A Hawaii Fry Chef, starts off in fast food which use to be at Hawaii Drive Ins or fast food restaurants that served for those on the go and wanting a quick bite to eat. However, over the years those who worked in those fields in the 80s over the years and the practiced generations there has been a strong knowledge based on the technique used for such cooks. Those who would dedicate their practice would be knowledgeable in the making the mochiko into a world that started developing within Hawaii cuisine.
It begins with careful patience and observations to know how long to fry certain items and to allow for it to crisp up after it is done with its bath in the hot oil. The know how of flours and the mixtures are important in making a batter that compliments the food as well as selected seasonings for a flavor of the chefs idea of tastiness. The seasonality is important as well as knowing when to select certain ingredients from certain regions for vegetables, seafood, and meats. Starting out from first time fry cooks with automated systems and later a more from scratch method of the wok begins the path of frying. When working with frying with a wok it is important to know about the heat of the wok and the levels of heat as the ingredient begins in its frying process. While it may seem that the frying is similar to that of chop suey the art of using a wok in Hawaii extends to all sorts of cuisine and is different from a commercial deep fryer. Frying Taken to Reputable Heights Many who worked as fry cooks first saw it as a skill less trade, but as they dealt with more styles of frying it would be clear that cooking different types of food takes good judgement. It would be done by frying over and over to judge the size of the ingredient to know exactly how long they prefer to cook that sort of food as well as the sound of the frying to know how high the heat is. These realizations create an understanding of deep fryed items being something that takes much more skill than one would originally think. As Hawaii menus tend to be made for the working man there are usually lines of people who are awaiting food for themselves or their family. Affordability and volume are key to having just enough to be satisfied as well as enough to share with others for a sense of Aloha with the fried food. Frying is not as social as other culinary services in its presentation due to its loud noise it makes as its frying, so most things are fried behind closed doors. Those who do fry in the front maybe frying for a select few customers with a limited seating area. Everything in Place Strengths of a Hawaii fry cook is taking the traditional teachings of French culinary arts of gathering, arranging, and storing for efficiency of service makes for a sort of system. This system is known as Mise-en-place that is sort of like a military system of efficient cooking and a straight forward production line style that ensures focus. Fry cooks have great attention to the process, so everything that can be prepared ahead of time is a must for maximum performance to the frying. Being a master of the basics Hawaii Fry Chefs takes this to an even deeper meaning as a sort of organization must. It helps them coordinate the vast amount of labor that comes from the orders coming in that must quickly go out and allow them to see how much available ingredients they have on hand at any given time. It maybe something very simple, but it proves useful out of the kitchen as well as some will say they have a stronger sense of organizing at home or getting things done become easier with the self-discipline. While other cooks in the kitchen maybe paying attention to diverse recipes with a technique here and a technique there a fry cook will keep on specializing in the basics. The reason for that is that is the strongest system involves having everything prepared and the attention to the workers, so it is sort of a selfless meaning to the approach, because it allows for better management and adaptation to the staff in order to make sure they have a strong foundation of learning, performing, explaining, and reteaching to an apprentice. Wet Season Hand and Dry Season Hand One hand wet and one hand dry or Kau Hand (drier hand) and Ho'oilo Hand (wet hand) which is a method that keeps a fry cook from getting rock fingers in which batter hardens on the fingers making it harder to handle fry items. It takes a little longer at first but it is important in the fry process and as one gets more skilled there is a sort of frying-rhythm that leads to a much better product in the long run. Cooking becomes straight forward and hand washing time lessons and gluten build up is lessened as well. Hard working cooks are hard to find and a full understanding of the fry-station allows the food to demand respect through time and speed with a set up season. In no time a fry cook will learn to move quickly with urgency, pay attention to cook times, preventing water from entering the oil to prevent grease fire, and specific use towels so other cooks towels don't get taken. Next Level Frying in Hawaii More and more money is leaving the state of Hawaii with national chains taking over the frying landscape and local places are closing. So, many fry chefs are collecting old recipes and innovating on them to make affordable gourmet eating in which recipes that were at one point expensive can be made for the common people. This means everyone can have specialties that can be shared with the whole family and each person can have a chance to eat the fried food to make for a happy meal. One such place that is making some exciting modern food with Hawaii foods is "Da Kitchen" on Maui. The Okazuya's as well as restaurants on the Big Island like "Broke Da Mouth Kitchen". And home cooks on Oahu who are getting into new technologies of air frying to make healthy alternatives to oil based frying for options in what to eat.
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