Culinary Boot Camp 2010 was a SUCCESS!!!

I am pleased to say that my first Culinary Boot Camp in Atlanta,GA was a great success. Through my One Bite At A Time non-profit foundation, I was able to put together a week long camp that introduced 28 young adults the in's and out's of the culinary world. After months and months of preparation it proved to be well worth the long hours of my staff and I. The campers were so fun and full of energy but most importantly eager to learn the culinary world. It is always refreshing to know that youth is still interested in the culinary world in these days of pre-fixed meals and fast food. Please check out the pictures that will soon be on the website.

-G

Father's Day Weekend

I am wishing all those father's out there a safe and wonderful Father's Day! I hope the weather is nice out this weekend all the bbq's.



BACKYARD BBQ BEEF RIBS

(Make It Super Simple pg.131)



4 pounds beef back ribs, cut into serving size portions

1 1/4 cups of cherry cola soft drink

1 cup of ketchup

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1/4 vinegar

1/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce

6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 teaspoons of chilli powder

2 teaspoons paprika

salt

pepper

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INSTRUCTIONS:



1. Season ribs with G's Salt Seasoning. Place medium-hot coals around the drip pan. Test for medium heat above the pan. Place ribs, bones side down, on the grill rack over drip pan. Cover; grill for 1 hour



2. Meanwhile, for sauce, in a sauce pan combine cherry cola, ketchup, onion, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, chilli powder, and paprika. Season to taste with G's Salt Seasoning, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer for 10 to 15 min or until desired consistency.



3. Brush ribs on both sides with some of the sauce. Grill about 30 min more until ribs are tender, basting with the sauce and turning often. Serve with remaining sauce.

TGIF

Boy, am I glad it's Friday. It's been a busy week here at One Bite Productions. I've been putting my mind to work with ideas for new cookbooks, summer boot camp activities and gearing up for Essence. WOW, I just realized Essence is right around the corner! I'm headed out to Atlanta on Monday for a week to work on One Bite Catering business. Busy is great, I feel blessed to be doing things I love.

I hope everyone has an amazing and safe weekend. Here's a little recipe for the grill this weekend.

-G. Garvin

GRILLED BLACK PEPPER & SEA SALT-CRUSTED COWBOY RIBEYE STEAK
(Dining In Pg: 142)

2 Cups-Olive Oil
2 Cups-A-1 Steak Sauce
2 Large Onions, coarsely chopped
1 Bunch of fresh rosemary sprigs
10 Cloves of garlic, smashed
2-18oz. beef ribeye steaks
1/4 Cup-Sea salt
1/4 Cup-Coarsely ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. For the marinade, in a large bowl combine with the oil, steak sauce, onions, rosemary, thyme and garlic.

2. Place the steaks in a reasonable bag set in a shallow bowl. Pour marinade over the steaks. Seal bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hrs, turning occasionally.

3. Drain steaks; discard the marinade. Generously season the steaks with the sea salt and the coarse black pepper.

4. Preheat a grill. Place steaks on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 15-19 minutes for medium-rare (145 F) or 18-23 minutes for medium (160 F), turning once.

G. Garvin's Recipe of the Week: GRILLED BALSAMIC MARINATED FLANK STEAK

1-cup: balsamic vinegar
1/4-cup: dijon mustard
1/4-cup: packedlight brown sugar
1-tbsp: chopped fresh rosemary
1-tbsp: chopped fresh thyme
6-cloves garlic; smashed
1-cup: olive oil
3 lbs: beef flank steak (2 steaks)
kosher salt
ground black pepper
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INSTRUCTIONS:

1. For the marinade, in a large bowl combine the vinegar, dijon mustard, brown sugar, rosemary, thyme, and garlic; mix well. Slowly pour into the oil, while whisking constantly.

2. Place the steaks in a resealable bag and set in a shallow bowl. Pour the marinade over the steak. Seal bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours, turning occasionally.

3. Drain steaks, reversing marinade. Season steaks with salt and pepper. Place steaks on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 17-21 min for medium (160 F), turning once and frequently brushing more marinade on the meat as it cooks.

Yes in deed it's me, Whats up my dear friends ? Its been a while sense we last spoke. Please except my apologies as you know that life takes place every day. I am pleased to announce that my self and the One Bite Production team has been  super busy. I am currently working on my next book( Every Day American Southern). We are looking forward to going down to the Big boy of all music events (The Essence Music  Festival),  4Th of July weekend we are excited to be doing four cooking demos, One demo on Friday, Two demos on Saturday, and One demo on Sunday. So if you happen to be down in New Orleans on that amazing weekend YOU MUST COME THROUGH. I will be at the Convention center over at the Coke Both. 

