usvi-on-line
was this any of you? I love Teds wit
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designbyroe
- Posts: 1348
- Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 1:27 pm
- Location: Chilaxin on White Bay at least in my mind
was this any of you? I love Teds wit
Remembering Breakfast
By: Ted Robinson
My alarm clock seemed confused last week when I set it for 5 a.m. Yes, last week I had a breakfast shift. That morning, even though it thought a mistake was being made, my alarm clock did go off at 5 a.m. I hit the snooze button but before I was able to get those last nine minutes of sleep, a rooster's rude crowing woke me back up.
I was dreading this gig. I had been called upon to cook breakfast for villa visitors. It was their first day on St. John. They wanted an early breakfast because they were going to spend the day on a boat cruising the BVI.
What I remembered from my last breakfast shift, when I was 16, was grumpy people in a rush to eat before they trudged off to work. Those long ago morning shifts forever changed me as a chef - a change for the better. Until you cook a breakfast shift, at a high volume fast paced eatery, you have no idea.
I arrived at the villa before any guests were awake. I tied Meritage out front in the shade and brought the food I had already prepped and my cooking gear into the kitchen.
Most villa kitchens have aromas lingering from meals previously cooked and the tell tale signs of gatherings that have already taken place in them. Since these guests had arrived late the night before and gone straight to bed, this kitchen had none of that. It was a clean slate. My dreaded breakfast shift was begining to look up.
I got the oven going for the coffee cake and the applewood smoked bacon and set about brewing the coffee. Within a few minutes the first guest wandered into the kitchen. Sleepy looking and droopy eyed, he lit right up when he discovered he had not dreamt up the bacon.
Within 10 minutes all the guests had gathered in the kitchen. Thirty seconds after that, they were forcing me to join them for mimosas. This was far better than waking up to roosters.
As they ate they asked me many questions about myself. We could see the house I am building from their window, so we all looked at that. When the subject of dogs came up, I mentioned that mine was out front and they insisted I bring him in.
I was really liking this breakfast shift. The guests must have liked it too. They invited Meritage back to visit them every day they were going to be here. They also asked me to come back and cook for them every morning, and dinner one night too.
My week cooking for these guys turned out great. They were hysterical. They never stopped teasing each other and joking around.
The night I cooked dinner for them was the night of the power outage. They took that in stride too. It had not taken these visitors long to embrace the notion of "No Worries."
As I watched Meritage run alongside their car when the drove off, I realized how great it was to cook breakfast. Seeing people I just cooked for eager to face the day was a change for me. Dinner shifts end with the guests finished with their day and ready for bed.
Knowing that first morning that these guys were off for a day of too many painkillers, too much sun and probably a little too much fun I was glad they had had a full breakfast.
I had forgotten about breakfast. This experience reminded me that breakfast can be a great alternative to traditional dinner fare. It's easy to cook, the ingredients are readily available and affordable.
Take a frittata for instance. It's great in the morning with buttered toast and coffee. It's also great with a salad and a glass of wine for dinner. And, since it's easy to wrap up and take on the go, it's great for a trip to the BVI.
When my breakfast shifts were all said and done with, Meritage and I were really looking forward to sleeping in. So it was quite a surprise when, with no alarm clock or rooster crowing, I woke up early.
I figured since I was up, I might as well make myself breakfast. I got the oven going and the coffee on. Within a few minutes Meritage wandered into the kitchen. Sleepy looking and droopy eyed, he lit right up when he discovered he had not dreamt up the bacon.
By: Ted Robinson
My alarm clock seemed confused last week when I set it for 5 a.m. Yes, last week I had a breakfast shift. That morning, even though it thought a mistake was being made, my alarm clock did go off at 5 a.m. I hit the snooze button but before I was able to get those last nine minutes of sleep, a rooster's rude crowing woke me back up.
I was dreading this gig. I had been called upon to cook breakfast for villa visitors. It was their first day on St. John. They wanted an early breakfast because they were going to spend the day on a boat cruising the BVI.
What I remembered from my last breakfast shift, when I was 16, was grumpy people in a rush to eat before they trudged off to work. Those long ago morning shifts forever changed me as a chef - a change for the better. Until you cook a breakfast shift, at a high volume fast paced eatery, you have no idea.
