On the Line

Internship put on Indefinite Hold

Adam — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 19:52:37 +0000

We regret to inform everyone that the Chef David Gilbert Internship Search has been put on an indefinite hold. Due to a struggling economy Chef David Gilbert’s new restaurant in Dallas will no longer be opening. Gilbert is in the works on a new restaurant project and will continue to write his column In the Fire.

We would like to thank all of the applicants and friends that have helped us promote the internship during the past few months. We will continue to look for new and exciting opportunities to share with the Chef2Chef community. Thanks again for your support and patronage to our site.

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Final Push for the Chef David Gilbert Internship

Adam — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 20:53:42 +0000

Chef David Gilbert has confirmed that his new restaurant in Dallas, TX will be opening early 2009. The delayed opening has pushed back the schedule for submitting internship applications. Chef2Chef.net will be accepting applicants on behalf of Chef Gilbert through the end of November. If you or anyone you know is interested in a culinary internship with Dallas’ Chef David Gilbert make sure they get their application in as soon as possible.

Chef David Gilbert is well known for his Progressive New American Cuisine; blending global aspects and avant-garde innovations into is cooking. An internship with Chef David Gilbert is sure to open doors to a successful culinary career.

Chef Gilbert has a long standing relationship with Chef2Chef.net Culinary Portal; he is well known to site visitors and forum members for his monthly “In the Fire” column.

For more information or to apply please check out the following links:

Internship Blog

Internship Application Page

Internship Press Room

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Musings on My Dream Chef Internship

Priyanka — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:01:04 +0000

I have a dream in which I boil all of my creative juices and cook up an outstanding application to Chef David Gilbert’s culinary internship. I slice and dice my way through the interview process and somehow manage to be selected as Chef David Gilbert’s intern.

I show up eager for work each day of my chef internship and pinch myself that I get to be a part of Chef Gilbert’s culinary team. I learn and I learn, and before I know it, I am expanding my duties and contributing to all sorts of initiatives.

In my dream, Chef Gilbert taps me to pitch in as a culinary expert replying to inquiries on “Ask A Chef.” I supply creative and witty culinary advice on tricky problems, such as “what to do with pumpkins.”

Before long, I am front and center on Chef2Chef’s Featured Chef page. I send links to my mother and to all of my friends and everyone rejoices in my accomplishment!

Just before I awake, I am being invited back to my culinary school, to speak to culinary students about my successful career.

The audience’s applause wakes me out of my dream and I try to go back to sleep to savor the moment a bit longer.

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The 3 Most Outrageous Applications for the Ultimate Culinary Internship

Nina — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:51:14 +0000

What aspiring chef doesn’t need real world culinary experience? Who wouldn’t want to get in on the ground floor of a hot new restaurant and work alongside a renowned chef? I’m imagining that applications to chef David Gilbert’s internship program will be as creative as they are competitive. It’s cool that Chef Gilbert will personally select the intern to work with him at his new restaurant. I looked at the internship application and noticed that applicants need to submit a personal statement describing why they would be the perfect candidate for the Chef David Gilbert Internship.

That got me to thinking… What would make me the “perfect candidate?” And, more frighteningly, what sort of ridiculous claims will other people make to appear to be better qualified than me? I envision the following:

“I can afford a train ride to Dallas, but I’m short on the plane fare to Spain.” Sure, there are unpaid chef internships out there, and some are in some pretty attractive places. But, lets be realistic. I’ve been paying tuition, fees, purchasing equipment and gear for some time now. The last thing I need to do is go into more debt, drag myself half-way around the world and pay someone else to work for them for free.
“My resume won’t be complete until I learn to throw food around as only Chef Gilbert can.” That photo of Chef David Gilbert tossing food in the FoodCandy article was magical. What is that stuff? I think I see oranges, sauce, beans, berries, pasta and more flying mid-air all at the same time. What happened to the camera when everything landed? I must learn this! I must! I must!
“My dog is mad at me, and I need to bring home some truly amazing leftovers to win her back.” It all started with this cute tradition of dressing alike on Christmas morning. Our family wears matching Christmas pajamas every year and I thought it would be nice if we got my dog some Christmas pajamas too. How did I know she was going to become the poster dog for Christmas pajamas at Perfect Pjs? Now she is embarrassed that her photo ended up on the internet, and only someone as talented as Chef Gilbert can teach me to cook well enough to get back on her good side.

