I am proud to start a new tradition here on the Cheftobe site by honoring chef's and Chef to be's annually. Starting this year (2017) we will pick chef's and Chef to be's (2-3 chefs at max) as the year's honorary chef to be's. The process of picking these chef's include but aren't limited too, peer recommendation(s), community service projects, passion for cooking, culinary abilities and more.
Our first honorary Chef To Be of the year is Jessica Eng.
Who is Jessica Eng?
2 year up date
1. Has your college experience thus far changed what your end goal is or once was?
Prior to starting college, and before my sophomore year of high school, my end goal was
to work my way up through the ranks of some of the best kitchens in the world, just like Thomas
Keller, or Alice Waters of Chez Panisse in order to become an Executive pastry chef. Despite
this, after wetting me feet through stages with restaurants like Gotham Bar & Grill and Babbo’s,
I realized how much I wanted to bring my own ideas of how Northern Chinese cuisine can
intermingle with the rest of the world.
My college experience has not only confirmed and validated my ultimate goal, but has
continued to shape it in all facets, from concept, to business plan while slowly uncovering steps I
can take to bring this to fruition as I continue to experience new things, while expanding my
network. Despite this, having time away from home while immersing myself in an entirely
different environment at school has impacted who I am as a person, though it is only leading to
more self-discovery (which I realized is needed in order to move closer towards both short and
long term goals). Due to this, aspects such as the logistics of my business, such as location have
changed, but the overall goal has remained the same.
2. How has college strengthened who you are in and outside of the kitchen?
Attending college can certainly be an intimidating idea, as you are allowing yourself, and
voluntarily, altering numerous aspects of your life that most would consider routine, from eating
and cooking in a different kitchen, living in a new neighborhood, interacting with people from all
backgrounds and paths of life, to a new lifestyle that places an emphasis on your education,
career, and yourself. Although it can be nerve wracking, allowing myself to branch out of the
lifestyle I have become accustomed to for the past twenty years has strengthened my person,
while affirming who I am as a person, and how well I know myself (this can be anything, from
beliefs, ideas, goals, attitudes, personality, and more).
While my experiences being away from school has strengthened what I know of myself,
it has continued to provide assurance as I continue, which translates into my life both personally
and professionally. Personally speaking, it has improved the way I handle the typical stressors of
life (otherwise known as “adulting”), while increasing my confidence and the way I hold myself
in a kitchen. Though I am still at the starting point of my career, I strongly believe that a critical
factor to success upon working in any kitchen is how you hold and present yourself, regardless
of skill level, as that can always be learned. The person you are, and how you choose to present
yourself in a high pressure, fast paced, and cut throat environment that requires thick skin
(especially as a woman) cannot be taught.
3. How would you define the modern chef? and what chefs are becoming in the public eye,
including the viewpoint of other chefs (or chefs in the making, your peers)?
On the surface, the modern chef in my eyes has gone from placing emphasis on fine
dining, luxury, and tasting menus, to creating dishes that are sustainable, fresh, while allowing
the ingredients to speak for themselves in a more relaxed fashion. In addition, a large focus has
been placed on diversity recently within the world of food. This is actually my what I have been
focusing on myself, as many chefs and influencers in the food industry have been using an edible
form of resistance against the current political climate that we are in. For instance, we are seeing
more and more diverse representation not just in Congress, but in kitchens. From Mashama
Bailey of The Grey and The Grey Market in Georgia, to Kwame Onwauchi, named one of Food
and Wine magazine's Best New Chefs this year, Anita Lo of Annisa (one of two female owners
that have Michelin starred restaurants in NYC) and so many more. This is what the modern day
food industry is looking like, paving the way for diversity and people of color, while steering
away from White power that had once dominated the kitchen and food media.
Original post (2017) Jessica:
"I was raised in Queens, New York, and as of right now. It is blossoming into a diverse food scene...in contrast to while I was growing up in the area I lived, I was surrounded by pizza parlors and that one Greek restaurant around the corner. You would see the occasional Thai or Indian restaurant open up, but only to have it closed down a month later. I grew up in a strong household of women, such as my mom who was able to raise me by herself. My grandmother has deep roots in cooking authentic Chinese cuisine, as she went to culinary school in Taiwan she began inviting people into her home to teach THEM how to cook, and of course, she passed it down to my mother, who in turn taught me. I would always see the techniques and ingredients, smell the aromas, and eat the food, but I never truly appreciated it until I was 11 years old. Despite this, the way I grew up has given me the sense of who I am, as I am a reflection of my own mother, who showed everyone that she could do it on her own, while being successful, as well as identifying with our deeply rooted culture."
