PLAYTES: ON THE TABLE THE LAST PLAYTE OF THIS CHAPTER

By The Professor Chef

Culinary Lifestyle Expert

Today is my last day of culinary school for this program, and this was the final plate I made to close out this chapter.

The assignment was simple on paper but creative in execution:

Build a plate with a protein, vegetable, sauce, and starch using ingredients from a mystery box.

My mystery box ingredients?

Parsnips and microgreens.

So I got to work.

I seared off a chicken breast and finished it in the oven for a nice cook and color.
Made rice and cooked it in chicken broth to build flavor instead of just making plain rice.
Roasted asparagus with bell peppers and got that perfect chewy crunch.
Used the parsnips to make a smooth purée that sat underneath the chicken.
Then finished the plate with a lemon butter sauce over the chicken and topped it with microgreens.

Simple plate.

Good execution.

Good flavor.

And most importantly…

A good lesson.

I ended up receiving a 95/100.

My chef instructor said she didn’t see where I used the mystery box ingredients at first because I didn’t clearly specify it (online school problems 😂), but overall the feedback was strong.

And honestly?

This plate was fire.

The lemon butter sauce on that chicken took it up.
Cooking the rice in chicken broth made the starch more flavorful.
The asparagus and peppers had the right bite.
And that parsnip purée?

Cleaned off the plate.

That’s how I knew it hit.

For me, this plate means more than just a grade.

It’s the last playte of one chapter.

A reminder of how much I’ve learned, how much I’ve grown, and how much more I still want to do.

And the crazy part?

Tomorrow I start my second program.

So this isn’t the end.

Just another plate on the journey.

Still learning.
Still growing.
Still hungry.

And honestly…

I might make this one again.

— The Professor Chef

PLAYTES UP.

Comments

PLAYTES: ON THE TABLE BEHIND THE BRAND: WHY MOST FOOD BUSINESSES DON’T LAST 3 YEARS

By The Professor Chef Culinary Lifestyle Expert A lot of people think food businesses fail because the food wasn’t good. Most of the time? That’s not the reason. A lot of food businesses shut down within the first few years because they run into problems they weren’t prepared for. The honeymoon phase wears off. Profit margins get thin. Operating costs rise. Equipment breaks. Inventory gets wasted. Labor gets expensive. Sales become inconsistent. And a lot of owners realize too late: Running a food business and cooking good food are two different skills. One of the biggest problems I notice is under-capitalization. People open with just enough money to get started… But not enough money to survive. That’s dangerous in food because this industry moves fast and costs add up even faster. That’s why I believe one of the smartest things a food business can do is secure at least: 12 months of working capital. Not just opening money. Operating money. Money to survive slow seasons, m...

PLAYTES: ON THE TABLE PRESENTATION MATTERS

By The Professor Chef Culinary Lifestyle Expert A lot of people think presentation only matters on expensive food or fancy plates. It doesn’t. Presentation matters on everything. Even something as simple as chocolate-covered strawberries. Because food is an experience before it’s ever a bite. People eat with their eyes first. That first look sets the tone. It builds excitement. It creates anticipation. It tells people you cared. And that matters. Because anybody can dip a strawberry in chocolate. But can you plate it? Can you build color? Texture? Contrast? Movement? Balance? Can you make something simple feel special? That’s the difference. Presentation doesn’t change the flavor… But it changes the experience. And in culinary? Experience means everything. That’s why I believe: Even the simplest plate deserves intention. Because details matter. And people remember how you made them feel. — The Professor Chef PLAYTES UP.

PLAYTES: On the Table The Dream Came Full Circle

By The Professor Chef Culinary Lifestyle Expert When I was a kid, I wanted to be a doctor. I even had someone I looked up to: Dr. Ben Carson, a Black neurosurgeon known for successfully separating conjoined twins. I read his book, watched his biopic, and connected deeply with his story. It wasn’t just his success that inspired me—it was his journey. Even as a young child, well before my teenage years, I saw parts of myself in his story. Seeing someone who looked like me accomplish something so great made me believe I could do something meaningful too. That’s what sparked my dream of becoming a doctor. ⸻ But then reality hit me. Once I realized how much school and training it would take, I thought, “Yeah… maybe not.” So I started looking for another path. That path eventually became cooking. What started as learning food and working in kitchens slowly turned into a real passion, then a career, and eventually something even bigger. Over the years, I worked in hospital kitchens, hotel kit...

Playtes: On The Table

Search This Blog