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Welcome to StarChefs where you can search for recipes, culinary schools and hospitality schools, chef jobs, hotel jobs, restaurant jobs and food and wine pairings. Welcome to StarChefs where you can search for recipes, culinary schools and hospitality schools, chef jobs, hotel jobs, restaurant jobs and food and wine pairings.
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Ask the experts on StarChefs.com

Cooking tips, food info, and shopping advice
from America’s top chefs.

Ask your favorite celebrity chefs and food experts anything and everything you’ve ever wanted to know about food and we’ll get the answer for you!

StarChefs will do its best to make sure every question asked is answered. However, due to the high volume of questions asked, some questions will not be able to be answered.

 

 

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Q:How much does an entry level chef make?

Jose,
A:Results of our 2007 salary survey indicate that a non-executive chef makes on average $55,257. A chef de cuisine makes an average of $59,896. For more data you can view the 2006 Salary Survey at http://www.starchefs.com/features/editors_dish/salary_survey/2006/index.shtml . Look for the results of our 2007 salary survey coming soon this month to StarChefs!

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Q:I am a fine dining restaurant owner who is looking to hire a chef. I have had difficulties finding someone who is knowledgeable and has the ability to produce high quality dishes in a high-volume atmosphere. Where is a good place to start my search?

George,
A:The StarChefs.com JobFinder service is an excellent place for you to start looking for culinary talent. The first step is to sign up for an employer account at http://www.starchefsjobfinder.com/emp-reg.php?s=-1&t=j and then follow the steps from there. You can post your job, and also search resumes posted by job seekers.

--by StarChefs Editors
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Q:I am considering importing some of the Iberico Pata Negra and not having worked specifically before, I was curious if there were any carving tips you could give me as to help minimize waste with this product. Thank you.

Andrew,
A:There is an excellent guide to cutting Spanish hams available from the Ibergour website at http://www.ibergour.co.uk/en/jamon/consumo/.

--by StarChefs Editors
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Q:Greetings, My name is Phillip Baxman and am looking for a hand-held meat smoker, I have exhausted myself for the past 3 weeks looking for this item. Any suggestions on where to find it?

Phillip,
A:Cameron's Cookware makes several versions of reliable stovetop smokers that you can purchase on their company website (http://www.cameronscookware.com).

--by StarChefs Editors
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Q:How long would you cook a 20 lb corned beef? Every recipe calls for 3-4 lbs to cook for 3-4 hrs. If this is true then should I cook 20 lbs for 20 hrs?

Janet Akers,
A:According to the USDA, corned beef should be cooked an hour per pound at a minimum oven temperature of 350F. You can also use a meat thermometer and cook your meat until the internal temperature reaches 160F. For a great Corned Beef, Cabbage and Potato recipe from Chef Cathal Armstrong, visit http://www.starchefs.com/features/st_patricks/2005/html/corned_beef_c_armstrong.shtml

--by StarChefs Editors
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Q:I'm opening a breakfast cafe in Michigan which has been a dream of mine for 45 years. What advice can you give me and do you have any awesome pancake, waffle, egg recipes?

Kimberly ,
A:We have a number of great recipes created by chefs that you can search for at http://www.starchefs.com/recipe_search.php.

Here are some of our favorite breakfast suggestions that we picked for you ? use them for inspiration!

Pancakes: Lemon Ricotta Pancakes by Chef Tom Snyder of Pedals Cafe
http://www.starchefs.com/features/new_year_breakfast/2004/html/ricotta_pancakes_t_snyder.shtml


Waffles: Vanilla Waffles, Milk Chocolate, Hazelnuts, Marshmallow Fluff from 2005 Rising Star Pastry Chef Tara Lane of Blackbird
http://www.starchefs.com/chefs/rising_stars/2005/chicago/html/waffles_t_lane.shtml

Eggs: Duck Hash with Wine-Poached Eggs and Mushroom Sauce by Scott Youkilis of Maverick
http://starchefs.com/features/mothers_day/2007/html/duck_hash_s_youkilis.shtml

--by StarChefs Editors
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Q:What is the best machine to buy for making great ice cream?

Marilyn,
A:If your budget allows, we recommend the Pacojet. It's hands-down the most powerful, efficient, and versatile ice cream maker on the market today (and most chefs who don't have one want one). Aside from the Pacojet, we encounter Carpigiani and occasionally Coldelite; information on all three is below.


Pacojet ? The Pacojet is a very versatile machine that can make gelato and ice cream as well as light, airy mousses, fine pates and farces. It processes frozen products without thawing, thereby maintaining the quality and texture. To order, see http://www.advancedgourmet.com (or contact Jim Hall at (336)-333-9225).


Carpigiani ? Carpigiani is an Italian company that makes machines that come in many sizes and for different types of ice cream, such as homemade-style, soft serve, pastry or whipped ice creams as well as milk shakes. You can find more information at http://www.carpigiani-usa.com.