"My first job was working in the pastry department at a corporate group (FLIK Hospitality Group). This experience was especially crucial to my career because it was my first time working in an actual profession kitchen, introducing me to the “real world” of the food industry. Ups and downs come with every work place you will go to (I learned that the hard way), but working here opened and expanded my perspective and view on what the culinary industry is about. I not only learned hard skills, such as techniques in pastry, how to pair different ingredients with one another etc …, but about people itself. Despite this, there were some downs to the experience as well. Being an intern anywhere is difficult, as you have several different factors against you including your age, inexperience, and low position in the team you join. Though, there was one big problem that was right under my nose, but I would only notice this years later, after working in several more establishments. Whether it was good or bad, these lessons, I eventually learned, not only benefited me in my future in this field, but branched out into many other aspects of my life. As of right now, my future in pastry is opening up my own business with my mom, centered around Asian fusion cuisine. I plan to try and learn as much as possible about different cultures and their food, adapting their techniques and flavor profiles, and coming back to create a whole new concept that no one has seen before. This goal has had many previous forms over the years, but as my experience in this industry grew, I know that this is what I want. What partly made me realize this was the issue of sexism in the kitchen. One of my more recent experiences was in my 3rd internship working in a bakery, which prompted me to make a radio piece for WNYC that aimed to raise awareness about disparities in the culinary industry. While doing the piece, and after interviewing people from food historians to leading female figures in the industry, I learned a crucial fact: Most women in the culinary who have gained notoriety and are successful own their own businesses. Now, I carry this truth everywhere I go in my career. After I found my passion for activism as well, I plan to implement programs in my own business that will promote women and help raise awareness of sexism in the industry, and how anyone who has faced this problem before can face and conquer it."
- Jessica Eng.
Hong Shao Ji
( Chinese Redsoypaised Chicken)
My family comes from northern China, and Hong Shao Ji is a staple in our repertoire. It is nostalgic and embodies the flavors of Northern Chinese cuisine, as well as our culture and background. I grew up eating this dish all the time with a fresh bowl of steamy, hot, fluffy white rice, and I always knew when my mom was cooking it just by the aromas, the star anise, the sweetness from the sugar, that filled the air while it was simmering over the stove. You can adjust any proportions in this recipe based on preference (ex. More or less sugar, soy sauce, etc . . . ) Ingredients: 1 ½ lbs. Chicken, skin on (optional), thighs 2 Scallion stalks, minced (greens and whites) 1 ½ Tbsp. ginger, minced 3 cloves of garlic, minced 4 Tbsp. light soy sauce 3 Tbsp. dark soy sauce 4 Tbsp dark rock sugar 1 C. chicken stock (preferred) ¼ C. Shaoxing rice wine* 3-5 star anise, whole Method of Preparation:
In a rondeau or dutch oven*, place oil in pan over high heat. Wash and pat dry chicken to ensure crispness. When pan is smoking, place chicken, skin side down in pan. Sear on each side until golden brown. Do not cook through, and set aside. Using oil from the seared chicken, sweat the ginger first for 30 seconds, till fragrant, then add in scallions and garlic. Still over medium heat, add the chicken back in the pan. Add soy sauces, rice wine, star anise, and rock sugar. Mix and coat chicken thoroughly. Add chicken stock. Cover and bring to a boil. After it boils, bring it to a simmer. Keep covered and simmer until chicken is fork tender. If, after simmering, liquid is too runny, uncover, turn on high heat, and let it reduce until desired consistency (nape). *cooks notes: Specialty ingredients such as rock sugar and rice wine (the brand “Shaoxing” is preferred) can be found at any local Asian market. Make sure to buy the dark colored rock sugar (often in the shape of rectangular bars) to achieve more caramelization in the chicken, and more depth of flavor in your final result.