An Evening with Top Chef Masters 2011 Winner Floyd Cardoz

For the record, I must emphatically state that Top Chef Masters 2011 winner Floyd Cardoz does not give me menstrual cramps.

I must admit I am a fair weather cooking class attendee.  Awhile back I saw that Publix Aprons Cooking School was having an evening cooking demonstration with famed chef Floyd Cardoz.  I had been watching Chef Cardoz on Bravo TV's Top Chef Masters, but wasn't sure if I wanted to spend the money at Publix to attend the demonstration.  But then the open-hearted, soft-spoken Chef Floyd Cardoz won Top Chef Masters - beating some of the best chefs in the country.  And I jumped on my laptop and signed up for the cooking class.  A class with the winner of Top Chef Masters 2011?  Count me in!  Oh fickle, fickle, fair weather cooking class attendee/fan.

My Wednesday at work was not as life-affirming as I would have liked.  I have been feeling stifled and absolutely, completely uninspired with my current work project.  I recently switched jobs with my company to drastically cut the large amount of soul-sucking travel I was doing, but with a reduction in travel also came a reduction in the fascinating complexity of my former job.  The excitement quotient of my job took a dramatic nosedive.  And as a self-diagnosed adult with ADHD, I need excitement and complexity to feel vital, vibrant and useful.  I was not feeling any of those qualities today.  So I left work 30 minutes early and headed to Citrus Park, Florida - home of the local Publix Aprons Cooking School.  I told myself the early start was necessary to avoid traffic, but I knew the true story was that my brain was dead from a particularly lackluster day at the office.

As I drove to Citrus Park, my uterus decided to try to bend me in two from the inside.  Is this some sort of karmic payback for leaving work 30 minutes early?  A not so pleasant case of cramps bore down on me like a fully-loaded semi truck.  A fully-loaded semi truck driven by a blood-thirsty zombie.  On crystal meth.  With a bad attitude.  In other words, I was in complete pain!

I arrived at Publix Aprons Cooking School ridiculously early, so I decided to run in and buy some Midol.  I figured with luck, the power of over-the-counter drugs would soothe my angry uterus before the cooking demonstration started.  Saving me from laying on the floor in a fetal position moaning "Why God, why?" while Chef Cardoz tried to show off his cooking skills.

I scurried into the Publix on improbably high platform heels (appropriate attire for a cooking class?) and went in the complete wrong direction of where I needed to be.  The Citrus Park Publix has a different floor plan than my local Publix.  I spun around to find that I had rushed right past the pharmacy area.  Ugh!  I felt like an idiot and did an about face.  I looked up as I was making my spastic, teetering heeled U-turn to find that directly above me on the balcony was Top Chef Masters 2011 winner Floyd Cardoz, talking on his cell phone.  I made some sort of "Ohh- oh-- you-- ohhhh-- ummm-- you're famous!" gasping, fish out of water suffocating expression before my brain could process the message "You're making a ridiculous stalker face at the poor man- LOOK AWAY CHILD, LOOK AWAY!"  I looked down at the floor and thanked Jesus, Mary and Santa Claus that I hadn't tripped and fallen in my crazy platform heels in front of the celebrity chef. 

For some reason, I decided it would be bad manners for a Bravo TV winner to see me in a grocery store buying Midol for menstrual cramps.  Evidently I thought it would have the same effect as slamming the oven door on a souffle.  Somehow my angry uterus would jinx Chef Floyd Cardoz's cooking.  I shimmied down the OTC drugs aisle and palmed a box of Midol like I was behind enemy lines and this was the coveted microfilm that I would use to end the war.  Secret Agent Code Name: Crampy McUterus. 

With microfilm - um, Midol - discreetly in hand, I walked the furthest most perimeter of the large Publix grocery store.  I guess my rationale was that if I walked along the far walls, Chef Cardoz from his balcony (a.k.a sniper position) would somehow not see me.  Evidently as a secret spy, I can also bend the laws of physics, gravity and visibility.  Now I think it is very important to mention that Chef Cardoz was on his phone discussing the new restaurant he will be opening.  I don't think he saw me as he talked on the phone - even with my fish-suffocating expression - and I am quite certain he could care less what OTC drugs I was buying.  And yet there I was, playing secret agent at the Citrus Park Publix.   

