Chef Michael Hanaghan and Sous  Eric Suniga are in the house, and with over fifteen years combined  cooking for Thomas Keller, our kitchen is putting out some truly world class  food.  Over the past month I’ve seen some once in a lifetime dishes, but its the food we serve everyday.  Chef Mike brings some serious experience to the table; his rock-like presence in the kitchen inspires us all to be stronger, to cook better.  With Sous Eric as his right hand and a crew of seasoned cooks, our kitchen hums.  It steams along on a rail of solid technique and utmost respect for ingredients and the craft of cooking.  Heads are down and plates are up, the floor staff literally running to keep up, blurs of black-clad bodies bussing and marking the next course.  The floor buzzes, the servers and guests are busily chatting over butter poached lobster, fine wine and caramelized blue cheese.  This 09 holiday season Ten-01 rocked. Patrons pounced; the place was packed, holiday shoppers and bar-hoppers feeding on show-stopper fresh food and laughing.  The kitchen is killing it.  The bar draws you in.  The room is jaw drop beautiful.  The knowledgeable staff is pouring the perfect wine or selected spirit.  All the pieces are in place.  2010 is going to be a good year.

“McCarthy, pastry!!”   I kill the heat on my ice cream base and move it to the back of the stove.   It’s time to do the job.    I quickly peruse the ticket; the order for pastries suddenly sliding up and out as another ticket is sent behind it.  Dropping fritters first I return from the fryer to burn brulees, sauce plates and ready garnishes. Soon servers are standing near, fidgeting, waiting.  Everything coming together in a flurry, nothing taking more than a few minutes to plate up.   Plating is  a small fragment of what I do here at the restaurant, mostly it’s massive amounts of prep work, occasionally supplying the hot-side with gougeres or vol au vents. I’m also kept quite busy with preparing the dessert menu for our sister restaurant, Tabla.  Chef Anthony and I dream up some sweets, I implement them, he and his crew plate them.  When I’m not doing that, I’m probably creating chocolates and confections for our mignardes.  I also somehow find time to write on this blog now and again.  Occasionally, I get lucky enough to work an off-site catering event.  Even more infrequently, I get special orders for cakes and such.  Weeks and months fly by fast in the food biz, here I am rounding the bend on two years at Ten-01. It’s easy to be here, with our great crew and amazing space.  The subtle sounds of sweets slipping to plates sing softly; a treble tingling over a tune of searing seafood, game, or beef.  The fritters; fried now, tumble out their steaming decrescendo, delighting guests; warming them before they head into the lamp-lit night.

I asked Adam the other night what Sarah’s title was; if she had one, and we were both at a loss to come up with one. “Administrative Assistant” or “Human Resource Director” didn’t quite cover it. “Girl Upstairs Who Writes the Checks” works with the delivery guys, but still not quite enough. “Person Who Handles Everything?”  Good but too long.  In a business of this size, a person like Sarah is integral. I’m thoroughly convinced that if she wasn’t around, Ten-01 would implode.   Fires would start spontaneously, and there would be no one to put them out.  Sarah does it all.  She arrives early, sometimes even before me. Then all day she plugs away with paperwork and emails and checks and more paperwork and then she’s running around to doing errands or delivering desserts to Tabla and the whole time she’s got a smile and a cute giggle.  And with all the little nuances two restaurants and the in’s and out’s of the day to day keeping track of everything?  It never ceases to amaze me.  She has the answers, she’s got the keys.  She can find out how many desserts I sold last week and when our fryer oil will be picked up.  She’s more than likely got my paycheck.  Sarah doesn’t need a title, I doubt she’d ever ask for one.  She’s too busy doing everything to even think of it.

At any given moment, Chef Benjamin Parks is being pulled in a hundred directions.  Menu planning, ordering, receiving, butchery, staff training, meeting with farmers, guests, other Ten 01 managers, sous chef, pastry chef, etc, etc.  He’s expiditing on the line.  He’s portioning more halibut in the back kitchen.  He’s discussing grilled pound cake with me.  How he keeps it all going and still manages to have a huge smile on his face mystified me at first, until I got to know him better.  Chef Benjamin loves work.  Chefness oozes from his pores, saturates his being.  He loves Fridays because he knows the following morning he gets to hit the Farmer’s Market.  He’s always showing up with arm loads of amazing greens and vegatables, or bringing me the most succulent peaches and strawberries.   You can’t help but be excited about food around Benjamin.  His exuberance for all things gastronomic is contagious.  His knowledge of techniques and ingredients is well past the border of normal, well into the fabled land of nerdiness.  His nerdiness isn’t just limited to food, however.  You’re just likely to overhear him jabbering away about the latest zombie movie or comic book he’s read.  He’s an easy going Chef with and easy demeanor that makes only one simple demand of his staff:  Make the best food.

