So I reiterate here, the bill is dead. The story of this great city is about the years before this night. Hey everybody, it's a new episode of Hong Kong and we are going nuts with the guests. This is what, two or three weeks in a row, Vivek? That's right. We're having guest, guests, guests and more guests. And more guests, yes. So yeah, we were back full circle.
We started with only guests and then during COVID we decided they were just going to talk the two to each other exactly because we are not legally allowed to talk to anyone else. Exactly. We're not legally to be our guest, Yes. Yeah. And then now we're back on the guest guest train and we have a very special guest. But before we get our guest, Vivek, how are you doing man? I'm pretty good, man. I mean, the good thing is actually I did a show at the hospital yesterday. What?
Yeah. I was actually at the Hong Kong Eye Hospital doing a show during lunchtime. Wait a second, Eye Hospital? Is that like Eye Hospital, Like Apple Eye Hospital? One thinks that, but it's EYE. Oh, like the actual eye? Hospital, yeah. OK, so The funny thing is they actually have a floor that is an eye bank. EYE Bank I. Am so confused. I know, I know, I was like, what
the hell is this place, right? But the ironic thing is during the whole throwing it out there, man, I know what I'm talking about. The, the, the best part is that the whole performance, pretty much all the staff there, yeah, wearing glasses. I was like, I think you're on the wrong side of the table. You should be the patient, not the not the worker here there. Is a lot of people like in a certain like like eye doctor, for example, that they're like
they have bad eyesight. I have seen three different or how do you say that orthodontist is like the guy with the fixing the teeth? Yeah, but not just a regular dentist like the one who. The braces guy. And yeah, the braces guy and the teeth are just completely fucked. Yeah, three different people. Like, I don't. There was a friend, he probably knows who he is, but he's a heavy smoker.
Yeah, never. Yeah, eventually is one of the humility things like I'm so busy serving, I have no time to serve myself actually is. Super successful. Is in Hong Kong. That's my wife. He's like teaching and he's like a really high, high level, high level professor. Whatever. Bad teeth bad. Man, I think it's one of those things where he, like, he went through the hell of it and you're like, you know, I want to give back to society now, right?
Sure things, yeah. How did you do the IE test I, I? I I show basically. So in other words, it was just like I knew some people that are connected to the hospital authority in Hong Kong and they were like, hey, you know, we would you be interested in doing comedy show for the medical staff? I'm like, yeah, let's do it. Yeah. So they organized everything. I go there, I do the show. It's hilarious because like you have some people there, there, you know, medical staff, right?
They're like here we're at Electric Theatre. Yeah, Electric Hall. They're also sitting looking at me. They're like, OK, what are we gonna learn today? And I'm here in the company. Hey, I got help, Dad. I'm doing that right? And you can see it takes a little while for them to break. They're like, this is not right, this. Guy is sick, is there any other entertainment for you? No, no opening act, just you. It's a classic, like, let's just get some staff to like, OK, I got home today.
We're very happy to have a special guest with us who will try to bring us some laughter. Please welcome Avi. Yeah, yes, yeah, yeah. Called class. Called class. Yeah, yeah. And I'm like, and like everyone's been like, they're like, oh, hold on. They knew it's a comedy show, but they would like, they're not used to it. Clearly the staff is not going to comedy nights, right? So it was fun for me. I did that.
And then after that, I had to go straight to a school in a Victoria Shanghai Academy in Wang Zhong Kong. It's like an International School. And I was performing for 2/2 teachers, part of their mental well-being week. They had me as one. Yeah. You know, for them to have a little laugh, right. So they finally we're in this black box, OK. That we were told to go to the black box. And unfortunately, maybe the teachers don't go there very often. Nobody knew where it was, right? Yeah.
You own them. Campus, they don't know where the venue is, they. Were confused because their emails said 10th floor appearance on the 9th floor, but because you get out of the 9th floor, they're having exams. You got to go down to the 8th floor to go through the tunnel to get to the 9th floor. And I show up and I'm like wow. I mean I guess you're so focused on your job that you don't care about the black box. You're like, I'm with the the chance papers. That's about it.
Yeah. So that was my day. Did they? Happen to? Did they happen to eat any cake by any chance on that? Well, I, I feel like they probably did and that's why they got lost with all that, you know, sugar in their body. I'm dazed, you know, I'm sugar crashing right now. I have no idea what's going. On, yeah. So that's what we call in the business a Segway.
Yeah, exactly. OK, So today's guest we have actually Karis. I'd like to introduce yourself because I think you wear too many hats as they say, like you do a lot of stuff that are maybe not even related. I don't know which one you like to identify at. Yes. Sure. What is your career? Pronouns. That's what he's asking. Yes. Career. My career. Karis Plaques diving right in, very happy to have you. Hi, guys. Thank you so much. Happy to be here. Yeah, my name's Karis Plaques.
In terms of career hats, my most comfortable and longest term career hat has been pastry chef. In an ironic twist, you mentioned orthodontists with terrible teeth. Yes, I'm a pastry chef who doesn't like to eat sweets. Oh. Sorry, sorry. So you're you're the Steve Jobs that invented the iPad but doesn't let his kids use it? Exactly. Yeah, exactly. I'm like cake, but not for me. Yeah, yeah. Good enough? So I've been a cake lady here in Hong Kong for seven years.
