How a Master Chef Runs one of NYC's Best Vietnamese Restaurants — Mise En Place

Summary

The script details a day in the kitchen of a Vietnamese restaurant, focusing on the meticulous process of making Pho Ga, a traditional chicken soup, using older chickens for richer flavor. It highlights the importance of stock in Vietnamese cuisine and the chef's innovative approach to traditional recipes, including a unique dessert version of banh chung with bananas. The narrative also emphasizes the collaborative R&D process and the team's dedication to creating an enjoyable dining experience that showcases the diversity of Vietnamese cuisine beyond Pho.

Takeaways

• 📍 The video features a visit to BO BO Chicken in East Williamsburg for older chickens, which are preferred for making a more flavorful stock.
• 🍗 The chickens are specifically bred for the Asian market, valuing dark meat over white.
• 🕰 The process of making Pho Ga, a Vietnamese chicken soup, takes about five to six hours and involves breaking down 15 birds to produce 15 gallons of stock.
• 🍲 Stock is essential in the restaurant, used not only in soups but also in sauces, highlighting its versatility.
• 🔥 The importance of not letting the stock reach a rolling boil to avoid a cloudy appearance is emphasized for a clear, yellow stock.
• 🌿 Aromatic ingredients like ginger and onion are added to the Pho Ga, but in an untraditional way without roasting, to maintain a lighter stock color.
• 🍜 The preparation of rice noodles for Pho involves parcooking them to ensure quick service during busy hours.
• 🍤 The making of Gio, fried rice paper rolls, involves meticulous handling to avoid moisture-related issues during frying.
• 🐟 A unique dish of hake fillets is prepared by marinating and smoking them in banana leaves to mimic the flavor of charcoal-grilled fish.
• 🍄 The kitchen experiments with a dessert version of banh chung, traditionally a savory dish, by stuffing it with bananas and deep frying it.
• 🍽 The restaurant values the guest experience, focusing on creating enjoyable moments beyond just serving food, which is evident in their attention to detail in dish presentation and service.

Q & A

Why does the restaurant choose older chickens for making stock?

The restaurant chooses older chickens for making stock because they believe that older chickens produce a much more delicious stock compared to younger ones.

What is unique about the chickens sourced from BO BO Chicken distributor?

The chickens from BO BO Chicken are bred specifically for the Asian market, which values the dark meat leg and thigh more.

What is the significance of the steam kettle in the restaurant's kitchen?

The steam kettle is significant as it is the primary equipment used for stock production in the restaurant's kitchen.

What type of Pho is being prepared in the script?

The script describes the preparation of Pho Ga, a chicken stock-based soup that is inspired by the chefs' travels in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Why is it important not to let the stock hit a rolling boil during preparation?

It is important not to let the stock hit a rolling boil to avoid making the stock cloudy. The chefs aim for a clear, yellow stock.

What is the untraditional method of making Pho mentioned in the script?

The untraditional method involves not roasting the ginger and onion, which is a common step in traditional Pho preparation. The chefs prefer a lighter, blonde stock color.

How does the restaurant ensure the chicken stock cools rapidly for food safety?

The restaurant ensures rapid cooling of the chicken stock by straining out the bones and passing it through a filter to clarify, followed by rapid cooling to prevent bacterial growth.

What is the role of rice noodles in the restaurant's Pho preparation?

The rice noodles are sourced for their quality and are parcook to be ready for service. They are poached in anticipation for service to keep up with the pace during delivery and dine-in.

What is the significance of the Gio mix preparation in the morning?

The Gio mix preparation is one of the first tasks the prep team handles every day, which is crucial for making the fried rice paper rolls, a popular dish in Vietnamese cuisine.

How does the restaurant approach menu development and innovation?

The restaurant encourages a collaborative approach to menu development, leveraging the strengths and experiences of the chefs, and involving everyone in the R&D process to create innovative dishes.

What is the concept behind the dessert experiment with banh chung in the script?

The concept is to take a traditionally savory dish, banh chung, which is usually eaten during the lunar new year, and experiment by stuffing it with bananas to create a dessert version.