Kelvin Fernandez — ICE Chef

Chef Kelvin's Pescado en Coco

aday — Thu, 14 May 2020 20:16:12 +0000

Chef Kelvin's Pescado en Coco aday Thu, 05/14/2020 - 16:16 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/pescado%20en%20coco%20header.jpg.webp?itok=vPpIlPrV A Caribbean fish in coconut recipe using red snapper. May 14, 2020

By Kelvin Fernandez — ICE Chef

Chef Kelvin is known for his arepas, which won "Beat Bobby Flay," and has appeared on a variety of shows, including "Chopped" season 8. He is the chef of Las' Lap Rum Bar in New York's Lower East Side. Read more about Chef Kelvin here.

Chef Kelvin Fernandez taught Chef Palak Patel how to make Caribbean pescado en coco with red snapper on Instagram Live today. Here's the complete recipe and video.

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A post shared by Institute of CulinaryEducation (@iceculinary) on May 14, 2020 at 11:01am PDT

Pescado en Coco

1 red snapper
1 yellow pepper
1/2 white onion
Salt
Pepper
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 cup coconut milk
Cilantro
Serve with white rice

White Rice

Ingredients

1 part rice
2 parts liquid

Bring seasoned liquid to a boil and add salt and bay leaf.
Add rice, stir and cover. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes and then stir and let sit.

Directions

Season snapper skin with salt and pepper.
Julienne the yellow pepper and white onion.
Cook the red snapper skin-side down for 3 minutes until nice and crispy. Turn over and remove.
Add onions and sweat out until soft.
Add yellow pepper and cook until soft.
Add coconut milk and bring to a boil.
After the coconut sauce reduces by half, add the snapper.
Once the snapper is cooked and tender, turn off heat and add cilantro.
Serve the rice in the center, add snapper on top followed by sauce around the plate.
Garnish with toasted coconut flakes if available.

See Chef Kelvin's salmon recipe, and study fish from fabrication to dish in Culinary Arts.

Fish & Seafood Global Cuisine Recipe ICE Chef Social Media

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Recipe steps

Step 1 - Bring seasoned liquid to a boil and add salt and bay leaf;

Step 2 - Add rice, stir and cover. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes and then stir and let sit;

Step 3 - Season snapper skin with salt and pepper;

Step 4 - Julienne the yellow pepper and white onion;

Step 5 - Cook the red snapper skin-side down for 3 minutes until nice and crispy. Turn over and remove;

Step 6 - Add onions and sweat out until soft;

Step 7 - Add yellow pepper and cook until soft;

Step 8 - Add coconut milk and bring to a boil;

Step 9 - After the coconut sauce reduces by half, add the snapper;

Step 10 - Once the snapper is cooked and tender, turn off heat and add cilantro;

Step 11 - Serve the rice in the center, add snapper on top followed by sauce around the plate;

Step 12 - Garnish with toasted coconut flakes if available;

Citrus-Crusted Salmon with Pineapple Butter Sauce

aday — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 15:01:27 +0000

Citrus-Crusted Salmon with Pineapple Butter Sauce aday Tue, 02/04/2020 - 10:01 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/salmon%20header_0.jpg.webp?itok=kATSqbnb Chef Kelvin Fernandez ate salmon for weeks to develop the perfect recipe with the fatty fish. February 6, 2020

By Kelvin Fernandez — ICE Chef

Epicurious' 4 Levels series showcases three approaches to a classic dish and the science behind each recipe. In this week's episode, 51�Թ� Chef Kelvin Fernandez prepares a picture-perfect salmon dish with pineapple, panko bread crumbs and citrus.

Chef Kelvin says we eat with our eyes first so he likes to make dishes beautiful to draw diners in. Here, cherry tomatoes and baby zucchini bring beautiful color contrast to a bright cut of salmon. Nice, creamy mashed potatoes add a touch of nostalgia and comfort, and cilantro and pineapple channel tropical flavors.

He sources ora salmon because chefs know how to cut and skin it, and he shares a recipe that viewers can make at home in a half-hour. "If you don't like fish, you'll be converted with this dish," he says.

Watch Chef Kelvin demonstrate his technique on the Epicurious video and get his signature salmon recipe below.