I found myself in the wine section staring at wine bottles in the shape of cats.  I'm no Doctor, but washing down Midol with wine drank straight from a cat-shaped bottle is probably listed on the toxic drug interaction warning.

The FDA has not evaluated whether these cat-shaped bottles of wine help treat uterine cramps.

I decided to buy a bottle of water instead of cat wine to assist with moving the Midol from my mouth to my gullet.  I didn't want to have some sort of cat wine/drug interaction at the cooking demonstration.  Fears of wearing lobsters like a hat and screaming "God Bless Canada!" keep me on the straight and narrow when it comes to mixing with over-the-counter drugs!  Not saying you have to be having some sort of wicked drug high to want God to bless Canada.  But it helps.  :-)

With my Midol and my water and 45 minutes to kill, Secret Agent Crampy McUterus crept out to the parking lot to take the drugs in the privacy of my car.  I've learned from many a movie that this is an acceptable venue in which to take pharmaceuticals.  Taking the pills ate up about 5 seconds of time... so I wasted more time playing Bunny Shooter on my iPhone.  A man in a Jeep pulled up next to me with a quizzical look on his face.  Get lost, Jeep Man - haven't you ever seen a gal with an angry uterus hopped up on Midol playing Bunny Shooter in a grocery store parking lot?? 

After successfully finishing several levels on World 3 of Bunny Shooter, I decided it was time to go in to get a good table for the cooking demonstration.  There was Chef Floyd Cardoz, dressed in crisp chef whites, talking animatedly with some early bird class attendees.  Since he didn't appear to be frisking people for Midol or interrogating them on the state of their uterine lining, I grabbed a table with an optimum view of the cooking area.  The Midol was kicking in and my uterus was ready for a world class cooking demo!

My classmate companions joined me, but I decided to spare them a status update on the adventures of my uterus.  We scanned the recipes that Chef Cardoz would be making for us that evening with drooling anticipation:

Grilled Black Pepper Shrimp on a bed of arugula lettuce and watermelon lime salad

Sweet Spiced Braised Short Ribs on Turmeric Mashed Potatoes

 

Vanilla Bean Kulfi, Citrus Fruit and Rosewater

Just looking at the recipes before the cooking demo, I knew that Chef Floyd Cardoz had selected a winning menu.  This was going to be a great cooking demo and an even better eating demo!  I need to get a copy of Chef Cardoz's cookbook "One Spice, Two Spice" because if the recipes in the cookbook are anything like the cooking demo's recipes, I'm going to want to try them all!

I think it is important to note that I have never met a braised short rib I didn't like.  Chef Cardoz's recipe stated that you make the short ribs the night before and then let them sit in the braising liquid overnight.  Talk about packing in the flavor!  My absolute favorite short rib recipe is from the Evil Shenanigans Blog: Coconut Curry Braised Short Ribs.  It is insanely delicious and incredibly easy to make in a slow cooker.  I made the recipe for a dinner party and my friends were convinced I was a world class chef.  Chef Lily - part time Celebrity Chef, part-time Secret Agent. 

Chef Floyd Cardoz's Sweet Spiced Braised Short Ribs recipe is going to be my 2nd go-to recipe for short ribs.  It was delicious!  Chef Cardoz also gave us a tip that he received from Chef Tom Colicchio on basting the short ribs with the reduced sauce - it made a sweet, rich, almost candied nature to the short ribs that eradicated the need for extra sauce on the meat.

The cooking demo started with Chef Cardoz walking out from around the cooking island into the audience and just talking with us - telling us his earliest cooking memories in India.  I loved that he started the demo by reaching out and connecting to the audience.  The class is limited to about 40 students, so it was great to be able to interact with a celebrity chef in such a small group.  Chef Cardoz talked about his 12 years at New York City's Tabla restaurant and he gave us a behind the scenes glimpse into the new chapter of his life - preparing to open a new restaurant, North End Grill in NYC sometime in December 2011.  I'll be in New York in January 2012 and after hearing Chef Cardoz describe the cuisine and concept for the new restaurant, I made a mental note to make sure North End Grill was on my "must go to" list for my upcoming 2012 trip. 

