Plating: Culinary Expression & Exploration

I have received a few requests to publish some of my NYU essays from my tenure in their Steinhardt Masters in Food Studies program. Here’s my personal statement to the admissions committee that I submitted over three years ago. I remember trying to write something super intellectual and actually found myself bored writing it, so switched gears (highly recommend!). I love that I have this to reflect on, years later especially now that Natural Gourmet Institute has closed and I will never have the opportunity to do another dinner. Great news though, I am halfway done with the program, and have gotten what I was after.. and so much more.

January 30th, 2017:

I really enjoy making food look beautiful.  There is something that sparks inside of me when I am applying the sauce or final garnish that is both meditative and transcendental.  Perhaps the culinary artistry stems from being in a lineage of butchers, pastry chefs, farmers, chemists and jewelry makers, but all I know is that plating simultaneously satiates and validates my creations.

This past December, I created and executed a dinner with a holiday, jewel-tone theme at the Natural Gourmet Institute.  The school coined these weekly three-course, plant-based dinners for one hundred guests ‘Friday Night Dinners’, and they have been a NGI signature for close to forty years.  I not only adore and greatly look forward to taking on as many ‘FNDs’ as the administration will allocate to me, but have also consistently excelled at creating and leading dozens of them over the past five years.  Given a classroom full of eager students, the best ingredients, and two days in the kitchen, I am always having the best time conjuring up something novel, delicious and attractive. It is by far the most enjoyable part of my position as full-time Chef Instructor at NGI.  This past December the appetizer resembled diamonds, the entrée was an ode to emeralds, and the dessert sparkled with ruby tones.  To see one hundred appetizer plates of parsnip ‘cream’ soup with truffled house made croutons, lemon caviar, smoked cauliflower, edible silver dust and shiitake oil go out was exhilarating.  I cannot describe the level of fulfillment it brought me to transform another vision into an edible reality.

Plating is a form of expression that has become my trademark at the Natural Gourmet Institute.  I joke with my students that each dish requires a minimum of four garnishes.  In all seriousness, it is true that you need good materials to transfigure the plate into your canvas.  I also proudly carry my pastry brushes, tweezers, paint brushes for gold dust application, and squeeze bottles into any classroom and will be the first to spot anything in our ingredient requisition boxes that can be transformed into a supplemental garnish.

I am so completely engulfed in mapping out my plating potential abilities, that I often complete my morning commute by walking through the Union Square Green Market to pick up a few, colorful radishes (last week it was dragon carrots) that my students can mandolin over their creations.  I am also copiously planning ahead for days the market is not there, unintentionally taking over the staff refrigerator with a stash of organic micro greens from my favorite vendor, Two Guys From Woodbridge.  I can fluently list off where you can purchase edible flowers any day of the week in both Manhattan and Brooklyn, and the times of year nasturtiums, chive blossoms and borage botanicals come into season.  The operations team is always on the look out for me taking an extra tablecloth to create a good backdrop when the students present their dishes in my classroom.  In all practicality however, if all that time went into cooking the food, grocery shopping and doing dishes, why not make the finished dishes attractive.  

I enjoy the plating process so immensely, that I procrastinated writing this statement, by planning my next Friday Night Dinner, taking place on the evening of March 3rd, 2017.  Inadvertently, the projected dinner inspired my statement topic, and I am so glad that it did.  You, the admission committee, are the first I am sharing my vision with (pending operations approval, of course):

‘The Makings of Spring” by Chef Olivia Roszkowski

Soil:

‘Forest Floor’ Greens with Shiitake ‘Soil’, Pulled Smoked Oyster Mushrooms, Eggplant ‘ Bone Marrow’ & Fire Cider Vinaigrette

Beet Hummus with Charcoal Crackers & Red Veined Sorrel

Sun:

Turmeric Laced Risotto, Chai Spiced Golden Beets, Slow Caramelized Dragon Carrots, Golden Pepper Emulsion, Yellow Split Pea ‘Polipetti’, Crispy Almond ‘Mozzarella’ Fritters, & Edible Petals

Water:

White Chocolate & Blue Algae Swirl Cashew ‘Cheesecake’, Winter Citrus Sherbet, Candied White Sesame Crumble, Vanilla Bean Whip & Coconut Chia Gelee

The funny thing about this all-encompassing talent and pastime is that I did not have the slightest idea on how to plate, even knew that I enjoyed to plate, or that I was any good at it just five, short years ago.  I was only able to nurture this now-passion, and discover it in the first place because I was in the right environment that encouraged I explore it.  It was time-and-again met with positive affirmations, for which I am eternally grateful.  

This is the primary reason I am attracted to the Masters Program in Food Studies  at New York University.  As fulfilling as my career is at the moment, my ever-curious nature is left wondering what else is out there.  Plating artistry will always be a mainstay in my culinary repertoire, but I want to continue to combine my undeniable attraction to academics and food, and discover more enchantment.  I firmly believe that the NYU classrooms could provide me with the materials, atmosphere, and knowledge to further spark creativity and add more tools to my constantly evolving skillset.