Citrus-Crusted Salmon with Purple Mashed Potatoes, Blistered Cherry Tomatoes, Baby Zucchini and Pineapple Butter Sauce

Yields 2 servings

Salmon

2 8-ounce pieces of salmon, skin off
1 bunch thyme
1 bunch rosemary

Season the salmon with the skin removed on both sides with kosher salt.
In a nonstick pan add 2 tablespoons of blended oil.
Sear the salmon on both sides for 2.5 minutes and then put aside.
Once the crust is complete, cover the salmon with the crust and place under broiler for 3 minutes or until the crust becomes golden brown.

Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

4 medium-size potatoes
1 stick butter
1/4 cup of heavy cream
Kosher salt, to taste

Directions

Bring to a boil in salted water until tender.
Drain the potatoes out of water and pass through a food mill of mash with a hand masher.
Mix the hot cream and butter with the potatoes and check for seasoning.

Baby Zucchini

Ingredients

10 pieces of baby zucchini, cut in half and ends trimmed
Olive oil

Directions

In a nonstick pan, add 1 tablespoon of blended oil and zucchini.
Once the zucchini starts getting some color, flip over and season with kosher salt. Add the cherry heirloom tomatoes for 1 minute on high heat to get some caramelization.

Cherry Heirloom Tomatoes

Ingredients

10 cherry tomatoes

Directions

With a small paring knife score the end of the tomato in an x form.
Add the tomatoes to boiling salted water for 10-15 seconds.
Add the blanched tomatoes in to ice water.
Remove the tomatoes from the ice water and peel the skin off with a small knife.

Pineapple Butter Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 cup of pineapple juice
1/4 stick of butter
20 leaves of cilantro, chopped

Directions

Reduce the pineapple juice in a sauce pan by half.
Add the butter and turn the heat off to combine the sauce.
Add the cilantro.

Lemon Citrus Crust

Ingredients

1/2 stick of butter
1/4 cup of panko bread crumbs
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of half a lemon

Directions

For the lemon crust, use 1/2 stick of butter and mash with a plastic spatula.
Add the zest and juice of the lemon.
Add the breadcrumbs and combine well.
Spread between two pieces of wax paper and with the rolling pin , spread and smooth out throughout the paper.
Add in the freezer for 10 minutes before its ready to use.

Assembly

For plating, add a spoonful of mashed potatoes in the center of the plate, add the zucchini on top, spread the cherry heirloom tomatoes throughout and add the perfectly cooked salmon and then the pineapple butter sauce around the plate.

Study professional-level seafood preparation and more fundamental techniques in Culinary Arts.

Fish & Seafood Recipe Video ICE Chef Epicurious

Salmon

Submitted by Dora Hudson on February 15, 2020 4:16pm

Delicious. Will make it today.

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How Kelvin Fernandez Became the Arepa King

aday — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 18:07:39 +0000

How Kelvin Fernandez Became the Arepa King aday Wed, 12/04/2019 - 13:07 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/arepa%20header.jpg.webp?itok=czUxn6ht The chef to the Yankees, celebrities and Lower East Siders at Las’ Lap, shares the story behind his arepa fame. December 9, 2019

By Kelvin Fernandez — ICE Chef

The best thing about my arepas is that they’re not your typical arepas. Traditionally you have Colombian and Venezuelan versions: Colombian has a little piece of cheese on top and Venezuelan is stuffed. I put everything on top. Mine are a combination of both and add secret ingredients to change the texture. All arepas have corn flour and water and are cooked on a griddle or sauteed. Mine are fried.

The first time I created an arepa was in 2014 before I opened my first Latin restaurant, Blend on the Water in Long Island City, Queens. People came to the restaurant for the views and enjoyed the food. Blend was the first restaurant where I could make Latin food, and I was excited to fuse the French, Italian and American techniques I had learned with Latin flavors.

I went to one of the number one arepa bars, Caracas Arepa Bar downtown, and there was a line out the door. I waited an hour and a half to sit down in this small restaurant and when I finally had it, it was good, but my goal was texture. I thought, how can I make this different, better and unique? I played around with the recipe for six months. At first it was a sope (Mexico’s fried corn tortilla bite) made out of corn and fried, but the texture was a little off. So my goal was to fry an arepa so it’d be crispy on the outside, moist on the inside, and I wanted to layer flavors with sauces and toppings. I wanted it to be true to my fine-dining experience and an upscale bite.