On Top Chef Masters, Chef Cardoz always seemed to be very sensitive to the needs of people and also a deep thinker.  In person, he appears to be even more so.  Over the course of his career, he told us he has assisted in raising over $5 million for various charities.  That basically he does whatever he can, whenever he can to help people around the world who need assistance.  He talked about how cooking was his passion and his inspiration - how he shares his heart by showing it in his food.  I had a particularly trying day at work that day, so I must admit I was slightly bitter/envious/spiritually crampy as Chef Cardoz talked about how he gets up every morning happy to be cooking and that everyone should find and follow their passion.  He said he is happy to go to work every single day.  I was definitely not finding or following my passion at work today.  But I do have a passion for good food and looking at the recipes for the cooking demo, I knew my food passion would be sated! 

I was happy to see that in the front row of tables there were two kids-- probably junior high age.  I have attended several cooking classes and demonstrations and have never seen any kids in the audience.  Instead, being in Florida, I myself tend to be on the youthful side of the spectrum if that gives you any indication of the median age of most class participants.  But tonight for the Top Chef Masters 2011 winner, there were 2 kids and they were active - asking questions and listening intensely.  How smart of the parents to take their kids to a cooking demo where the chef is full of heart, passion, community involvement, charitable giving and the sky's the limit inspiration!  Every kid should spend some time with successful leaders who love what they do. 

Chef Cardoz's food had a complex blend of spice layering in each dish.  I was slightly scared to try the spiced watermelon lime salad and yet was amazed at how the spices completely transformed the taste of the watermelon.  GS stated that it tasted almost like tomato.  It took the watermelon to a new level. 

The black pepper-coriander crusted grilled shrimp was a bit much for the diners at our table.  It caused a tickle in the back of my throat that reminded me of a trip to Volcanoes National Park where the active volcano a mile away caused me to cough.  One of our fellow diners said that the black salt in the chaat masala seasoning on the salad may be having the same sulpherous effect on me.  We dubbed the salad "Volcano Shrimp."  If I were to make this recipe, I'd increase the coriander and decrease the black pepper. 

The short ribs were amazing.  Chef Cardoz liked to use the term "unctious" and that was the best possible description.  The turmeric mashed potatoes contained Chana Dal (split yellow peas) as well.  It added a different taste to your usual mashed potatoes, but I thought it made the Yukon Gold potatoes a bit too starchy tasting.  I would have left out the Chana Dal, kept the turmeric and thrown in some horseradish.

The dessert - a vanilla bean Kulfi - like ice cream but without an egg base, was a nod to street vendors in India.  I loved the creaminess, but my favorite was the citrus fruit and rosewater.  I could have just eaten the fruit.  It was sweet, light-tasting and simple.  A nice palate cleanser to the heavier short rib meal.

Unlike my last cooking demo at Publix Aprons Cooking School (adorable Chef Kevin Gillespie) where we were constantly served last and our food was cold, I was very happy that Chef Cardoz's dishes were served to us piping hot.  The recipes were great and the cooking demo was fantastic.  I learned a lot and we had a lovely evening.

After the cooking was complete and a happy room of attendees were basically licking the last remnants of vanilla bean Kulfi from the bowls, Chef Cardoz fielded some additional questions.  Chef Cardoz is a natural born teacher.  Through out the demonstration, he had given tips on proper cooking techniques while weaving interpersonal stories into the dialogue and interacting with the audience.  Advice like: using kosher salt for meat, but sea salt for fish.  Ground green cardamom has a 14 day half-life, so better to grind it fresh.  The addition of vinegar in the braised short ribs balances out the fat.  And that for the grilled shrimp, salt it right before grilling - salting too early will dry it out.  However if you were poaching fish, you would want to salt it earlier.  I love little tips like these.  Easy, practical advice with understandable explanations. 