I always get excited when I see Erica bringing me a bottle of wine.  Another wine dinner and another special dessert paring.  I have learned so much working with Erica; about wine and how it compliments food.  The wine list at Ten-01 is one of the most impressive selections in town, and that is all Erica.  I remember when she was creating the pairings for the dessert menu, I was floored.  I didn’t know how wine could work with food, lift it up, embellish it.  Erica is a true food and wine lover, one truly passionate about her craft.  Sometimes she can be found in the back kitchen, poking around for tasty vittles, or getting her chocolate fix.  Mostly however, she’s on the floor, selling bottle after bottle of sumptous wine.  I’ve enjoyed working with Erica on quite a few offsite events, and on top of her wine skills, she’s no stranger to plating up huge banquets.  She’ll roll in a dress and heels, throw on an apron, and throw down with us cooks.  She hosts a variety of wine classes, tastings and events, and rigorously trains our waitstaff with frequent tastings and pairings.  She knows how wine pairs with food, and what wines to enjoy on their own.  She wants to make wine accessible to everyone, from newbie to connoisseur.

Kelley likes to be called a bartender.  His aversion to terms like “bar chef” or “mixologist” is testament to his humble respect for the age-old traditions of pouring.  His cocktails are unique but familiar; smart and clean.  He holds a reverence for spirits, and stocks his bar accordingly. It’s not just about having unusual bottles, but having the tools with which the bar staff can provide a positive and unique experience for our guests.  His bar holds many products from local artisan distillers, as well as those from the far reaches of the globe.  With an extensive collection of unique whiskey from Jim Beam to Rittenhouse 23yr Old Rye; rums from around the world,  plus European herbals and bitters, he’s got the means to pour a great drink.  Not forgotten are the other important elements of a well made drink, like fresh juice and hand made purees.  Proper technique is always observed, and taught to his loyal staff. He does’t stop at the bar either.  He often hosts classes at the restaurant, showcasing a specific sprit or a variety of cocktail.  I’ve had the pleasure of working with him on various dinners as well, where cocktail pairings are offered with each course.  His knowledge and passion about what he does has inspired me time and again.  Sometimes with exhaustive knowledge of an obscure spirit; sometimes with subtle english spun upon a highball glass, crisp with frost.

Damien was the first friend I made at Ten-01, and I think that a lot of people can say that.  How can you not befriend this guy?  Exceptionally gregarious and acutely out-going, Damien is the perfect guest liason.  He knows all the v.i.p.  He knows all the food writers, all the industry people.  He probably remembers what wine you had last time you were in and how you enjoyed it.  In the front of the house, he’s the man.  Having worked his way up through the ranks of servers since Ten-01 opened, he knows this restaurant.  His expertise isn’t limited to the dining room.  In fact, he can often be found dressed in a chef coat in the back kitchen, pickling veggies for the bar, shucking fava beans, or doing whatever is needed.  He can make a carrot based hot sauce that will re-teach you what you know about spicy.

“Where’s Adam?” Is a question that is often heard at Ten-01.  The answer?  He’s in the office, crunching numbers.  He’s in the kitchen, helping cook.  He’s in the dining room, chatting with guests.  He’s over at Tabla, cooking with Anthony. He’s at home, raising his family.  He’s on his way back with creme brulee molds.  Now he’s showing the repairman where the scrubber unit is.  Now he’s out and about in town, promoting his restaurants.  Now he’s asking me why the crackers look different.  Now he’s out front again helping bus tables.  “Where’s Adam?”  He’s pretty much everywhere.  He’s dealing with the thousands of things one must when running two successful restaurants.  When he’s not busy with all that, he’s probably back in the kitchen again; cracking jokes with the cooks, sporting that distinctive grin.  He’s not the kind of employer who lords over, pointing and posturing.  He holds us up from underneath; guiding us.  Inspiring us to believe that we can make a better restaurant each day.