Setting the Table | Culinary Q&A

 Culinary Q&A

Questions 

Kitchen Kulture:

1. What’s the One Ingredient That Instantly Elevates Any Dish?

💡 Everyone has that go-to ingredient—whether it’s a spice, a sauce, or a technique. What’s yours, and why does it make all the difference?

2. Does Food Taste Better When It’s Made from Scratch?

💡 In a world of shortcuts and pre-packaged options, does homemade always win? Or is it all about technique, regardless of origin?

3. How Does Cooking Reflect Your Personality?

💡 Do you cook with precision or instinct? Are your dishes bold and experimental, or classic and refined? What does your approach say about you?

4. What’s the Most Underrated Cooking Hack That More People Should Know?

💡 From unconventional seasoning tricks to the best way to handle knives, what’s a tip that has changed the game for you?

5. Is Cooking an Art, a Science, or a Craft?

💡 Some say it’s pure creativity; others swear by precision and method. Where does the true essence of cooking lie?

6. Does Kitchen Culture Shape the Way We Experience Food?

💡 From restaurant rituals to home traditions, how does the culture of cooking impact the way food is prepared, served, and enjoyed?

7. What’s the Greatest Meal You’ve Ever Had—And What Made It Special?

💡 Was it the flavors, the company, the setting, or the story behind the dish? Food is about moments—what’s the one you’ll never forget?

Answers 

Culinary Plee:

1. I feel like salt is a necessity, however I am going to have to chose Garlic as the one ingredient that Instantly Elevates Any Dish.  For Me, Garlic Makes It Taste Good! — in My very early kitchen days I worked for a Chef once, who came up to My station and tasted something that I was preparing, with a recipe that called for 5 cloves of garlic.  I had two on hand, and used them.  After he tasted it he asked if I had put garlic in it. Knowing that I did I felt comfortable telling him “Yes Chef”. I hadn’t lied to him technically, however I certainly had not used the proper amount of garlic.  He tasted it once more, looks directly in my eyes and says, “You might have put two in there, if that - Go grab some more”. As I’m on the way to the walk-in I realized then, that This—the Kitchen was something I was going to take seriously and I too one day would be able to taste The Garlic. 
2. Ab-Soul-utely!! Food that has been prepared and handcrafted with love and soul is Always Best! Homemade is ideal; However in some cases we can make a sacrifice. — Take Mayonnaise for instance. It makes for such a versatile sauce base.  You can use it for spicy cream sauces. It’s an excellent base in ranch dressing, aiolis, rémoulade and even burger sauces. There are various uses for the product, and best of all, someone makes it for us in Bulk.  Why allocate the labor to make a nice homemade mayo when you can order one and support someone else’s business and dream. 
3. Cooking would best reflect My personality as Fusion and Flare.  — Both, I’d say. Instinct, when cooking or doing Savory things “I Sprinkle Until My Ancestors Say Stop, My Child.”  Precision, is more inclined to Pastry. That has to be an Exact Science.  — My dishes are most definitely Bold and Experimental. I’d like to think of it as, Both Flavor and Fusion-Unleashed.
4. For Me, the most underrated cooking hack that more people should know: You Can Always Add To; You Cannot Take Away From. Less really is More.— The biggest tip that changed the game for me personally would have to be this: When it comes to Flavor-for a quick fix, Salt enhances, Pepper changes, and Acid brightens the flavor profile of any dish.  
5. ALL OF THE ABOVE. — As for Myself, I am Only Half as Decent of a Cook as I am because I’m an Alchemist. I was born to Create. Depending on how you might approach It (cooking) All Three can occur at any given point, if not All at Once. Cooking is merely preference. What works for one may not necessarily work as well for another. 
6. For Sure. Culture within the Kitchen most definitely shapes the way we experience food. — Stanley Tucci said it best, “Food is More than sustenance; it’s a powerful way to connect with one’s heritage, understand different cultures, and create lasting memories.”  That by experiencing a country’s cuisine is a crucial way to understand it’s people. 
7. The Greatest Meal that I’ve ever had was at a spot in Houston, TX called Étoile- in French it means Star.  My brother and I went to dinner for our birthdays.  From the moment that we walked through the door the magical experience began.  The atmosphere was that out of an eclectic scene of a movie- bright and dazzling.  The hostess was so charming, seating us in a cozy space after we had cocktails at the bar for a bit. The waiter was acutely attentive and on par with every single course.  We selected the Truffle Ravioli with a mushroom foam as our shared starter, and it did not disappoint.  My brother ordered the salmon steak and I had the lamb chops, of course. As delightful as the entrees were, I must admit those truffle ravioli were the highlight of the night. My level of Expectations had been Exceeded and has remained The Pinnacle of which I base every dining out experience on since. — I’ll Never Forget, My Most Novice culinary act of All.  I was working a brunch station in a kitchen and was in charge of the pancake mix for the shift.  I was not only eager to prove myself and shine, like any young cook is, I was zealous.  Quite possibly overzealous.  Here I was cranking out orders and in rolls a stack of pancakes.  As expected I get to it. Making some of the the most aesthetically pleasing pancakes I’ve ever seen.  They were perfect. I plated them, send them to the pass, Chef dresses them and out they go.  I’ve worked predominantly in open-kitchens in my career, I prefer it that way.  So as I’m watching them arrive at the table I see that they are for a little boy on a brunch date with his Mother.  One of My greatest joys in cooking is watching the face of those who consume my food upon that initial bite- to Me, That is The Ultimate Moment of Truth.  The server set them down, and he already has the syrup bottle ready in hand.  He drenches them in the syrup, as any young child does and goes in for The Bite. Immediately his face changes into a sour-pucker and he spits out the pancakes beginning to cry as he turns to his mother to comfort himself in her bosom. The server comes back up to the pass with plate in hand and says they are complaining about them being Salty.  That’s right, I had made the treacherous rookie mistake of using the wrong fine grain to season with.  To this very day I still wonder about that boy. I wonder if I scarred him to pancakes. I hope that I did not rob a child of the simple joy of pancakes for breakfast in the morning, or dinner for that matter.  

I hope that this haven Given You All a little more insight to Culinary Plee and what is being brought to The Table here at KITCHEN KULTURE, where we’re Big on Feeding Minds and Nourishing Souls.  Looking Forward to Engaging with You All and getting to know one another better.  

I’d love hear more about all of your answers to some of these questions too. Share them in the comments and let’s discuss.