laocook

A few years ago, I travelled around Laos and Thailand, looking for would-be Lao Cook Team members. It was diffiicult to find those who I thought would integrate with my proposed unique environment. After searching and trying many restaurants, I met Kittirat, Phay and Pichet.

Each of the Thai cooks had a unique quality that I found pleasing. They are different in many ways, however, they are bonded by one common goal. To make what they believe to be the best, whether it being the repect of new ingredients or the respect of New Lao Foods. Each one of them has added a certain quality that I find enchanting.

Kittrat is being trained in our kitchen´s French section, whilst Phay and Pichet continue to progress with Japanese influenced cuisine, especially our beloved Sushi & Sashimi.

Above is Pichet and Phay before Service.

Fondly known as the “A Team” (Asiatic Team), we are constantly seeking new ideas, challenges and culinary adventures together.

Currently my team and I currently working on a version of “Goong Che Nam Pla” and we have incorporated designs and methods from Laos, Japan and Thailand. If all goes well, it may make it as one of our Signature Dishes…

When at home, I always cook with music playing in the background. I think the two go together, and I know that most of you do too.

I like all types of music, in fact I find one of the hardest questions to answer is that of “what type of music do you like?”.

I find that I have great results in my home kitchen when I listen to Emma Shapplin. You could say that her music is Modern Classic, or whatever “word” they have for it.

Not only is she beautiful, her voice is hauntingly moving, uplifting, celestial and serene all at once. Especially the tracks “Cour Senza Sangue” and “La Notte Eterna”. You can buy her CDs at Amazon or other retailers.

Sometimes I also like to listen to 80s/90s music, it kind of takes me back to a time when life was carefree and you felt that you were “King of the World” (yes, the “younger days” ;) )

Sadly its too load in my work kitchen to listen to music, but sometimes you can hear me humming….

After a hard day in the kitchens there is nothing better than “chilling out” and having a drink (sleep can wait when the adrenaline is still in your system ;) ).

We make it a point to include all the Team in celebrations, be it clients birthdays, Parties/Fiestas or simular. This ensures that the Team knows they play an important part in the huge circle of events, I mean, without them, there is no Me, or Us. You are, at the end of the day, as good as your Team.

Khamsene (Laos), Kenji (Japan) and Kittirat (Thailand) during the New Year Celebrations.

Khamhoung (Laos), just before the New Year Celebrations.

Phaitoon (Laos) and Bounsou (UK) sometime in the early hours (dont let the time on the photo fool you, someone doesnt know who to set the time on their new Christmas present…).

Unknown to most people, Sushi does not entirely consist of raw fish!. The word “Sushi” actually refers to Rice, in particular Vinegared Rice. Anything can be used as a topping for the rice, which is normally compressed in to bite sized pieces.

Yes, the most famous of toppings is Raw fish, but you can also use Egg (Omelette), Beef, Vegetables or Fruits.

At our Sushi Bar, we use a wide range of ingredients to make a variety of differnet Sushi. However, the Raw Fish topping proves the most popular, followed by the “Maki´s” (Rolled Sushi), and most notably the “California Roll” (invented no less where the name implies). The California Roll is basically a Futomaki (a large rolled Sushi), where Avacado plays an interesting roll by providing a smooth “feel” next to the crunchy texture of the other ingredients.

Most of our clients opt for a Mixed Sushi as a starter, and we are more than happy to oblige…

Above is Small Mixed Sushi consisting of Sea Bass, Gari (pickled Ginger), Salmon, Wasabi (yes, we love that :) ), Tuna and an Avacado Maki…

All washed down with a nicely Chilled Sake…..yummmmy…

What a clever invention Pancakes are. They are easy to make and can be filled with various fillings. I like my Pancakes with only Sugar and Lemon Juice, however, stuffed Pancakes are lovely too.

One of the joys of making Pancakes is “flipping” them. I remember how much fun I had when making them in School, we had competitions to see “who could flip the highest” and someone would always get one stuck on the ceiling!!

Below King demonstrates “flipping” his Pancakes, only now we dont use those expensive Crepe Pan, we use the common Wok.

I love fish, especially Sashimi. But the best type of fish has to be the Tuna. I am fortunate enough to be able to obtain Tuna from the nearby port of Barbate (the Almadraba).