Coldelite ? Coldelite is also an Italian company that makes a variety of ice cream machines for Italian gelato, pastry creams and whipped creams. Visit http://www.coldelite.net/ for more information.

--by StarChefs Editors
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Q:my father owns a restaurant and i run a sunday buffet and i was wondering how do i keep my scambled eggs from turning green on the steam bar?

monique ray,
A:Your eggs are turning green because of a chemical reaction that occurs between compounds in the yolk and in the white of the egg when they are cooked at high heat. Don't worry though, the green color is harmless and there are several easy solutions. First, cook the eggs in small batches in stainless steel or non-stick pans, avoiding aluminum cookware. Cook the eggs over low heat, because the carry-over heat will continue the cooking process once you have transferred them to a buffet tray. Also make sure that the tray is sitting over hot water rather than over direct heat. And always use the highest quality eggs you can find!

--by StarChefs Editors
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Q:My name is Kelli Hovey, I'm a senior photojournalism student and a reporter for VOX magazine. I'm currently working on a story about cooking in different cities. I'm looking for recipes and your opinion on food and favorite types of food for different cities/events. Our featured cities are New Orleans, Montreal, Cartagena, Columbia, Mo. and also any recipe or opinions you may have from camping (arkansas and river rafting trips). Also, I would love to know favorite cookbooks in coordination with any or all of these cities. Thanks so much and any information or recipes from these cities or just any opinion you have at all would be amazingly helpful!

Kelli Hovey
VOX Magazine
UMC Journalism

Kelli Hovey,
A:We can help with New Orleans ? you'll definitely want to check out New Orleans chefs Donald Link of Herbsaint and Cochon, Susan Spicer of Bayona and Scott Boswell of Stella. You should take a look at what these chefs have done to aid in the Katrina recovery effort (Donald Link has been particularly active). As for cookbooks, Susan Spicer a book called "Crescent City Cooking: Unforgettable Recipes from Susan Spicer's New Orleans".

Regarding your question about camping, StarChefs is planning on covering the subject of campfire cooking during an Idaho rafting trip we will be taking this summer.
See the links below for some background information on the New Orleans chefs:

Donald Link on StarChefs: http://starchefs.com/chefs/rising_stars/2003/new_orleans/DLink/index.shtml.

Susan Spicer on StarChefs: http://starchefs.com/chefs/SSpicer/html/index.shtml.

Scott Boswell on StarChefs:
http://starchefs.com/chefs/rising_stars/2003/new_orleans/SBoswell/index.shtml.

--by StarChefs Editors
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[ Click here for more questions & answers ]

EMERIL LAGASSE’S
FAVORITE FARE
Knowing that you have a Portuguese background, I am wondering what your favorite Portuguese dish is. – Dale Brown, Springfield MO

Kale soup, I use lots of fresh kale, chorizo or andouille sausage, potatoes and chicken stock. My mom (who is Portuguese) used to make it. Mom ran the house so we grew up eating Portuguese food. – Emeril

TACO ADVICE
FROM BOBBY FLAY
I have a basic question: I cannot seem to get the right taste for my beef taco filling. I like a really spicy flavor, but nothing overpowering. Any suggestions? Thank you in advance! – Charlotte Stevens, Santa Barbara CA

Start with onions and garlic. Then add ground cumin, ground coriander, ancho chile powder, jalapeno or Serrano peppers, and chopped tomatoes. At the very end, add some chopped fresh cilantro. You can also experiment with some other dried chile powders such as pasilla, cascabel or chipotle. – Bobby

NORMAN VAN AKEN’S FLAVOR COMBINATIONS
What are your favorite food combinations?

Peanut butter and Jelly still works for me! Especially on a Ritz cracker… I’m only kidding – a little. Plantains and pork is another great one. It is in the contrast of combinations that I am most consistently drawn to. I love limejuice, sugar and fish sauce. I love passion fruit, honey and sesame oil. I love roasted beef and lamb with caramelized onions and root vegetables. My dessert interests are chocolate and mandarin orange, as well as curry and pineapple – Norman

A PAINT BRUSH FOR
MARCUS SAMUELSSON
What are staple ingredients in your kitchen?

It’s not ingredients, it’s a brush. It’s something I’ve had forever, since I was a kid. I paint on plates, for example. Anything is a vehicle for me to serve food on. I use tiles or glass bricks. I don’t buy the most expensive china, I design my own and use stuff [that exists] in everyday culture and I put it in my restaurant. –Marcus

SHOPPING
WITH ALICE WATERS
What tips can you give on the best way to shop in farmer’s markets for someone who’s only shopped in supermarkets. – Harry Gaulke, Pensacola FL

Most vendors at farmer’s markets will let you taste their produce. Tasting the food is a great part of the market. Also buy small amounts of lots of different things. This way you can see how to cook with them and work with a variety of foods, instead of getting a lot of one thing. I would go to the market without any expectations about what I want to eat and cook that day. See what is ripe and best and buy that. Then go back and look in cookbooks to see what you can do with it. - Alice

Looking for a culinary challenge in Mid Coastal Maine?
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