 The One Bite Foundation is also very pleased (with the support of a great many friends) to announce The G Garvin Culinary Boot Camp taking place in my home town of Atlanta Ga. We have taken 30 of Atlanta's inner city kids and providing them with a week full of culinary excitement. we are doing cooking demos at Publix Grocery Store. we are doing hands on cooking classes at the Renown Le Cordon Blue, All kinds of wonderful learning opportunity's,  Amazing guest speakers and some of  the Country's best Chefs and many many other exciting culinary experiences. The One Bite Foundation is really looking forward to helping people whom have seen troubled times, Families that need a little help. we are committed to helping parents keep their families and kids healthy through a new and better understanding of food. We are committed to stopping homelessness in this Country. We are strongly committed to helping the Susan G Komen Foundation and supporting  gods beautiful woman with what ever they need. One of our most important commitments is to stopping Domestic Violence against our most precious woman. 

Remember to check out the chefgarvin website and get your copy of either of the three books, or one of  the great tasting spices to cook with.  For Ali you Grill masters check out this summer grilling recipe. 

If their is any thing that we over at the OBP Offices can do for you please shoot us an email at info@chefgarvin.com. 

Well well my dear friends, after midnight has caught me up again. It's been a super busy weekend, got in from Atlanta and knocked out the Mo'Nique Show," which by the way airs on Wednesday night" should be cool. Got my catering and special events project up and running as well, One bite specials events south introduces, Any occasions catering, and like here in La we do it all, birthdays, weddings, pool parties, movie screenings, studio shows, and private meal delivery to your home ,office and even your plane. Finally got my photos done for the start of  my new cook book, "Every Day American/ Southern".  My man Whitney flew in from Philly and got it done.

Got one more event to get done tomorrow, the big tasting for my dear friend Diann Valentine and the client. Got some great items on the menu, going to do White Rose Potato and Shrimp bisque, house made smoked salmon flat bread pizza, Maryland crab and shrimp salad with avocado, hand rolled balsamic glazed mini meat balls. Gonna saute some free range chix with a cilantro mayo, Got some other items as well.

Tried to have dinner some where nice tonight but Sundays are tough in LA, but i hit my Christan from the Sushi Roku group and he made me a res at Katana.  Went and had a good dinner on the patio .  Hmmm "thinking back for a sec"Funny thing is that soup is better if its sits for a night before you serve it so looks like ill get that done tonight.

I feel good  these days hitting the gym pretty hard and every day, work is good, I'm working and busy with several different projects ,  my show is still great ,catering writing, guest appearing and I'm so happy and lucky enough that people still like doing business with me.  Speaking of the gym ,Equinox  at Sunset this Sunday morning showed me one of gods  and this planets greatest creations, this woman was wearing all white with a short little bob cut. She walked in and set her self up on the spin cycle next to me and i thought to my self" What a beautiful Woman" and she smiled and i then though that their was no greater place to live on this planet. I pray  that i too am lucky enough to one day share  one of the greatest elements that we as gods children have "Love"with a woman like her.  Damn , quite frankly " Mommy was Bad" 

Now my last great challenge is to find that some one for me whom is looking for a man that will love her, make love to her, make sure she knows how important she is, some one whom will let me make her feel like the only woman on the planet, some one that's willing to live ,love learn and teach, some one whom loves food and wine as much as i do. Their are many other things that i would love to share with this woman, so until next time when i will share a bit more, it's good night for now. Thank you for hearing how I'm feeling tonight. GG

I've got one word for the Monique show, WOW. What a great time we had, it's a beautiful set, great crew, great band, My man Rodney Perry was great and funny as hell, and you know Monique was simply amazing and so so kind and so great and sweet and made  feel super comfortable in being there. I gave her a beautiful photo from my dear friend and artist Angela Conte called Wash Day and she really loved it.   

 Had dinner at Atlanta's best restaurant "Kyma" where the food is always great and the staff is out standing. Atlanta is a true restaurant town and more people should know that. Got to see a dear friend and talked about life and relationsips as we both try and figure out this thing called love. I also got to have dinner with me and enjoy some time alone and just reflect on my own life ad what's next for G Garvin.  Going to go have lunch at moms and hang out with the fam!  and just be.  I am so happy and blessed to be alive and healthy and have the best job in the world. Food is my life and i love it so so much.   Thank you for letting me be me.   GG

Man ,What a crazy day. My little one went back to Oakland today. She's such a big girl  when it comes to flying alone. "WOW" I can't really believe that she is actually doing it. It was tough because she was on a noon flight from LAX and I had a meeting back down town at 1230. Though my meeting was super important because it was with a potential sponsor for my Foundation's culinary boot camp, getting shorty off safe and sound was just a bit more important. The wonderful thing about mature adults is that when I called her and said that I was running late, she was completely OK with it and with out any of that typical Hollywood stress.

When I did arrive it was truly a great meeting, and I am feeling good about the whole camp this year. So much to do in pulling this thing off but god knows their ain't no quit in me. 