I arrived at the villa before any guests were awake. I tied Meritage out front in the shade and brought the food I had already prepped and my cooking gear into the kitchen.
Most villa kitchens have aromas lingering from meals previously cooked and the tell tale signs of gatherings that have already taken place in them. Since these guests had arrived late the night before and gone straight to bed, this kitchen had none of that. It was a clean slate. My dreaded breakfast shift was begining to look up.
I got the oven going for the coffee cake and the applewood smoked bacon and set about brewing the coffee. Within a few minutes the first guest wandered into the kitchen. Sleepy looking and droopy eyed, he lit right up when he discovered he had not dreamt up the bacon.
Within 10 minutes all the guests had gathered in the kitchen. Thirty seconds after that, they were forcing me to join them for mimosas. This was far better than waking up to roosters.
As they ate they asked me many questions about myself. We could see the house I am building from their window, so we all looked at that. When the subject of dogs came up, I mentioned that mine was out front and they insisted I bring him in.
I was really liking this breakfast shift. The guests must have liked it too. They invited Meritage back to visit them every day they were going to be here. They also asked me to come back and cook for them every morning, and dinner one night too.
My week cooking for these guys turned out great. They were hysterical. They never stopped teasing each other and joking around.
The night I cooked dinner for them was the night of the power outage. They took that in stride too. It had not taken these visitors long to embrace the notion of "No Worries."
As I watched Meritage run alongside their car when the drove off, I realized how great it was to cook breakfast. Seeing people I just cooked for eager to face the day was a change for me. Dinner shifts end with the guests finished with their day and ready for bed.
Knowing that first morning that these guys were off for a day of too many painkillers, too much sun and probably a little too much fun I was glad they had had a full breakfast.
I had forgotten about breakfast. This experience reminded me that breakfast can be a great alternative to traditional dinner fare. It's easy to cook, the ingredients are readily available and affordable.
Take a frittata for instance. It's great in the morning with buttered toast and coffee. It's also great with a salad and a glass of wine for dinner. And, since it's easy to wrap up and take on the go, it's great for a trip to the BVI.
When my breakfast shifts were all said and done with, Meritage and I were really looking forward to sleeping in. So it was quite a surprise when, with no alarm clock or rooster crowing, I woke up early.
I figured since I was up, I might as well make myself breakfast. I got the oven going and the coffee on. Within a few minutes Meritage wandered into the kitchen. Sleepy looking and droopy eyed, he lit right up when he discovered he had not dreamt up the bacon.
There's no $ sign on a peace of mind, this I've come to know
liamsaunt,
The heck with Ted...I wish I could have you cook for us all week.
I did look at his rates and couldn't believe it. I used $300.00 as an average for food (not included in his catering fee)and calculated that it would cost close to $1000.00 for my family of five to have Ted cater dinner one evening.
And that doesn't include wine or even a cork fee if we were to provide our own wine....mia
The heck with Ted...I wish I could have you cook for us all week.
I did look at his rates and couldn't believe it. I used $300.00 as an average for food (not included in his catering fee)and calculated that it would cost close to $1000.00 for my family of five to have Ted cater dinner one evening.
And that doesn't include wine or even a cork fee if we were to provide our own wine....miaIt takes both the sun and the rain to make a beautiful rainbow. --Unknown
I am sure Ted is worth it, but I agree with Mia, that's way too much $$ for me. He must be cooking for those folks staying at the villa featured on the cover of last month's Architectural Digest! (BTW, this month's edition has a St. Croix villa featured on the cover, and it looks really nice).
One thing I would personally find worth a good amount of $$ is a cooking class with someone as talented as him. I'd love to learn his sauce techniques, for instance. I think I would be more willing to pay out for that than an in-villa cooked dinner.
One thing I would personally find worth a good amount of $$ is a cooking class with someone as talented as him. I'd love to learn his sauce techniques, for instance. I think I would be more willing to pay out for that than an in-villa cooked dinner.
It's like looking in your soup and finding a whole different alphabet.
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designbyroe
- Posts: 1348
- Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 1:27 pm
- Location: Chilaxin on White Bay at least in my mind
Hi, this is my first post EVER!, so I'm not sure what the etiquette is for this kind of thing, but we are a full-service catering company that creates custom packages from delivery to coursed-out banquets.