The first version combined braised chicken, slices of avocado and a cilantro sauce. It needed work: It was good, but it wasn’t great. I tested it out on friends and family who came to the restaurant and decided to merge French cuisine by using a braised beef short rib. The first official arepa for the public was topped with braised beef short rib, guacamole, pico de gallo, cojita cheese, a lime-scented sour cream and micro cilantro. That was the first time I took a bite and was blown away. It was special.

I got excited every time someone new tried it and needed another one. Since it was a brand-new restaurant, I used the dish as my “compliments of the chef” to welcome people to Blend on the Water. People were making reservations just to have that arepa. They offered money for the recipe. I put it on the menu after three months and it was our No. 1 seller.

Chef Kelvin's mushroom arepas

The arepas were a big hit, and I didn’t like the fact that we were just taking the short rib off for vegetarians. They’re already gluten-free, and I wanted the next version to be vegetarian. Forbes’ 30 under 30 club hosts a food competition every year and my first time participating, the judge was Daniel Boulud. I decided to make something vegetarian that would blow people’s minds and appeal to Chef Daniel. I served a black truffle mushroom arepa with a truffle aioli and a mushroom duxelle, which is a classic French accompaniment, usually with beef Wellington. I sauteed mushrooms with garlic and herbs, chopped, cooked, reduced with heavy cream, added parsley and finished with butter and truffles. I got beautiful layers of texture and flavors.

Chef Daniel was very impressed that he tasted something that was Latin and French at the same time — and he wanted extra truffles. He announced my victory that year, which was special because Chef Daniel selected me for my C-CAP scholarship when I was 15-years-old and awarded me a trip to France when I was 30. It was great to duplicate a photo with him 15 years later.

I’ve won the Forbes 30 under 30 food fight for four consecutive years: reigning, defending, undefeated crowd’s choice champion. I think I’m going to retire next year, and now my team is excited. We have no idea what the finale arepa will be, but I have 10 months to perfect it.

Chef Kelvin's lobster arepas

Now I create new arepa variations for new events. The more I do, the more I become known for arepas, and you have to give the people what they want. We serve five at my rum bar, Las’ Lap: tuna tartar, a new crowd favorite with sweet soy sauce and sriracha aioli; a lobster roll arepa with sweet chili aioli; and my favorite, pollo guisado — it hugs you when you eat it. That’s a Dominican chicken stew topped with pickled red onions, melted mozzarella cheese, a slice of avocado, and I finally used the cilantro aioli from day one that made so much more sense with this one.

We make a new arepa for the bar every year, and that’s the fun part: figuring out how we take it to the next step. My team has been with me for nine years, they know what we’re looking for and I trust their palettes. We explore what other proteins can we put on top. I’ve tried chocolate to make a sweet arepa; I tried sugar and it was overwhelmingly sweet. Lamb didn’t work out, beef tartare didn’t convince people to eat raw beef. (The only way to get people to try new things is to not tell them what’s on it.)

There’s inspiration for the five kinds: Each one has to tell a story. And to me when I create a new one, there are reasons behind it. I want to make sure that every bite is unique, a flavor bomb that leaves you wanting more. That’s the tuna tartar now for me. It’s so addicting. The arepa’s warm, the tuna’s cold, there’s a slice of jalapeno. I can’t explain how great it is until you try it.

Now if I walk into a room, the first question I’m asked is if I have arepas like they’re in my back pocket. I’ve become the arepa man and that’s what happens when you beat Bobby Flay.

I mix my arepa dough with my hands. It has to feel a certain way. I have to roll it into a ball and see that it doesn’t fall apart. I experiment with water and fat until I achieve the right texture. A regular arepa batter will disintegrate in a fryer. I cook and puree fresh corn and then I add all of the ingredients. I’m not looking for my arepa to be Colombian or Venezuelan, it’s not traditional. If you have my arepa, you’ll never have it that way again. These are Chef Kelvin’s arepas.

Learn more about global cuisine in ICE's Culinary Arts program.

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Letter to the Young Chef

aday — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 14:37:44 +0000

Letter to the Young Chef aday Mon, 08/19/2019 - 10:37 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/kelvin%20young%20header.jpg.webp?itok=yQTLlAgP As the decade comes to a close, Chef Kelvin Fernandez shares advice with aspiring culinary professionals. December 20, 2019

By Kelvin Fernandez — ICE Chef

Food is life. We use food to survive and to celebrate. It's an important part of our day. It has the power to change your mood even if you’re having a bad day.

