Michael Bennett isn't content to just sit around on a rare day off from his executive chef job at Bimini Boatyard. Instead of sunning or fishing, Bennett writes.
With two Caribbean-influenced cookbooks, In the Land of Misfits, Pirates and Cooks and Underneath a Cloudless Sky, under his belt, Bennett decided to write a book geared to professional chefs and culinary students.
The 140-page Culture of Cuisine is a cross between a textbook and
a series of essays from a chef with three decades in the kitchen.
In
the book, Bennett gives his thoughts on everything from the changing
tides of modern American cuisine to a rundown of chefs who have
influenced and changed the dining scene in South Florida.
You'll find no recipes in Culture. Instead, students of cooking
will find insider tips for running a restaurant usually not on a
culinary school curriculum, like how to design a brand, market yourself,
and use social media to spread the word about your restaurant.
QR codes throughout the book unlock chef interviews, websites, and blogs
for additional insight into the South Florida cooking scene.
Though written with professionals in mind, Culture of Cuisine is a good
read for any South Florida food enthusiast. With chapters that include a
timeline of Florida cuisine; features on influential South Florida
chefs like Allen Susser, Norman Van Aken, and Michael Bloise; and an
intimate look inside a commercial kitchen, this book gives the reader a portrait of what it takes to be a professional chef.
Bennett told Clean Plate Charlie that Culture of Cuisine is actually the
first in a three-part series. This first book focuses on chef ideals.
Part two will work on techniques, and the third book will tie everything
together. The volumes are designed to serve as a nontraditional workbook
for up-and-coming chefs.
Culture of Cuisine is $15.95 and available at Amazon.com and local Barnes & Noble stores.
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