I do have a question on a none related issue. Why is it that every where I go  their is a Wolfgang Puck catering deal in place in damn near every building in the city, in a way that no one else can even bit on the job. So when a guy like me tries to get the catering gig for any event that's worth a shit , it's the same old story'" We are Contracted to use only Wolfgang Puck Catering"  AAAAH Yeah this shit is going to stop. I am going to make some calls and see why this shit is going down like this. I mean i do cater a few  weddings a year, along with all sorts of birth day parties, holiday parties, listening parties, viewing parties, and movie premieres and  screenings just to name a few as well as producing the  whole event from the food and beverage , the staff , the rentals,  the ice and the valet. You want a cake ? We can get that too. So why can't one of the little guys get a break ?  I will put my food up against theirs any day of the week, I'm sick of being Mr. nice guy and watching people sell what they consider "Gourmet Cuisine" while pulling the food wool over every ones eyes and at the same time charging people out the ass. 

But hey who am I ?

As a matter of fact the team has a site visit for the wedding of one of the funniest people on the planet which we will be doing.  I wonderful sit down at their lovely home.  Don't even ask ! Client privacy is the highest priority of the One Bite Production Team. We don't cook and tell.  

You all be sure and put your selves first this week, keep your head to the grind and your heart to the lord and your loyalty to whom ever deserves it. GG

Well it's Tuesday night and all day I've been reminded of the actual challenges of being and operating a small business. I have spoken to AT&T at least thirty times, I have spoken to my spice mixer to order new spices, tried to get my neighbor involved in the t-shirt line, but she bugged out on me. I tested a few new recipes for an upcoming photo shoot, talked with the team about upcoming events as well as three treatments that I'm trying to get sold. I've had to pass of three events because the budgets weren't there.  As I prepare to go to Atlanta to do the Monique sow, there is lots to do for a food segment and the need for lots of people to be on the phones to discuss the very many food ,staff, and equipment needs in order to do live food segments. Looks like I wont be doing the Baldwin Hills Project here in LA.

I've Also  been working on getting the G Garvin spices in some of the major markets, It's like pitching a movie but I'm sure that the spices are very good and better than a few I've tried, so it's just a matter of time.  Been looking for a restaurant space for a few months, hoping to find some thing soon for the new G Garvin Bistro/ Grill project. Lots and lots of work to do still and you can rest assured that I will be back on the grind tomorrow.  Thanks for your support in all of the different ventures that I've been blessed enough to be a part of. GG

Happy Monday. Well another Valentine has past and I'm sure that you all a wonderful dinner with your special person at your favorite restaurant. I went to the gym, came home and made dinner for my little one, we had Mach wrapped with smoked salmon, with a garlic sour cream and lime sauce, I Sauteed some skirt steak with my Cajun spice, and sliced it super thinly and my little southern twist was saute black truffle's Pinto beans with crispy Panchetta. I had carrot juice and Nola had Vanilla Soy milk.

Big week for the One bite crew, we are getting all geared up for the Culinary Boot Camp, taking place in my home town Atlanta from July 24 through the 31st. So if you have a child from the ages of 16 to 19 and you feel like they might be headed down the wrong path then get them involved with the camp. just click the foundation tab at the chefgarvin site for more info . . .Remember " Reach one teach one and save a life". I also have a couple of big meetings this week for sponsors for the Boot Camp. Please keep your fingers crossed and the believers pray for us.

A lot of you are emailing and asking about the show, give me a sec, and i will figure out what the new time slot is and let you know, thanks for your always great and wonderful support. 

By the way we just launched a new division of the One Bite company. We are proud to introduce" CBM- Culinary Boutique Management, The premier managers of the new and brightest chefs of the culinary industry. 

New Recipe Idea-- White fish sashimi with arugula and Evoo and hot lemon foam.

Food for thought---Its only the very best line cooks that makes the very best chefs. Their are a great many steps between line cook and chef.  I could very easily give you an example, but I'd rather you learned and that way you might have a greater respect for the term Chef and there for maybe not use it so loosely. See their are so many things other than cooking that makes a chef, if you can't give me at least five of those things , then you are  most likely not a chef. It means much more and it feels much better when you earn it, and most importantly your better respected. If you do truly have respect for those whom have come before you , then have a little grace and respect and don't think and act like you're the same because your best friend calls him self a foodie and tells you you can cook. Take it from a guy who knows. 

Final Thought---Its just as easy to be nice to people as it is to be mean. If we all tried just a little harder  every day and not just when the lord reminds us that it's his planet and that we are all just visitors. then we might just make a difference in he world. So be nice.

G Garvin

Hey everyone! Welcome to 2010! Your boy G. Garvin is back in the building! We're getting this blog up and running again so stay tuned for the latest updates.

In the meantime, make sure you visit www.ChefGarvin.com for G. Garvin Spices, T-Shirts and books!