When you are starting your culinary journey, it is important to decide what type of food will be your staple. Work with great chefs and you will become a great chef. It's inevitable. I was lucky to begin my career at a young age. I learned quickly because it was my new love. I wanted to show up early, leave late and finish my work fast so I could help others. By doing that, not only was I learning faster, I was getting better. At first, I would always take my time. Making sure I perfected the craft of each task that was being placed in front of me. But once I was great at all of those, I was excited for the night to end so I could go and help the pastry team with plating desserts.

My career started in high school in a culinary cooking class, followed by my first restaurant job over the summer. I was terrified working my first job in a real restaurant, serving food for hundreds of people and learning from a chef with Michelin-starred restaurant experience. I started working garde manger (salads and cold appetizer), where many young chefs begin, if not prepping or washing dishes. I worked with some amazing cooks back then, and they are now amazing, talented chefs all over the world. I think the most important thing is not to be afraid to ask questions, make mistakes, learn from those mistakes and always be a sponge. Confidence builds by practice, getting complimented by chefs and peers, and being an all-around team player. Not every culinary path is the same.

Young Chef Kelvin with iconic Chef Thomas Keller.

For the past 17 years, I have done so many incredible things, and I never forget where it all started. That foundation made me the man I am today. "Attitude determines altitude," said Alex Rodriguez, describing my work ethic. I never imagined accomplishing all the amazing things I have done in my life, but none of comes without hard work. Network equals net worth, but without showing your talent, saying yes to opportunities and hitting a home run on each one, more opportunities won’t come.

At the age of 22, I became the youngest executive chef in NYC and again I was terrified. If it wasn’t for the general manager believing in me, I wouldn't have believed in myself and taken the chance. I didn't think I was ready, but who is ever ready? If you continue to say no, you will never be ready. It's okay to fail. That's so much better than second-guessing and never knowing what might come from it. What I've learned from that kind of experience is how to know the difference between friendships and work relationships and setting boundaries. Know when it's time to have fun and when it's time to get to work. This was my first time managing a team, half of whom were older than me. It was the first time I had to fire some employees that didn’t want to work under someone as young as I was. I earned the respect of the rest by cooking for them, showing my talent and treating them the way I wanted to be treated, with respect.

Every path will be different, but the path to success comes with working hard and loving what you do.

Start your culinary career path at the 51�Թ�.

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Meet Chef Kelvin Fernandez

aday — Fri, 24 May 2019 14:56:17 +0000

Meet Chef Kelvin Fernandez aday Fri, 05/24/2019 - 10:56 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/Kelvin%20header.jpg.webp?itok=eGFWACnz One of ICE’s new chefs shares his culinary career journey. May 28, 2019

By Kelvin Fernandez — ICE Chef

I’ve been surrounded by two amazing cooks. My dad is a chef, who’s been in the business for over 35 years. My mom is a great cook. If I’m away for a long time, I just want my mom’s cooking. She’ll ask when I’m coming over because she knows how much I love her food.

I was lucky enough to go to Long Island City High School, which had an amazing program that gave me the opportunity to study auto mechanics. I fell in love with a girl in high school and as the relationship grew, she wanted me to support her in the things she was interested in. She persuaded me to join a cooking class with a company called C-CAP, Careers Through Culinary Arts Program, and they give scholarships to kids who excel at cooking. I was fortunate enough to get into the program, winning a full scholarship to the Culinary Institute of America at age 16. I’m very grateful to have found a passion while I was young.

Growing up I always loved the attention that I was getting by making people happy. It felt natural, it didn’t feel like I was trying too hard or over achieving. I was getting all this praise and I thought, wow, I’m not even trying 100%. What if I do?

Excited to go to CIA, I became the first person in my family to graduate college. My parents are both immigrants from the Dominican Republic, both had two jobs and both worked their butts off to make sure we had everything we wanted. I didn’t realize until I was a little bit older that I grew up poor. I was born and raised in the projects and it wasn’t the easiest of times. I didn’t know that we were on welfare. I didn’t know that we were struggling because my parents never let us see that. I’m very grateful for my parents. I am the man I am today because of the hard work of my dad and my mom, who taught me how to be a gentleman and respectful, and I got the best of both worlds.