Chef Cardoz also told us that in his restaurant, he would remove any chef from the line who was angry or frustrated because you could taste that anger/frustration/emotion in the food.  Your mind is elsewhere and therefore you do not pay proper attention to the cooking at hand.  You cut corners.  The food suffers and the guest receives subpar food.  I wondered if any chefs were removed from the line who had demonic zombie truck driver uterine cramps?  "This steak is inedible - get the Chef some Midol- STAT!"  Unlike some of the cooking demo attendees, I decided to keep this asinine question to myself. 

Chef Cardoz's best advice of the night was surprisingly not directly food-related.  One of the attendees asked "If you could go back in time to when you first came to the United States (over 20 years ago) and gave your younger self some advice, what would you tell yourself?"  Evidently Chef Cardoz didn't realize he had signed up for the Miss America Pageant!  What's next?  Swimsuit competition?  Just answer "World peace" and SMILE! 

Chef Cardoz paused thoughtfully to the question and then looked at us with a wise smile.   "I would tell myself not to play it so safe.  I'm a Libra - I weigh everything out and I don't like losing.  So sometimes I play it safe to avoid the possibility of losing."  I was surprised by the answer, because Chef Cardoz has had much success in his life in the United States.  So many people would kill to have even a fraction of the success he has achieved.  If this was playing it safe, what would a risk taker chef have achieved?  World domination?  I had a difficult time wrapping my head around Chef Cardoz's notion that he had spent more than 2 decades playing it safe.  But regardless it is wise counsel, nevertheless.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.  I again appreciated that there were young children in the room, soaking up Chef Cardoz's warm-hearted words and life wisdom.

Another attendee asked what the difference was between a great cook and a great chef.  Chef Cardoz said that in addition to being a great cook, a great chef has to be able to run a business and inspire others.  You have to be able to do everything and anything.  He told a story about how one night the heat pumps in his restaurant went out and so he and his chef de cuisine, rolled up their sleeves and started washing dishes by hand.  You show your staff by example, that you can do everything and anything.

The dishwashing story reminded me of my own youth.  I worked in an Italian restaurant in high school to save money for college.  It was a family owned business where the family rewarded hard work and loyalty.  I swear every pay period my base salary increased by a few cents.  The owner's mother said it was a small gesture to let me know that they knew I was working hard.  I was dependable and reliable in an industry where the waitstaff and line cooks could be flighty.  And I very much liked being seen as the person you could count on, no matter what.  Years later, I still take pride that in my current company I am seen as someone you can count on to get the job done. 

One night at the restaurant, our dishwasher left for a 15 minute break.  He was a shy soul who had had a hard life and was constantly being taken advantage of - with no outlet to decompress the rage that accompanied constantly being used and abused.  Unbeknownst to us at the restaurant, our dishwasher headed to a neighboring bar, drank himself silly, started a bar brawl and got arrested all before we even knew he was gone!  Leaving us with no dishwasher, giant sinks full of dishes and we were only 1/2 way through a busy night.  The kitchen had several pizza cooks, grill cooks and line cooks who could have been drafted into dish duty, but the owner- who had grown up in the business and had worked every role in the entire restaurant at one time or another - rolled up his sleeves and began washing the dishes himself.  I remember just staring at the owner - my manager - with complete disbelief.  And utter respect.  I've never been so inspired by a manager - back then and even now today. 

When Chef Cardoz said you have to be willing to do everything and anything - that you need to inspire your employees; I was instantly transported back to that small Italian restaurant kitchen of my youth.  I was beyond inspired by my manager that day.  I was sixteen years old and on that dishwasher-less night I learned a valuable lesson about the measure of a person.  Inspiration.  Passion.  Integrity.  Strength.