Feel free to check out our website stjohncatering.com (revisions coming soon) and let me know if you see anything that interests you. We can offer you private cooking classes if you like.
I can send anyone a list of general services and pricing.
We just had a tent for the first time at the Blues Fest this weekend and it was great! Lots of fun and good tunes.
Well, I hope I haven't offended anyone (Anthony...) by blatantly self-promoting, but I wanted to get the ball rolling with this forum thing. It seems interestingly peculiar to me and I feel like I'm missing out on a whole other world...
If anyone has questions about the island, please don't hesitate to ask. I won't tell you the name of my favorite beach, but other than that is open game.
Feel free to check out our website stjohncatering.com (revisions coming soon) and let me know if you see anything that interests you. We can offer you private cooking classes if you like.
I can send anyone a list of general services and pricing.
We just had a tent for the first time at the Blues Fest this weekend and it was great! Lots of fun and good tunes.
Well, I hope I haven't offended anyone (Anthony...) by blatantly self-promoting, but I wanted to get the ball rolling with this forum thing. It seems interestingly peculiar to me and I feel like I'm missing out on a whole other world...
If anyone has questions about the island, please don't hesitate to ask. I won't tell you the name of my favorite beach, but other than that is open game.
Hey Mathayom
Welcome to the family
We are a great bunch here and I don't think you have "crossed the line" at all
Keep reading, and welcome to a "new" world
Pia
Oh, and PM me your favourite beach - I'll see if it's ours and you are correct we do need to get together for drinks soon - let me know your schedule - I know you must be busy with your little one (although not so little now )
Welcome to the family
We are a great bunch here and I don't think you have "crossed the line" at all
Keep reading, and welcome to a "new" world
Pia
Oh, and PM me your favourite beach - I'll see if it's ours and you are correct we do need to get together for drinks soon - let me know your schedule - I know you must be busy with your little one (although not so little now
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chicagoans
- Posts: 1586
- Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:51 pm
- Location: IL
Hi Mathayom! I think it would be great for your business to advertise on the forum, maybe offer a coupon only available here. Keep reading and you'll find that forumites are nuts about STJ and have grown quite attached to this forum.
Personally I think that more local businesses should advertise here (not via posts, but ads) or at least read people's comments to find out what they like and don't like. (I'm thinking a certain rental agency would do well to take some hints.)
I don't know if you'll remember this, but you and I had a funny conversation last fall: I called about New Year's Eve on the same day that a woman with the same name as me called, also about New Year's Eve (except I go by Katie and she goes by Katherine, but same last name.) It took us a few minutes of confusion to figure out what was going on.
Anyway, welcome to the forum! It's a great place!
Personally I think that more local businesses should advertise here (not via posts, but ads) or at least read people's comments to find out what they like and don't like. (I'm thinking a certain rental agency would do well to take some hints.)
I don't know if you'll remember this, but you and I had a funny conversation last fall: I called about New Year's Eve on the same day that a woman with the same name as me called, also about New Year's Eve (except I go by Katie and she goes by Katherine, but same last name.) It took us a few minutes of confusion to figure out what was going on.
Anyway, welcome to the forum! It's a great place!
Rosi, just wanted to let you know that you are stuck with breakfasts by me for the week. I'm a good cook, but I'm not Ted, and I'm afraid it would take our whole vacation budget to hire him. (And I don't think he'd be able to provide a gourmet meal on the tailgate of the jeep, since we'd be homeless.)
I did get some ideas from him. Is it sick that it is still seven months away and I'm already planning the menu?
I did get some ideas from him. Is it sick that it is still seven months away and I'm already planning the menu?
We had Ted cook us dinner (for eight) in late February at our friends villa, Skyway. It was wonderful! He prepared a four course meal for us and I highly recommend it. He's also a great guy. When you compare it to going out to ZoZo's or Asolare, it's really not much more. Plus, you can supply your own wine so that's a savings. Check him out at www.tedssupperclub.com.
We also say Mathayom perform with his band at Larry's Late Night - Shoot for Tuesday - they were great!
We also say Mathayom perform with his band at Larry's Late Night - Shoot for Tuesday - they were great!
NancyB