After graduating from CIA, I wanted to be the best. I worked with some of the best chefs in America. I worked with Daniel Boulud at Restaurant Daniel. I worked with Alfred Portale at Gotham Bar and Grill, which was my first job after school. I worked there as an intern and was offered a full-time job, so I stayed for three years. Then I started working at a New York City landmark called Cafe des Artistes. I became a sous chef at age 19, which was pretty exciting but nerve wracking. I felt that I was moving a little too fast but I knew that I was putting in the hard work. I was always the first one in the kitchen and the last one to go home. I had the energy; I was a sponge, ready to soak everything up.

When I was 22-years-old, the general manager of Cafe des Artistes was going on to a new restaurant and he offered me the executive chef position. I said I wasn’t ready. I had a mentality that to be a chef, you have to know everything to answer the questions your cooks ask. He said, “If you feel like you’re not ready, you’re never going to be ready. You will know every answer to every question because it’s going to be your food and your recipes, so you better know your food.”

He was right. I took the opportunity and it was one of the high points of my life. I remained the chef at Antipasti Restaurant and Wine Bar for about two years before I decided to come back to the city from Westchester. It was very important for me to fine tune my skills in New York City, but I was the youngest guy applying for executive chef jobs. Everyone around me was in their 40s, and I was always called “the kid” because every time I did a tasting for someone for the position, they’d say, “I can’t believe this food is coming from this kid.” I saw it as a compliment, put a chip on my shoulder and knew I had to work twice as hard to prove myself.

I did a tasting for a brand new, small boutique hotel called The Strand, which had 180 rooms and a beautiful rooftop overlooking the Empire State Building. There was a position for an executive chef job, I tried out, they loved my food, and they were honest enough to tell me that they thought I was too young to run a hotel. But they loved me so much that they created a chef de cuisine position for me, so I was in charge of the restaurant and an executive chef was overseeing the hotel. Within eight months, they fired that executive chef and promoted me to executive chef. I was so ecstatic and it proved that hard work does pay off.

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8/8/11 my episode of chopped aired! 6 years so much has happened thank you for everyone supporting me! ❤️ #cheflife #foodporn #chefkelvin #chopped #foodporn @foodnetwork

A post shared by Kelvin Fernandez (@chefkelvin) on Aug 9, 2017 at 8:56pm PDT

In 2011, I did my first show for the Food Network, “Chopped.” I finished as a runner up and was known as the guy who was allergic to shellfish but had shellfish in two rounds. So I made it to the finals without tasting my food. That was a win already. I cooked my heart out on that show and got a lot of great feedback. I became the king of pilots at Food Network — I’ve done more than 12. They love my energy, the way I explain food and my competitiveness, which is exciting for me. As the years go on, goals change, but the more TV I do, the happier I become because I’m comfortable in front of a camera and I like to teach. It comes full circle.

I did a few more shows, including “Man vs. Child,” on which I went up against some kid proteges and won. It was a lot of fun to see the next generation of chefs. When I was growing up, we didn’t have this celebrity chef. The only person we had was Emeril Lagasse and Food Network was brand new. Now you have all these kids who find their passions when they’re so young. I can only expect how exciting it will be to see what the next generation of chefs will be like. Then in 2015 I went on “Beat Bobby Flay,” which was amazing. I got the opportunity to go against Mr. Iron Chef himself, and I won with battle arepa, which is something that’s dear to me. It was the first Latin dish that I’ve ever created. I’ve done French, American and Italian, and here I was showcasing my Latin food and I got to beat Bobby Flay with it. It really took my career to the next level because I started focusing more on Latin food with a twist, which is what I do now.

I was also named a Forbes 30 under 30 chef, which has been another milestone. As a successful chef, I always want more. I believe it’s not about what I’ve done, it’s about what I continue to do. That’s what pushes me and keeps me going. I’ve also won the food and wine competition that Forbes has every year. I’m the defending champion for the past three years with three different arepas, so I really think I should open an arepa bar sometime down the road.

I’m a partner at a rum bar called Las’ Lap on the Lower East Side, the only place where you can have my food right now. It gives me an opportunity to freelance with my own business called Kelvin’s Kitchen. Just yesterday I cooked for the New York Yankees. Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez are some of my top clients. That’s where we are now, when I get to have this awesome partnership with the 51�Թ� and see what we can do together. Stay tuned for my work with ICE.

Meet Chef Kelvin at our First Friday event in August and learn more about studying Culinary Arts.

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love this

Submitted by rosa on May 11, 2020 4:53pm

What a beautiful journey. If you ever consider teaching a kids cooking class please let the world know.