The owner of the restaurant had 2 small children when I worked for him in high school.  Like any proper Italian father, his children - a boy and a girl - were his pride and joy.  Especially his son.  It was like all his dreams for his future were set upon his son's shoulders.  The little boy was around 7 years old when I worked at the restaurant.  He'd come visit and help me wipe down the counters.  He didn't put on any airs about his dad being the boss.  He was just happy to do any odd job I'd give him.  I'd lift him up so that he could pump 2 squirts of cherry syrup to make our homemade Cherry Colas.  And I'd steer him out of the way when smoldering hot deep dish pizza pans would come flying out of the kitchen.  He was a quiet boy.  His sister was the chattery entertainer keeping the restaurant guests laughing, but he was the deep thinker.  He always followed my instructions (at the ripe old age of 16, I was his "elder"!) and he did not cause a moment of trouble or inconvenience for me.  I liked having the kid around. 

When I left for college out of state, the only regret I had in leaving my home state was that I could no longer work in the family Italian restaurant.  Even with the crazy cooks, the cokehead delivery driver and the mothering waitresses; it was home to me. 

Ten years later, I returned to my home town.  I had graduated from college and grad school and had a couple years of post-school debauchery in San Francisco and Los Angeles under my belt before I moved back to the state of my birth to start a "proper career."  Time to get serious!  Time to grow up!  Time to be an adult!

The following year, I happen to catch my former manager - the owner of the restaurant - on television.  His son - the handsome, quiet, deep thinker - had been riding his bicycle in a park.  Three young men - only a few years older - were driving by in a car.  They decided it would be "fun" to kill someone.  They shot at the son of the restaurant owner.  They killed him.  They laughed as he died.  It was fun to them.  It was a sport to them.  The owner of the restaurant was on TV, looking like a shell of the man I remembered from my youth.  He couldn't comprehend the absolutely senseless nature of the crime.  His pride and joy - the hope for the next generation of his family - was lost.  Not as a result of illness or war or accident - but because three young men were driving along, were bored and thought it would be fun to kill someone.  How do you go on after something so vile and so senseless?

I don't like to think about that last day in the park for the restaurant owner's son or the sad, anguished faces of his father and sister on television after the murder.  Instead I like to remember the sweet, smiling, helpful, seven year old with all hope, promise and possibility ahead of him.  Where the only thing I needed to do to keep him out of harm's way was to make sure he wasn't too close to the kitchen door when the hot pizzas came barreling out. 

When I learned of the murder, I wanted to send a letter to my former manager.  I wanted to say: "I used to work for you 11 years ago.  I am so sorry for your loss.  You continue, to this day, to be the best example of a manager I have ever had.  You inspired me to work hard and have integrity in all I do.  And I am so very, very sorry."  I wanted to say it poetically as if I could just choose the right words, I'd somehow be able to lessen the pain.  But I chickened out - used a feeble "ahhh, he probably won't remember me and probably doesn't want another condolence letter."  A letter can't change what happened, I told myself.  No word choice can minimize the pain on any level.  So I didn't write anything and my condolences were only given to the wind.

I should have written the letter.  I should have sent my sympathies for the dear, sweet, smiling boy with the pride of his father and the hope for success on his shoulders.  But I didn't. 

As Chef Cardoz said: A Great Chef inspires others.  You have to be able to do everything and anything.  My childhood restaurant job taught me that a good manager inspires and that being reliable and a hard worker pays off both personally and professionally.  The lesson I later learned as a young adult was that sometimes bad things happen - terrible, awful, irrationally insane things happen - to good people.  But that should never keep us from continuing to work to better ourselves, better the lives of those around us and to continue to inspire others and ourselves.

Chef Floyd Cardoz made a wonderful meal at the cooking demonstration.  He said a part of his soul goes out in every dish he makes.  He said "I cook for people."  A very simple statement that goes beyond it's literal translation.  I may not be feeling my life's great passion in my current work project, but Chef Cardoz showed me that passion also comes from inspiring and being inspired.  And never forgetting to give back to the world - helping out those less fortunate at the time they need it the most.

Thank you Chef Cardoz for the wonderful meal and more importantly, your heart and soul in the meal.  Inspiration through passion and example.  It was not just your average cooking class at all.