I spend a lot of time going out to eat. Not being able to do much other that boil water, I am dependent on others to take care of me when it comes to food. That's why I'm fascinated with chef Martin Danolowicz's latest project called Martin Cooks. The concept is an easy one to grasp - Martin comes to your house, sets up his culinary gadgets in your kitchen, and cooks you some of the best food on the planet. I called up Martin a couple of weeks ago right after I got married. I figured that it was the least that I could do for my wife who cooks for a living and never gets to relax at home with anything other than pizza and Indian food.
When I talked to Martin he asked how many people I wanted him to cook for. It was then that I thought that I might also invite a few of our friends over since most of them are in the same boat that we are in when it comes to home cooking. "Um, eight," I told him, wondering what I had just got myself into. Martin asked me a couple of things about the kitchen, allergies, preferences, etc. and we set a date. One week later Martin was at our door carrying some very bizarre looking contraptions that I was completely unfamiliar with. One apparatus looked like a fish tank. "Is this some sort of mobile aquaponics unit?" I asked myself. It turned out to be an immersion circulator - a device that cooks air tight plastic packed sealed food evenly in water - a technique called sous-vide. The other device was a smoking gun that could be used inside the house with wood chips, tea, dried herbs, etc.
Before Martin began to cook, I asked him if he wanted the guests to help, or did he want us out of the way. He told me that he preferred an interactive experience, although the decision was really up to us. That was all I needed to hear. I informed the troops, and soon everyone was gathered in the kitchen as Martin proceeded to cook. We helped, we asked questions, we laughed, we drank beer and wine, and we had the most fun that we had had in a long time. There's something special about having someone cook for you in your own kitchen - someone who has as much knowledge and experience as Martin. He's a chef who loves to concoct very unusual dished that taste like nothing you have ever tried. For us, he made everything vegetarian, though he is also a hotshot with meat dishes. As he talked, he was chopping and dressing and mixing and seasoning. He told us where everything came from, and why certain ingredients go with others, even if they are not traditionally married in recipes. He described the process, asked us to chop ingredients, stopped to show us culinary tricks of the trade, and then eventually told us to take our seats.
The entire meal consisted of menu items like mozzarella soup with tomato and tempura basil, cauliflower, tabbouleh, roast eggplant (with harissa), seared tofu, carrot demi glace and beet marshmallow. At different junctures, Martin would say something like, "I used tapioca maltodextrin to make the olive oil powder. Tapioca maltodextrin is designed to have a very low bulk density. It can stabilize high fat ingredients which can be tranformed into powders." We ate and Martin continued to call us to the kitchen where we would find the next best dish was awaiting us. Each time he would tell us what we were embarking upon before heading back to the kitchen to clean dishes and check on the next course. At the end of the night, Martin shared a glass of wine with us as we marveled about the special dining experience we had all shared. By the end of the meal we were all trying to figure out what other occasions would be perfect to call upon the talented and personable chef. Martin told me that he has cooked for two people just as many times as he has cooked for twenty. For him, this intimate way of cooking is also a chance to meet new people, share experiences, try out different dishes and cooking techniques while being flexible. There are a lot of people out there who could certainly benefit from a service such as this.
PLACE---- Artisan Kitchen
TIME--------6:00
DATE-----Aug 24th
COST------ $40 per person - lots of fun, interesting food and good wine.
Food and wine pairing, 4 wines 4 bites of food live music - wine provided by Gates Circle and food by Martin Cooks.
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When I talked to Martin he asked how many people I wanted him to cook for. It was then that I thought that I might also invite a few of our friends over since most of them are in the same boat that we are in when it comes to home cooking. "Um, eight," I told him, wondering what I had just got myself into. Martin asked me a couple of things about the kitchen, allergies, preferences, etc. and we set a date. One week later Martin was at our door carrying some very bizarre looking contraptions that I was completely unfamiliar with. One apparatus looked like a fish tank. "Is this some sort of mobile aquaponics unit?" I asked myself. It turned out to be an immersion circulator - a device that cooks air tight plastic packed sealed food evenly in water - a technique called sous-vide. The other device was a smoking gun that could be used inside the house with wood chips, tea, dried herbs, etc.
Before Martin began to cook, I asked him if he wanted the guests to help, or did he want us out of the way. He told me that he preferred an interactive experience, although the decision was really up to us. That was all I needed to hear. I informed the troops, and soon everyone was gathered in the kitchen as Martin proceeded to cook. We helped, we asked questions, we laughed, we drank beer and wine, and we had the most fun that we had had in a long time. There's something special about having someone cook for you in your own kitchen - someone who has as much knowledge and experience as Martin. He's a chef who loves to concoct very unusual dished that taste like nothing you have ever tried. For us, he made everything vegetarian, though he is also a hotshot with meat dishes. As he talked, he was chopping and dressing and mixing and seasoning. He told us where everything came from, and why certain ingredients go with others, even if they are not traditionally married in recipes. He described the process, asked us to chop ingredients, stopped to show us culinary tricks of the trade, and then eventually told us to take our seats.
The entire meal consisted of menu items like mozzarella soup with tomato and tempura basil, cauliflower, tabbouleh, roast eggplant (with harissa), seared tofu, carrot demi glace and beet marshmallow. At different junctures, Martin would say something like, "I used tapioca maltodextrin to make the olive oil powder. Tapioca maltodextrin is designed to have a very low bulk density. It can stabilize high fat ingredients which can be tranformed into powders." We ate and Martin continued to call us to the kitchen where we would find the next best dish was awaiting us. Each time he would tell us what we were embarking upon before heading back to the kitchen to clean dishes and check on the next course. At the end of the night, Martin shared a glass of wine with us as we marveled about the special dining experience we had all shared. By the end of the meal we were all trying to figure out what other occasions would be perfect to call upon the talented and personable chef. Martin told me that he has cooked for two people just as many times as he has cooked for twenty. For him, this intimate way of cooking is also a chance to meet new people, share experiences, try out different dishes and cooking techniques while being flexible. There are a lot of people out there who could certainly benefit from a service such as this.
Best of all, Martin does all of the shopping for you - that's half the hassle of cooking. We figured that for our private dinner party we ended up paying roughly $16 per person for his time, though all menu foods must also be paid for. A pretty good deal when you think about it. You can contact Martin via email or call 716-713-1218.
If you're interested in Martin's cooking, and you would like to learn about his food in a setting that's not your home, he is hosting a food and wine pairing at Artisan Kitchen on August 24th.PLACE---- Artisan Kitchen
TIME--------6:00
DATE-----Aug 24th
COST------ $40 per person - lots of fun, interesting food and good wine.
Food and wine pairing, 4 wines 4 bites of food live music - wine provided by Gates Circle and food by Martin Cooks.
I've used Martin several times for cooking classes and parties. It is the best food I've ever had and the most fun because he is very creative! Martin always executes an exquisite meal.