We only use the best cuts for our Sashimi, the Toro! This cut just “melts in your mouth” and fetches high prices in restaurants. However, not all of the Toro is “beautiful” enough to be used as Sashimi, so that is when our Toro Tartare is made.

The Tuna is minced by hand (never by machine, which can warm the meat), and kept cool by placing it in a metal bowl which is rested on top of crushed ice, this way the Tuna retains its flavour and freshness.

We then pack it in to steel circular molds and keep it in the fridge until needed. When it is ordered, we mix it with our special dressing made from Yuzu and Maggi/Soy sauce, it is served with Chives, Grated Ginger and Caviar which lends a pleasant saltiness to the tangy dressing whilst the Ginger adds aroma and “heat”, we also use a dash of Sesame Oil to give the dish extra body.

Sometimes we just mix the minced Tuna with a Wasabi and Onion Vinaigrette and add a dash of Tabasco to bring some sour heat.

When making this dish it is important to work fast as you want to serve the Tuna when it is at its best, and because Toro contains Marbled Fat, it can start to “melt” if you are slow.

Another great dish for Tuna is to Flash Fry it Clarified Butter and serve it with Asparagus which has been drizzled with Lime Juice, so simple, yet so appetising.

Sometimes its the simple things in life that we get the most pleasure from…

I remember the days of when I used to work in London, and taking the Tube home and hoping to arrive before 22.00hrs. Why? Because thats when StarTrek TNG was aired.

For the life of me, I had never thought that I would like the series, in fact, I used to laugh at “all those trekkies”. Then one day, I just kind of “fell in to it”. (like a worm hole).

Just a few days ago, I was in “El Corte Ingles” shopping centre when I happened to walk past the DVD section, and calling out my name was the new Movie Box Set. Now, I´m not really a Captain Kirk person, but hey, I thought “why not own the entire movies set?”

Anyway, the store wanted 120€ for the set (I was going to haggle down to 90€, but I remembered that I wasnt at “The Morning Market”) and I was just about to buy it when a girl standing next to me pointed out that “If you buy 3 DVD´s, you can get 35% off each one!!”.

So I took her advice and shopped around for other titles, and finally decided on “Gentleman Prefer Blondes” and “The Witches of Eastwick”, the former I chose because Marilyn is just gorgeous and the latter because Nicholson is just “one horny devil”. So, after checking out, my final bill was 85€… :)

On the way out of the store, the girl waved at me and mouthed “Live long and prosper”, and I smiled and replied “The needs of the many, outweigh the need of the one…”

Okay, the above isnt really true, but hey, theres alway the Holodeck to “Make it so”….

Okay, enough, its late and I´m off to bed…

There were no Roses or Chocolates last night, but at least I had the evening off to enjoy dinner with my own Rose :) .

Last night we had a whopping 1.6kg Lobster & Crab with Fruit with a Lao style César Salad and a lovely velvet Flor de Chardonnay from Bodegas Laus in Somontano.

I dont mind getting my hands dirty…

Cádiz CF is our local football team. Before the La Liga season started the team came to stay for a few days for pre-season friendlies.

Their diet was dictated by their Doctor and Nutritionist (so now I know the secret to healthy eating :) )

Below I am pictured with the Manager and two of his key players, later they would all sign a Football Shirt for me which I have had framed.

After a hards days work, its off to a Pool Party, where I am known to spin a few tracks…

I got everyone on their feet with some Lao Music, and needless to say, most of us ended up IN the pool… I cant wait for summer to arrive.. ;)

My brother, whose nickname is King has been with me in Spain for almost a year now. He is studying Teppanyaki Cuisine.

Our restaurant is a wonderful fusion of Lao, Thai and Japanese cuisines and cultures. We have a Sushi Bar, 2 teppanyaki Tables and a central restaurant where we serve “a la carte” Lao and Asiatic dishes.

Some of the dishes we make are influenced by our forefathers and the traditional way food was prepared. I love the rhythm of the Pestle & Mortar when we make our Jéows (sauces/chutneys) and Tums (Lao style pounded salads the most famous being Tum Mak Houng (Papaya and Chilli)).