OK. My creativity is now flowing in full force. Time to submit my own application.

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Chef David Gilbert Internship Update

Adam — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 17:40:59 +0000

Just wanted to keep everyone up-to-date on the Internship Search; it’s still on full force! The opening of Chef Gilbert’s new restaurant in Dallas is still on schedule to open early 2009 and he’s still searching for an intern to work along side him in the kitchen.

If you or anyone you know is looking for a great way to break into the culinary field this is a great opportunity!

For more information about the internship search check out On the Line’s Press Room.

To apply for the internship submit your resume here.

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A Culinary Internship Could Have Prevented This…

Priyanka — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 21:53:58 +0000

Thailand’s Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has been ordered to resign his office after a court ruled his hosting of television cooking shows violated the country’s constitution.

According to the MSNBC story, Samak’s television and radio show “Tasting, Grumbling” had made him a celebrity chef in Thailand long before he became prime minister.

“Samak’s love for food and cooking is well known. When visiting Beijing for the Olympics he whipped up a dinner for Thai athletes that included stir-fried chicken with mushrooms and baby bamboo shoots.”

However, his continued hosting of the show after he took office in January was in violation of Thailand’s constitutional ban on government ministers working for private employers while in office.

The lesson here? If Samakhad pursued his love of cooking with a culinary internship, he could have channeled his political ambition into a prime sous chef position and stayed out of the political unrest that is sweeping Thailand.

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C.S.I. Soy Milk

Adam — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:17:34 +0000

In the last 10 years or so soy milk has quickly become a popular substitute for traditional cow milk. In a reaction to the increase in popularity it seems that many studies have been published in regard to the health benefits and dangers of soy milk.

So what are the truths and untruths about soy milk? Below are a few questions commonly associated with soy milk consumption:

Does soy milk contain trans fats (hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats)?

Short of listing the ingredients to every soy milk product on the market this is a tough question to answer. It is true that soy milk is low in fat and especially low in saturated fats. From taking a look at a few products it’s safe to assume that most soy milk products do not contain trans fats.

Wikipedia notes that in the food industry complete hydrogenation converts unsaturated fatty acids to saturated ones. Hydrogenation results in the conversion of liquid vegetable oils to solid or semi-solid fats, such as those present in margarine. The goal of hydrogenation is to preserve a longer shelf life for food products.

In this case I would be willing to bet that most quality soy milk products do not contain trans fats. However, the best way to be sure is to check that label, and see if the product contains hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats.

As a member of the male species and hoping to procreate at some point down the road of life; the question regarding soy milk’s ability to lower sperm count is a legitimate one. When it comes to milk and manliness here’s what I found:

Consumption of soy does in fact lower sperm count:

“A new (2008) study has found that men who consume an average of half a portion of soy products per day are more likely to have a lower concentration of sperm, particularly if they are overweight or obese,” reports FoodNavigator.com Europe. “Those who had the highest intake - an average of half a portion of soy foods per day - were seen to have sperm concentrations of 41m less per ml. The normal sperm concentration range is 80-120m per ml.”

The article also notes, “however, that Asian populations have long consumed soy-rich diets without signs of reduced fertility or other health problems being traced back to the plant.”

Studies also “indicated both positive and negative effects of isoflavones (common organic compound common in soy) on disease progression and fertility.”

Finally, is soy safe for babies and infants?

“Most pediatricians recommend a dairy based formula for infants because it more closely matches breastmilk,” answers Sue Gilbert, MS, of iVillage Pregnancy & Parenting. “Both formulas will provide comparable nutrition because they are required to meet strict government standards regarding nutrient levels.”

