have been able to show our support for the rebuilding of New Orleans through sponsoring News Releases, to working with the restaurants and promotions that love the spirit, cuisine and good times of "Big Easy". True to our love of seafood the Crawfish was the center of attention.
We did not neglect the world of wine and met with Gina Gallo, and with representatives from 150 wineries around the world who brought an impressive range of fine wines. The paring of seafood and wine, as well as the cooking of seafood in wine was high on our agenda.
Among the winemakers bringing their longtime skills to the seminar were such industry innovators as David Mirassou, whose family has been making wine in California for over 150 years. David explained the proper way to open wine and present it to the discerning clientele.
.The exploding growth of wine making in every State means the interviews with these world class wine makers, and their laying out the history behind their brands resonates with an audience much larger than the traditional chefs and new trainees in the culinary arts. Many small businessmen welcome their advice and guidance. We have been fortunate to have had many of the world's top winemakers pay us a visit, including those from as far afield as Australia, France, Germany and the Far East.
Not all the winemakers came from the giant corporations, and we have interviewed many small winemakers, and grape growers from across the United States, and around the world.
These small farmer/winemakers are often at the mercy of well meaning, yet short sighted politicians who do not understand the effort, and value of their work.
They do offer an insight into the many unusual varieties of grapes, and wines of interest to a Chef seeking to explore the unusual, and experiment with flavors, and Tastes of the World.
We are always looking for that unusual story, that unusual interview, and in visiting that one-of-a-kind establishment that someday may become the trend setter. But few will know their names, not so with the top TV Chef's such as Emeril Lagasse.
Yes we even met with Emeril Lagasse at a rare appearance in his NOLA restaurant in New Orleans during a Press Party. Even Emeril was feeling the lean times following Hurricane Katrina and the huge drop in tourists visiting New Orleans and visiting Nola.
One interesting fact was that most resorts suffer for many months, even years after a disaster until the quality of food returns to it's original standard, but in New Orleans it is better than ever. The chefs can pick and choose the best produce and supplies, the pressures of the usual high demand being a casualty of the hurricane and floods.
Emeril is an excellent example of how chefs have become "Rock Stars" as well as keen businessmen owning what amounts to a culinary empire, all the result of his dedication to the then fledgling Food Network. But being a high profile celebrity does come with many critics, and the outspoken criticism of Emeril not spending enough time helping New Orleans recover was heard in many circles. One wonders if Donald Trump would receive the same degree of criticism from New Yorkers for running his nationwide business empire after a disaster in New York City. Fame has it's downside.
A very interesting chef we interviewed was Anthony Spizale of the Rib Room at the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel.
Anthony told us the story of Katrina, the aftermath and how the kitchen staff were decimated from 35 to the current 11 and that includes some sent down from other Omni Hotels specially for the event. Anthony compared the Hands-on style after Katrina to the Executive-style, "You roll up your sleeves and start working." Despite the lack of supporting hands he pulled off an outstanding six course banquet.
Sitting down with these real chef's who do not have the luxury of legions of food stylists, sous chef's and producers managing every aspect of their on-air image is of much more value to the audiences than constantly focusing on the same handful of media stars. The chances of innovation and finding new trends does not come from hearing again and again how Wolfgang Puck and Rachel Ray made it! The threat of over exposure is very real, and the vast pool of upcoming culinary talent gets discouraged and moves elsewhere.
The American audience craves for celebrity sightings, and in the food and hospitality industries this is certainly paying dividends. Whenever a celebrity endorses a product, and when a salesman can weave celebrity into a sales pitch, the products fly off the shelves.
The range of top chef's from around the world has been a source of much enjoyment, and learning, such as when Ruth Van Waerebeake enthralled our guests at the National Press Club by cooking Belgian Mussels in Beer.
Ruth is one of the top chefs in Belgium, although these days she lives in Chile. A truly international chef who introduced the audience to an entire range of Belgian Beers, and special Belgian seafood dishes, based around Mussels.