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Monthly Archive May, 2008

How to Cook Pollack and Other Queries

It’s internet search terms time again….

I’ve written a post on this before, it may bore you to death but it is important for me to understand how and why people come to this website and how many bugger off the moment they see it.
I am revisiting this because after looking at my ’stats’ the other […]

Pin Boning Sardines and Other Jobs

The Life of a Commis Chef

What does a commis chef do in a kitchen? What is a commis chef? These are the two most asked questions of me by young, soon to be school leavers considering a career in hotel and restaurant catering.
So what does a commis (trainee) chef do? “All the crap jobs” I […]

I’ll Be Here in Spirit!

A public information anouncement…

Just a note to say that I shall be taking a break from blogging (well, commenting) for the next four days. There will be posts everyday as usual but these will be posted early each day and I will not be commenting until sunday. Feel free to continue with your comments, I shall reply […]

Slow Cooking Vs Chemical Cooking

Molecular Gastronomy-Who wants it?

This post comes on the back of a comment by legendary English chef, Marco Pierre White last week. Speaking at the Caterer’s 2008 Chef Conference at the Intercontinental London Park Lane hotel he questioned the validity of  molecular gastronomy and despite its ingenuity he wondered if the food tasted fundamentally better.
Marco is a […]

A Letter from Burma

Putting things into perspective…

It’s my birthday next week, the one we’re all supposed to dread, if you were born before 1968 then you’ll know what I mean. Less than two months ago I sent a birthday card to a four year old girl who lives in Burma. I sponsor her and her family and on […]

A Review of Beyond the Great Wall by Jeffrey Alford & Naomi Duguid

It’s out now, go and buy it!

I’ve been waiting for this book for months, Alford and Duguid are two of my all time favourite authors, their writings and photographs depicting years of travel throughout Asia has been a source of inspiration for me for a number of years.
Beyond the Great Wall is the third book […]

The Pastry Chef

The Life of a Professional Pastry Chef…

Pastry chefs are a rare breed in more ways than one. Generally speaking they are not made from the same mold as other chefs and it can usually be said; ‘Once a pastry chef, always a pastry chef’.
What seperates chefs from pastry chefs? two things, patience and the ability to […]

Sweet Cicely

The first of the year…

I love this time of year, there are all sorts of wild foods around and for a chef it makes menu writing easier and certainly more interesting. It’s not all good, some are better than others and the others are often best left in their natural habitat.
When it’s good it can […]

Press Photographers and Telephoto Lenses

Keep those papers covered Minister!

Here’s an amusing word of warning for any high profile business or political types out there. When making your way to an important meeting be sure to avoid the attention of photographers with big zoom lenses or they might end up seeing more than they should.
Caroline Flint, the UK’s Housing Minister […]

Truffle Honey

What to do with truffle honey