New flavors in the UC Commons
August 21, 2006
This fall, the Asian food stations in the UC Commons will have a distinctly different flavor thanks to new recipes cooked up by Ken Arnone, one of only 61 certified master chefs in the world.
The food stations – where students cook-to-order their unique combination of ingredients – are extremely popular, said Erin McGinnis, director of Dining Services. However, McGinnis said she wasn’t happy with the Asian offerings because the taste lacked authenticity.
Enter Arnone, a chef whose background includes teaching classes on the cuisines of Asia at the Culinary Institute of America, time in Bangkok and consulting with multiple clients who specialize in Asian cuisine. Arnone is a former classmate of McGinnis’ from the culinary institute, and he agreed to develop more than 10 new recipes for PLU and train the staff.
“Ken was doing work in the industry with Asian food, and I thought it would be fun for the staff to get out of the regular routine,” McGinnis said.
For three days in early August, Arnone, McGinnis and the Dining Services staff worked on perfecting the new recipes and identifying possible pitfalls. This included modifying ingredients and techniques to more efficiently feed hundreds of hungry students.
“The challenge is how – in high volume – do you make good food and stick to the techniques?” Arnone said.
In most restaurants, menu items prepared in a wok are cooked for at least six minutes to infuse the flavors, he said. But that timeframe was too long for a food station with a line of 15 students, so Arnone said he adjusted the techniques to speed up the cooking time to 90 seconds while still maintaining the flavors.
Adjustments included cooking some of the ingredients beforehand, particularly the meats, and modifying the sauces to quickly infuse the flavors, Arnone said. When it’s time to create the entrée, the ingredients are heated back up and mixed with the sauce.
Arnone had the staff work in teams during the training. The newest staff member, Erick Swenson, who started work on Arnone’s first day, said it was a great way for him to meet the staff and learn where all the supplies are kept.
Swenson said he didn’t have a strong background in Asian cuisine, but in just three days with Arnone, he’d gained a better understanding of the sauces and how to mix them.
Arnone, who used to work in Seattle, said he enjoyed being back in the Pacific Northwest and working with the staff at PLU.
“It’s best working with different staff members,” he said. “You always learn and are exposed to different methods.”
To learn more about Arnone, click here.
Enter Arnone, a chef whose background includes teaching classes on the cuisines of Asia at the Culinary Institute of America, time in Bangkok and consulting with multiple clients who specialize in Asian cuisine. Arnone is a former classmate of McGinnis’ from the culinary institute, and he agreed to develop more than 10 new recipes for PLU and train the staff.
“Ken was doing work in the industry with Asian food, and I thought it would be fun for the staff to get out of the regular routine,” McGinnis said.
For three days in early August, Arnone, McGinnis and the Dining Services staff worked on perfecting the new recipes and identifying possible pitfalls. This included modifying ingredients and techniques to more efficiently feed hundreds of hungry students.
“The challenge is how – in high volume – do you make good food and stick to the techniques?” Arnone said.
In most restaurants, menu items prepared in a wok are cooked for at least six minutes to infuse the flavors, he said. But that timeframe was too long for a food station with a line of 15 students, so Arnone said he adjusted the techniques to speed up the cooking time to 90 seconds while still maintaining the flavors.
Adjustments included cooking some of the ingredients beforehand, particularly the meats, and modifying the sauces to quickly infuse the flavors, Arnone said. When it’s time to create the entrée, the ingredients are heated back up and mixed with the sauce.
Arnone had the staff work in teams during the training. The newest staff member, Erick Swenson, who started work on Arnone’s first day, said it was a great way for him to meet the staff and learn where all the supplies are kept.
Swenson said he didn’t have a strong background in Asian cuisine, but in just three days with Arnone, he’d gained a better understanding of the sauces and how to mix them.
Arnone, who used to work in Seattle, said he enjoyed being back in the Pacific Northwest and working with the staff at PLU.
“It’s best working with different staff members,” he said. “You always learn and are exposed to different methods.”
To learn more about Arnone, click here.