7
Restaurant Numero A lookbook of dishes from seventh chef residency.
The team. Haley Polinsky, Gast達o Rodrigues, Erica Bernhardt
Food concepts by Erica Bernhardt & Gast達o Rodrigues Photography and design by Haley Polinsky www.haleythemaker.com @ haleythemaker For more information on Restaurant Numero 7 visit: www.restaurantnumero7.com
Fez, Morocco 7th chef residency of Restaurant Numero 7 November 4th, 2015 to January 17th, 2016 Restaurant Numero 7 located in Fez, Morocco, in the middle of the medina and operates like an artist residency for chefs, with chefs coming from all over the world to take over the restaurant and run it as their own. The responsibilities of the residency are creating a changing menu incorporating local cuisine and ingredients, running all aspects of the restaurant from food costing to front of house responsibilities. One of the biggest differences between running a restaurant in Morocco compared to most of the places the chefs visit from is deliveries. While in Europe and North America a restaurant receives their produce, protein, dry goods, etc., from companies that deliver to the restaurant’s door, from an order placed the evening before. This does not exist in Fez, you must literally go out everyday and gather your ingredients, while it is in some ways a dream for a chef to be able to hand pick their ingredients, it does add another layer to your day that is already filled with menu planning, prepping and getting ready for dinner service. Haley Polinsky, Gastão Rodrigues and Erica Bernhardt were the seventh individuals to take part in the chef residency. The three come from very different cooking and life experience backgrounds which made for a colourful scene in the kitchen with different ideas coming from all corners of the world. While the food may be a bit hard to define it was always colourful, with bright, defined flavours and most importantly always tasty. Erica gave up a career as a sociologist and anthropologist five years ago to pursue her passion for food, which took her to opus restaurant, home to the most comprehensive wine collection in canada. She’s now studying to become a sommelier. Gastão discovered his passion for cooking when he decided to move to Canada and had to truly learn how to cook for the first time. A passion for food sparked inside of him and he soon enrolled in college for culinary management. Since then he has worked at various restaurans in Toronto which eventually led him to a sous-chef position at a Japanese restaurant. Since returnig from Morocco Gastão has taken a position working as a chef at the respected Toronto restaurant, Nota Bene. Haley is a graduate of the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts in Vancouver, BC. Haley has worked in restaurants from Vancouver to Toronto and most recently at Bar Isabel. In the past two years Haley’s passion for food has taken her into the world of food styling and photography. She produces an online magazine called Food Union which combines all her creative ventures surrounding food.
first course
Pea soup served with puff pastry, soft boiled quail egg, fennel marmalade, fresh peas and baby radish
Beldi market salad of torched tangerines, butter roasted radishes, fava beans, pickled red onions, herbed yoghurt vinaigrette
Cucumber grape gazpacho, avocado harissa shrimp roll, rice crisps
Citrus cured sardines, zucchini agrodolce, lemon puree, radish pods and flowers
Citrus soy mushroom ceviche, sweet potato, cucumber, roasted red peppers, rice cracker
Vanilla infused tomatoes, plums, goat cheese, fried tomato skins, frisee, herb pesto
Winter salad of roasted radishes, horseradish, pickled persimmon, smoked pumpkin, caramelized onions, sunchoke chips, sesame vinaigrette
Roasted garlic white bean soup, crispy beef tongue and onion, parsley emulsion
Beet and strawberry salad, mallow leaves, radishes, goat cheese, spiced coffee vinaigrette
Red cabbage gazpacho with mustard mousse, cucumber
second course
Beet cured trout, burnt beldi lemons, goat cheese, apple mignonette, fig honey soy glaze, pickled beets, radishes
Fresh cheese gnocchi, roasted grapes and fennel, butter white wine sauce
Braised lamb, romesco sauce, polenta with collard greens, fried leeks
Braised beef and date ravioli, shiitake lemon verbana broth, toasted sesame seeds
Tomatoes, fried goat cheese,toasted walnuts, basil, brown butter vinaigrette, eggplant puree
Smoked beet risotto, marinated mussels, balsamic seared calamari, pickled mango, fava beans, horseradish cream, lemon garlic puree
Beef tataki, asian pear, lemon salt, soy butter, almond tofu,collard greens, avocado puree
Duck prosciutto, orange braised endive, quince jam, balsamic glaze
Chicken liver mousse, fig chutney, pickled plums, red cabbage mousse, rosemary flat bread
Roasted cauliflower salad, brown butter vinaigrette, brussel sprouts, cauliflower cream, pomegranates
Artichoke heart risotto with duck prosciutto, local organic goat cheese
third course
Fenugreek braised shortribs, sunchoke puree, slow cooked onions, spicy walnut salsa , garlic chips
Braised lamb shank, lentils, artichoke hearts, blackened tomatoes, green beans
Roasted quail stuffed with spinach and caramelized onions, wheat berries with figs and peas, vanilla roasted carrots and sweet potaotes
Cashew crusted sea bass, carrot ginger puree, green beans, cocunut cream, coriander
Moroccan spiced braised rabbit, tagliatelle, artichoke hearts, favas
Pan-seared duck breast, sweet potato puree, roasted leeks, wilted spinach, chestnut veloute, golden raisin mostarda
Bone marrow crusted bonito, orange braise turnips, nori butter, herbed couscous
Royal sea bream, calamari, saffron rice with merguez sausage, preserved lemon, spinach pea veloute
Seabass with harissa rose sauce, jeweled cauliflower couscous, smoked lemon jam, grilled eggplant and zucchini
fourth course
Lemon curd ice-cream, thyme infused plum carpaccio, saffron streusel
Brown butter mousse, chocolate ginger coconut brownie, black pepper strawberry sauce, shaved strawberries
Amlou fritters, caramelized bananas, arbutus fruit puree, honey oat crumble
Camel milk panna cotta, pomegranate coulis, green tea genoise
Smen butter tart, bitter-orange ice-cream, mint pistachio cream, crystallized pistachios
Financier, caramel sauce, coconut ice-cream, amlou toffee, caradom chocolate ganache
Pomegranate opera cake, ginger anglaise, candied spicy cashews
Chocolate mousse, cointreau cake, anise meringue, salted caramel, candied lemon
Persimmon white chocolate bread pudding, salted butter caramel ice-cream, almond tuile
Pineapple pannacotta, chocolate wafer, chocolate almond dust, strawberries, mint
Schukran bisef.
None of this could have been possible without the amazing support of our team, who all played an integral role to our succees. Thank-you to Aziz, our dishwasher and general handyman, who was always anticipating our next move and always had a warm, positive presence in the kitchen. Thank-you to Ayoub, our wine server who presents and pours with elegance. Thank-you to Drizz who was always punctual and a keen interest in learning And another bigs thanks to Atika and Halima who were always around helping with translation, keeping things tidy and order. And finall to Tara Stevens and Stephen di Renza for the opportunity to partake in this wonderful chef residency program.