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Author Topic: Helping the Chef, or not!  (read 4,630 times)

AI Summary
The discussion revolves around a humorous encounter at a curry restaurant where a customer attempted to learn the secrets of curry preparation from the chef, who remained tight-lipped despite the customer's offer to work for free. Participants in the thread share their experiences of chefs being secretive about their recipes, with some suggesting that the allure of restaurant curries lies in the mystery of their preparation. Overall, the community seems to agree that chefs often guard their cooking techniques closely, leaving aspiring cooks to piece together information from various sources.

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Offline broon-loon

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Helping the Chef, or not!
« on: January 24, 2006, 03:10 PM »
Hi folks,I thought you might like this 'wee story'!

Mrs B and myself were in a curry restaurant in Dundee a few years ago having lunch. We only just made it in before they closed.
As there were very few people left due to the time, one of the customers who was sitting behind us started to quiz the waiter about how they cooked the curry. The waiter gave very little away and the customer asked if he could speak to the chef. After a few minutes the chef appeared and again would give little in the way of how he cooked the curry.
After a good 5 minutes of conversation which had resulted in no real progress to his quest for answers, the customer put forward a proposal, he offered to work in the restaurant for one week with no pay, if they would show him how to cook a restaurant curry. The Chef refused the offer.
The chef, feeling slightly guilty by this stage, did however say that it was all about how, and how long you cook the onions.

The curry secret lives on (in Dundee)!

Eric

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Offline Curry King

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Re: Helping the Chef, or not!
« Reply #1 on: January 24, 2006, 03:36 PM »
This is very common nearlly all chefs, managers and waiters i've spoken to are very secretive, very few have actually opened up to explain it in any detail.  I think everyone has been told some part of the secret at some point or other and its just a case of putting it all together.  The more info we can gleam out of restaurant staff the better  :D
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Offline vin daloo

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Re: Helping the Chef, or not!
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2006, 12:06 AM »
I think the best way to get information is to wait out the back at closing time and politely -  but forcefully  grab hold of the chef by the scruff, explain that it would be in his best interests that he fully co-operates, and if that youl be back if your next bach of base turns out crap.  Just make sure it aint your regular.
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Offline CashNCurry

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Re: Helping the Chef, or not!
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2006, 02:28 PM »
When I once spoke to a restaurant chef regarding how they made their curries. I got the reponse "If we told you how we do it, you would not come here again!". At the time I was concerned by this. Then I realised he meant that you would make your own and not come back.

From information I've got from this forum and my Asian friends, this is exactly what I do today............

Regards,
djkv
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Offline Mark J

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Re: Helping the Chef, or not!
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2006, 12:58 PM »
Quote from: CashNCurry on January 25, 2006, 02:28 PM
Then I realised he meant that you would make your own and not come back.
You sure thats what he meant  ;D Maybe he was being shockingly honest  ;)
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Offline CashNCurry

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Re: Helping the Chef, or not!
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2006, 09:06 PM »
Yeah thanks Mark. For a few seconds I thought oh know what do they put in their curries. I know all the stories and have worked in Asia? a few times. Cats N snakes sprang to mind.............No it was just a second thought! I don't think this is the missing "taste"?  ;D

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Offline Curry King

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Re: Helping the Chef, or not!
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2006, 09:24 PM »
Quote from: CashNCurry on January 26, 2006, 09:06 PM
For a few seconds I thought oh know what do they put in their curries.

We had a similar disscussion before:

https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=203.0  ::)

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