-
An A.P.E. And A Chef: Thomas Gosney
Countless times I have followed a recipe only to realize that the finished product was less than desirable. The oven is heated to the correct temperature, the stove is turned up to the accurate heat setting, and the ingredients are measured precisely. So, what went wrong? I don’t doubt that I am the only person who has experienced these cooking catastrophes, but with the help of Chef Thomas Gosney’s cookbook, “Method of Procedure,” hopefully I will be one of the last.Chef Thomas Gosney began his career in the culinary world while working at a small country inn in Pennsylvania. He attended college at Johnson & Wales University and eventually became Chef Tournant at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. For fifteen years, Thomas worked as a private chef for Shaquille O’Neal in addition to several other high-end clients with a variety of food related issues. He navigated the kitchen by focusing on nutritional recipes that supported creativity for whatever dietary restrictions his clients were dealing with.
“Cucumber Apple and Tomato Salad”
Throughout culinary school, Thomas recalled a common question asked of him and his peers. “What is the method of procedure?” With this idea ingrained in him, Thomas applied this concept to his experiences as a chef. When asked by friends and family members about what they had done wrong when attempting to duplicate a recipe, Thomas always looked at the method of procedure. This is one of the reasons why writing this cookbook was so important to him. He wanted to publish a cookbook that didn’t just highlight recipes. Thomas believed it was just as critical to examine the entire cooking process. He wanted to share the quintessential secrets of the kitchen that he had learned, so that everyone could enjoy a delicious meal.
Of course, writing a cookbook isn’t a small feat and with the vast experience that Thomas had in the culinary world, he had a difficult time narrowing down what recipes would actually make it to print. Thomas indicated he has somewhere between 100-200 additional recipes that he would like to publish in cookbooks sometime in the future. Though he may occasionally doubt his recipe choices and has had thoughts of, “I should have done that,” Thomas is happy with the end result, as this cookbook is a selection of foods he actually eats. He believes these are “tried and true,” “homerun hits,” “traditional recipes and foods for life.”
“Roasted Green Beans with Sherry Vinegar and Thyme”
In order to develop his own recipes, Thomas likes to take risks and experiment with cuisine. He likes to push the envelope when it comes to food chemistry and create meals that have never been done before. By taking a basic core recipe and making personal tweaks, Thomas is able to adjust the food to become his own and this cookbook encourages others to do the same. Thomas explained the importance of his cookbook by stating, “helping somebody is my payback.”
While working in Orlando at the Hyatt Grand Regency Cypress, he was cooking for Def Leppard who had asked for vegan pancakes. At the time (25+ years ago) no one was making vegan food, but he saw it as a challenge and delivered the pancakes by manipulating some recipes.
He believes that chefs should come out of the kitchen and talk to the customers who have food allergies, dietary limitations or are picky eaters. He thinks it’s all about trust and communication between the chef and the customer. According to Thomas, “food should never be unexciting, primadonna chefs got to go!” He is on a mission to call out chefs all over the world because he believes nobody should accept subpar food or “baby food” and finds it UNACCEPTABLE to serve customers less quality meals because of any kind of dietary restriction.
One of the most rewarding experiences Thomas has had throughout his career was working as a private chef for a client with over twenty food allergies/dietary restrictions. Instead of having a negative outlook about the struggles he may face in the kitchen, Thomas saw the challenge of cooking for this client as an opportunity. He explained that mainly, as an executive chef, you are not in the kitchen doing hands on cooking very often whereas being a private chef, you get to cook every day and it is humbling. Thomas likes to receive immediate feedback from the client and will often edit his recipes for the better.
“Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts”
Thomas has helped develop the American private chef industry and often lectures about this at Johnson & Wales University. He believes giving back the knowledge he has is the best gift he could give to others. In the future, he would like to further establish the private chef industry and help people understand it. Thomas wants to have the ability to teach people about the latest cutting edge techniques. Thomas also reported that there are always new developments constantly improving and pioneering this side of the industry. He explained that when he first started his career in his mid twenties, it was unheard of to put warm grilled chicken on top of a cold salad and now that’s a meal that is everywhere. He believes the culinary world is constantly evolving and wants to continue to be a part of the process.
Having received my own copy of “Method of Procedure,” I wanted to re-create some of the recipes Thomas included. With Labor Day approaching, I thought it would be a great way to add to our family BBQ. I sat with my mom to review the cookbook and selected what we wanted to make. Next, my dad and I went to the supermarket to get all of the ingredients, and then some. For example, olive oil happened to be on sale so my dad found it necessary to purchase four bottles, when I believe I only needed a cup. Over the course of one night and one full day, my mom and I cooked up a nice assortment of recipes thanks to Chef Thomas Gosney. Each one was extremely flavorful and looked a lot more complicated than they actually were to complete. It was a fun weekend visiting my family. We got to experiment with some delicious recipes and although not perfect, we attempted to follow the method of procedure.
“Grandma’s Bread Pudding and Rum Raisin Sauce”
by 
by Share this:
The food was delicious!!! Great recipes!