Haute Cuisine, Fine Dining, Steaks, Dumplings, Quality and Other Matters

Today had an intense conversation at lunch regarding the food. No, The Food.

Discussion evolved around experience with very expensive restaurants that use some famous brand names, but the food is not so good.

Some people say it is "experience" that people pay money for. Then the experience should make food better for money.

As an example there were some stories: 4 (four) dumplings for $60 that were made in front of you, $45 stake which is shit, $600 bill for 5 (five) people dinner after which they went to nearest McDonalds to eat, because they were still hungry.

There is an opinion that it's better to cook for yourself - get the best meat (if we are talking about stake) from the shop, get the grill - there you go. But then some people say that then maybe chefs will do IT too? This supposed to mean that IT skills are the same as cooking skills. Quite possibly if the cooking skills were not just something basic that everybody can do. But then again there are people who doesn't think so. For them cooking is something extraordinary.

Who are chefs? Project managers or creators?
Project managers in many cases don't have an idea of the project. That means they didn't create it, but rather execute it using some tools. Chefs or even the master chefs should be also creators. They should invent some dishes and then direct the team of other chefs to implement what they envision.
There is also a prejudice that you can't buy wagyu or other type of steak of fine quality in a local shop? What is the "fine quality"? Freshness, taste? What is it?

For those who think it is impossible to buy wagyu beef in retail (in Australia) here are some links to consider:

http://www.smh.com.au/business/clevel/high-steaks-20100607-xqec.html

http://www.butcherman.com.au/beef/wagyu

http://www.vicsmeat.com.au/products/wagyu_retail.html

http://themeatmerchant.com.au/sydney/79-premium-wagyu-mb-4-5-steaks-plus-lamb-racks-delivered

http://www.blackmorewagyu.com.au/purchase/purveyors-butchers/

To be continued...

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