“Soy formulas are prescribed for baby’s with a dairy allergy (or potential dairy allergy), lactose intolerance, or digestive upset from dairy formula. Soy is as potentially allergenic as is cow’s milk and some babies are allergic to both in which case a hypoallergenic formula is required.”

“Once a baby turns one-year-old, and has progressed to table foods, the choice between soy milk and dairy milk is an individual matter. If a child is allergic to milk, is lactose intolerant or for some reason cannot tolerate or dislikes milk, or is being raised in a vegan vegetarian family, a soy milk is a better choice. However, it should not be lowfat, and it should be vitamin and mineral fortified,” continues Gilbert.

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College Grads Are Moving Home and Seeking Internships

Nina — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:38:37 +0000

A few months ago, the Washington Post published an article about the increasing number of college graduates moving back in with their parents for a variety of reasons. Many are saddled with high student loan balances while others have been confronted with a dwindling number of well-paying entry level jobs for the newly college educated. According to the Studnet Monitor spring 2008 recruitment study, 73 percent of today’s graduating seniors will leave college with an average student loan debt of $23,000. In a recent online poll from CollegeGrad.com, results show that 77% of 2008 college graduate job seekers reported that they planned to move back home with their parents after gradation.

By completing internships, culinary or otherwise, college graduates can leave college with a job in hand, or at least with a much clearer idea of exactly what kind of job they are looking for thanks to the real world experience and mentoring internships provide. Steven Rothberg, Founder of CollegeRecruiter.com inthis article for TheStreet.com advises employers to plan on hiring 74% of their interns on as full-time employees.

Chef2Chef is offering culinary students and graduates the chance of a lifetime–to intern with Chef David Gilbert in his new Dallas restaurant set to open in January, 2009. What better way to get a jump start on your culinary career–whether you are living with mom and dad or not.

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Taste This: Chef Gilbert Offers Insight on Tasting Dinners

Priyanka — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:45:24 +0000

Chef David Gilbert recently released a new article discussing how he came up with a tasting dinner to showcase some of the new dishes and concepts that he is cooking up for his new Rosewood Court restaurant in Dallas due to open in January.

One of Chef Gilbert’s latest passions is sourcing food for his restaurant locally. Kim Pierce of EatsBlog ran into Chef Gilbert at a Dallas farmer’s market a few weeks ago and did a fantastic write-up of their conversation and his innovative plans for bridging the gap between grower and restaurant.

There’s also advice on how to plan your own tasting dinner, which is a great idea for an end-of-summer dinner party with friends.

Chef David Gilbert with sous chef Timothy McLaughlin and pastry chef Ngoc Trinh

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Are Kids’ Meals Really for Kids?

Adam — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 23:35:06 +0000

Today’s post from The Washington Post’s On Parenting highlights a new study released by The Center for Science in the Public Interest taking an in depth look into the high-calorie, high-fat kids’ meals being served at fast food joint and chain restaurants across the nation.

To give it to you straight, fast food is not good for your kids. In fact, some of these meals have more than a days worth of calories depending on the child. I would be willing to guess that most American parents want their children to eat well, but chain and fast food restaurants are making it difficult for parents to find a healthy meal for children let alone for themselves when eating out.

Chili’s country-fried chicken crispers, cinnamon apples and chocolate milk, which have a whopping 1,020 calories. Chili’s cheese pizza, homestyle fries and lemonade aren’t far behind with 1,000 calories. KFC, one of five restaurants where all kids choices exceed the calorie limit, comes in third with popcorn chicken, baked beans, biscuit, fruit punch and Teddy Grahams for 940 calories. Burger King’s double cheeseburger, fries and chocolate milk have 900 calories. The other four restaurants where all kids meals don’t meet the health criteria are Sonic, Jack in the Box, Chick-fil-A and Taco Bell.

I don’t think parents should stop treating their children to a high-fat, high-calorie meal from time to time, but I do think it’s important to dine out in moderation. Like anything in life moderation is key in making the best decisions; especially when it comes to eating habits.

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