Jack Burke

Sensory Results

This lab was one of the most informative labs I’ve had yet, especially thanks to the inclusion of Chef Rob McDaniel as our guest chef for the day. His insight for each of the dishes, including plating, seasoning, and general knowledge of each ingredient contributed completely to a very informative and fun class.

First up, our Ostrich Steak was one of the more beautiful dishes I’ve done yet in our lab, and what made it even better was that each aspect of the dish was seasoned and flavored well. The steak was nicely medium-rare, with a crisp exterior and juicy yet gamey interior. Our salad was overdressed which was on me, but the flavor of the preserved lemon dressing was exceptional. Our glaze for the ostrich led to a wonderful umami taste with a little sweetness and afterwards a good kick of spice.

After that was our Venison with pomme aligot and braised shallots. While the plating was not where I wanted it, I appreciated the help I got from Chef McDaniel on how to break down the Venison into shanks, and how to better my plating. The Venison was less tough than the Ostrich steak. The pomme aligot in my opinion needed more salt, but had a good cheesy consistency that we were wanting. Our braised shallots were simple, yet deep with flavor.

Sustainability Analysis

Our usable waste, weighing in at 45.3oz was due mostly to our mise and the typical scraps that come with a mise. LeanPath, a food waste-prevention company approximates this waste costing $0.07/oz, meaning $3.17 was wasted on this waste.

Our unusable waste, weighing in at 55oz was due to unusable fish shells and our tomato container. LeanPath also approzimates this waste costing $0.07/oz, meaning $3.85 was wasted on this waste.

I think our waste being lower than last week is a good sign, and that our group was definitely more attentive to our waste. We were also much more mindful as to where we placed items.

I think next week that I will personally pay more attention to my waste, as I think overall we are doing well, but my personal performance could be better. I would like to pay attention to when I am tossing unusable waste that I am trying hard to use up all of it to avoid excess.

This week, the WACS Sustainability Certification mostly influenced my lab this week, because I feel that I was much more understanding of the different categories of waste.