Friday 28 February 2014

Foodie Friday! Guest Blogger Chef Simeon Hall Jr.

Its Foodie Friday!!!!! Today our guest Blogger is Chef Simeon Hall Jr. Not only is his passion for food clearly noticeable once you have a conversation with him about a recipe or restaurant but he's a pretty cool dude and has become a good friend. He is taking us into one of his mornings as a busy Chef and it sounds delicious and like a whole day! Enjoy! 



Chef in the Garden


“The Life of a Chef - How my Mornings Begin”

It’s 4 a.m. and the rambunctious siren of my Blackberry’s alarm reminds me that my 

commitment to success this year far outweighs my need to rest. My second alarm, my 

just in case alarm, shakes off the last of the wooziness and it’s time to get it cracking. 

My days are long and my nights are short. My sisters, who often double as my life 

coaches, remind me of how demanding the road ahead will be. They also continue 

to stress that each day will be met with more blessings and more requests; more 

opportunities and more items to complete. Whether it is finalizing content for my 

website, perusing designs for my kitchen studio, preparing recipe after recipe, editing 

my cookbooks or simply updating my blog - my days are filled with hard work and 

preparation, all in advance of the abundance of rewards to come. 

Five a.m. rolls in and after my daily devotions, I am left feeling fueled for the next leg 

of the day – my Sean T 25 minute workout. This includes 25 minutes of jumping jacks, 

squatting and twisting 15 years of eating like most Chefs do. This is not the easiest or 

the prettiest task; but I get it done. 

Normally a shower would not be a significant activity, but for me even this early morning 

ritual reminds me of the culinary arts and what I live for. This is the time of the day that I 

test my coconut oil, brown sugar, thyme and rosemary bath wash that I am developing. 

The rising sun meets me in my laboratory – my kitchen – where I had planned to make 

a breakfast of callaloo and a one yolk-three egg white omelet, with mint compressed 

watermelon, sorrel, fresh squeezed orange juice and star apple punch. But, my email 

inbox forced me to adjust that spread to a power-packed strawberry, quinoa, chai and 

green tea smoothie. With drink in one hand and the mouse in the other, I stumble upon 

an email from my friend D’Vanya who’s obviously becoming a successful blogger. She 

informs that Vanzblogs Foodie Fridays is requesting a blog from me by tomorrow and I 

haven’t the slightest clue what to blog about. 

Hmmm….I can’t in good conscience speak on my culinary experiences in Grenada, 

where I am currently researching the food culture of the Eastern Caribbean as that story 

is slotted to be published in The Bahamas’ Nassau Guardian this weekend. Nor can 

I share insight regarding my cookbook chronicling my travels around the world. Nor 

do I have the time to speak on how over the last 8 weeks I have studied how to make 

yeast from the air alone, cured egg yolks or made my own anchovies. To me, my life 

is a kaleidoscope of interesting tidbits which I hope will someday interest and influence 

Mid-thought, my 6.30 alarm reminds me that it’s time review my lesson plan for my 

lecture today at a local Community College where I have been volunteering. Today, I 

have the second half of the first year students that I taught on Monday - a group that 

is the most impressionable, yet seemingly least committed to their craft. Today we are 

going to make the perfect chicken stock – 8 pounds of roasted chicken bones, 1 pound 

of carrots, celery and onion and 1 gallon of distilled water. Slow roasted in the oven then 

simmered on the stove. Strained and portion in ice trays for the perfect stock cube when 

they need it. Usually a simple process for me, but a challenge when there are 19 feisty 

Maybe, if all goes well, I will show them how to turn 3 cups of regular flour and 4 whole 

eggs into the most amazing fresh pasta and allow them to experiment with my beloved 

Italian pasta machine and keep my fingers crossed.

All things Local a True Garden Salad


Being reminded again of the time, I stop my revision to review and send some pictures 

of my favorite dishes to my Web Designer – a mammoth task for someone with an 

appreciation of foods and tons of pictures. 

Grenadian river crayfish! - split peas and crayfish bisque/ on ice/ crayfish scampi 

a study of all things "peasy"- ten different kinds of peas 

cooking pasta with the students- fettucine left to dry


Well its 7.30 and I guess I will get my day started!

1 comments:

  1. Nice Blog!!!!!! Love the Way Simion espress himself i can feel his love of Food! !!!!!

    ReplyDelete

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