As told by Pastry Chef Annalise Brolaski (age 21) of Sweet Organic Love & The Urban Kitchen Group
Wow! So much good has happened since I first joined Chef’s Roll in 2013. From being featured on FOXNews.com, Union Tribune to cooking at incredible events, amazing opportunities that I never thought possible opened right in front of my eyes – and fast. I had the honor of working alongside countless awesome chefs and crews at humbling venues. Besides working full time at Cucina Enoteca in Del Mar (San Diego), opportunities consistently keep knocking on my door and l am so thankful.
BRAVO TV’s TOP CHEF BROOKE WILLIAMSON
Soon after graduating from The International Culinary School at the Art Institute of California – San Diego as an Outstanding Pastry Graduate in 2014, Chef’s Roll gave me the chance to be sous for Chef Brooke Williamson (From BravoTV’s Top Chef Season 10) at the Bacon & Barrels music and food festival’s VIP dinner. Chef Meghan Ardleigh, a classmate of mine in culinary school was also offered to be the other sous. Meghan kicked butt and got everything organized and flowing smoothly. It was really cool to work with Chef Brooke – her bacon and whiskey inspired menu was both delicious and inspiring. Who would have thought I would get to work with a Top Chef!? I remember watching those shows as a kid with my mom. What a treat it was.
Brolaski (left), Williamson (center), Ardleigh (right) at Bacon & BarrelsTHE WORLD FOOD CHAMPIONSHIPS & CHEF’S PLATE
One of the coolest opportunities I’ve had, was competing in The World Food Championships (WFC) in Las Vegas last November 2014. I was able to go all because of Chef’s Roll. Frans (Chef’s Roll co-founder) asked if I wanted to prepare the dessert course for their first ever Chef’s Plate Culinary Competition between 2 local chefs RoseAnna Peyron and Mikel Anthony. All the participants earned a Golden Ticket to the World Food Championships for a shot at $100,000.00. Come November, I competed in the Dessert Category against 50 other bakers and pastry chefs from around the world, one of them being one of my instructors from culinary school. My great friend and colleague of the Art Institute, Aaron Salvador, lives in Las Vegas and graciously volunteered to be my sous chef. I could not have done it without him. He even took me grocery shopping for all my mise en place! It was my first ever culinary competition and I ended up placing 15th in the world, beating my chef from Art Institute (Hehehe, sorry Chef!). It was an incredible experience! I also got to sous chef for Chef Dorian Southall at the Chef’s Plate 3 competition assisting him with his amazing olive oil and avocado cake with vanilla ice cream, candied blood oranges, tarragon, sorrel gel.
CHAINE DES ROTISSEURS & WEDDING CATERER
In February of this year, another Chef’s Roll member Keoni Simmons of BBQ House approached me with the opportunity to prepare dessert for the national Chaine des Rotisseurs dinner. I had met Keoni at WFC, he and his team cheered me on during my category’s competition. Chaine des Rotisseurs is an international gastronomic society founded in Paris in 1950. It was an honor to serve them my desserts. The dessert came out beautifully with the help of the team. I met some really cool culinarians that night and was grateful I got to make a beautiful dessert for them. Fast forward a few months, Chef Keoni asked me to make caramel dipped apples for his wedding.
Eight-layer Bombkuchen cake soaked in Grand Marnier and topped with chocolate ganache, Valencia oranges and raspberries50 SHADES OF RED
Next, I was featured at North County Food’s latest Chef’s Dinner. It was held at Le Petite Madeline in Oceanside on June 24, 2015. We used Farmer Luke Girling’s organic strawberries and promoted his new organic Cyclops Farm (starting up very soon!). Participating chefs included Chef Beau Bonham of Master’s Kitchen, Chef Ian Smith of Le Petite Madeline, and myself. We each created a beautiful, flavorful dessert for 35 people, with beverage pairings provided by Banana Dang! And Living Tea Brewing Co. It was so fun to have total freedom and creative control on a dish for an event like this! I’m thankful that Chris Messenger (owner of North County Food) reached out to me and trusted in my abilities to make good food. Dessert was delicious! I received a lot of really great feedback that night, very soul satisfying.
Meyer Lemon Semifreddo with strawberry Grand Marnier sauce, strawberry and basil salad, citrus shortbread cookie, fresh oranges, strawberry honey sorbet, honey comb candy, local bee pollen, and fresh basil from Farmer Luke’s Cyclops Farm.PALEOBLOKS! & SUPERSIZE ME
Just a few weeks later, on July 10, I helped Andrea Tagalog, owner of a new up and coming company. PaleoBLOKS! makes delicious, healthy paleo meals to be delivered right to the customer. Andrea recently won a taco contest – it’s the best paleo taco you will ever have! She was asked to cater Morgan Spurlock’s (of SuperSize Me) Geeks For Peace event during Comic-Con. A participating chef, Stevan Novoa, asked me to help with the desserts (I have some experience creating vegan desserts for family), so I joined the fun! All the donations and money raised went to Kids For Peace charity, helping kids all over the world. We created a really great menu that was totally paleo or vegan and 100% flavorful and delicious! Despite the ingredient restrictions, these desserts gave no leeway for lack of flavor! With the help of Andrea’s volunteers and Chefs Otis and Stevan, it was a great success. I even got to meet Morgan Spurlock! Who would have thought that would ever happen!?
MICHAEL MINA DINNER
Wait, there’s more!? Yep… Chef’s Roll rolls it out faster than the pizza guy! The latest and greatest event that I got to be a part of was the 6 Degrees of Michael Mina Charity Dinner at La Valencia Hotel in La Jolla. It was insane to be in a kitchen with so many talented chefs! Six Chefs who all worked with Mina years ago, are now passing on their knowledge and experiences to us youngins. My favorite chef and mentor, Chef Tina Luu, made dessert. Chef Tina was my instructor at the Art Institute so surely, our A-team consisted of students and alumni: Meghan Ardleigh, Jesse McArdle, Carissa Albritre, Minna Nguyen, and Herly Castillo. We got to shake hands with Chef Michael Mina and every other chef that was there. It was an epic event – epic food, plating style, and crazy cool chefs all in one place.
A Trilogy of Stone Fruits by the team led by Chef Tina Luu – Cherries, dark chocolate, mascarpone, chocolate mint – White peach, lemon verbena, lemon infused EVOO, Fraise du Bois – Ginger’d frangipane, roasted plums & pluots, sweet & salty almondsChef’s Roll, you have truly opened up a world of opportunity for me. I’ve been blessed to meet people and go places I never even thought possible. Thank you for all your support. I can’t wait to see what else the future holds! Ahhh, the chef life… not a day goes by that I don’t learn something new.
Learn more about Chef Annalise Brolaski on her Chef’s Roll profile HERE.
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Annalise Brolaski is a culinary graduate of The International Culinary School at the Art Institute of California – San Diego.