Yeah. And it's been, it's been a really beautiful path. I've done fine. I've done so sort of like French ex Cantonese cuisine and then I. Wait wait wait wait wait. French ex Cantonese as in like French but just broke up with Cantonese cuisine? What? What? Yeah, slash Cantonese you mean. French slash Cantonese so like French ex like. A like a. Fujuk Tong soy milfoi. Like, wow. Like actual like fusion fusion. Fusion. I worked at a restaurant called Vea VEA with Vicky Chang.
He now has Wing and he's made like amazing strides with that. Like he's well known for it. So let me guess, it's French fine dining with the Cantonese attitude of like, eat that food now? Honestly, like part of it was it's like French fine dining but with the Cantonese attitude of like, I'm gonna scroll on my phone and not eat the food at. All, Yeah. All right.
OK, Yeah. Yeah, he makes amazing food, but dining serving there was interesting because so many guests are there just like for the photos. Of the photos, Oh yeah. But I think wing his like next concept has gotten again, really warm feedback because it's like really soulful and people are super enjoying it. I've all good things to say about Vicki and Vay and all the things, but I worked there for a few years and then I moved to Black Sheep. Yeah.
So I've worked for Black Sheep for the last six years, as of last week. And now six years, six years, yeah, 5, five and a half. Six years, give or take, it feels. Like 60 pre COVID or COVID time issue? Right at the time of COVID, like I joined and I was like, I've never seen any of my Cook's faces before. Yeah. And so it was like the unveiling and you're. Like I don't know any put the masks back on. Yeah, you're like, I don't know. Maybe that's the best.
So I joined them in a really interesting time, and we went from basically the pastry kitchen served, I don't know, 15 restaurants. Yeah. All by, like, WhatsApp group. It was super disorganized to this, like, giant pastry, like Empire. Proud to say so. I would not be surprised. When I was young and we think like all these people, you know, they got the stuff together. You work there, you're like, what the hell? How do you work? Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely. Well, it seems like the play.
Are you making all of this pastry just at the actual location of butter? Yeah, so the location of Butter that you see on Staunton St., we're making everything for all the restaurants. It's really like it's an amazing production space, super vibrant. No, for for for one restaurant, it's great for 3540 restaurants, it's pretty crazy. So yeah, it's a full tilt space. But the the team that I have working with me is really was really talented.
They are really talented. And we expanded from 15 ish restaurants to more than 30 restaurants during the time that I was there, so. During the process now you do pastries and everything and does it bother you when people eat bad pastry and they complimented and say it's good pastry? I know where this is going. Oh. I'm so I'm so curious to hear what, what you're leading into here. I mean, I think, I think people as a whole have bad taste in a lot of things, including myself.
I have terrible taste in certain things. That's OK. Yeah. I don't want to be judged. So people have terrible taste in pastry, but they love what they love. Yeah. Get after it. But yeah, actually, yeah, like, and our word, like we talk about the Vivekan eyes, like when people are like, when there is a stand up comedian who are like us, us comedians who are like, what the fuck, man? Yeah. You're like, that's not funny at all, this. Is not funny at all like what we call hacky.
That's like, you know, easy joke and people are just like eating it up. Like I went on public many times. I say I do not like the style of like a Mr. Uncle Roger, Uncle Roger at all. I don't find him funny at all. I find the whole things like, OK, it's good for like a 3 minute video. You can't have a whole career out of this. This is insane. But also I am here and he's doing fucking arenas. Yeah.
So am I to judge? But like, I have friends who are like, not like, not in the business, like normal civilians. And they think it's great they. Send it to me all the time. They're like, can you bring it to Hong Kong? Is this guy super funny? I'm like, I want to kill myself. Yeah, you're like, you're like, no, absolutely not. But yes. But again, everyone should have their guilty pleasures and like if someone likes something that
I think is kind of trash. Yeah, but what point do you feel like as a pastry chef yourself, that you have a certain responsibility as service to society to teach people like you're ruining your life by eating from this particular place, like. Ruining your life. But actually you take taste. More seriously than I do. I love it. You're like.
No, I mean, like, it's very rare that something affects me to a point where I literally look at them be like, I cannot be in the same space as people who are enjoying this, you know? Funny enough, you are in the same space of the place you are referring to. I'm telling as in like. You're in the same block you can. OK, yeah, I'm in a 5 minute distance from. Yes, yeah. Can you get? Shade Rattle. Yeah, yeah, no. Entire episodes trashing that place and he is gonna mention.
Let me tell you something, I'm not the type of guy to trash. I'm not one of those. Are you talking? I'm always very like, you know, come on, we can get it done. I'm very the typical like you can do it if you want to give your heart and everything. But when something bothers me to that point where I trash it. Dude, that must have. It's done. It's done dragging. Yeah, exactly what are you dragging? There's a place near in Staunton St. side this bakery.
Unfortunately somebody managed to register it and the Hong Kong Business Registration Department approved of their license. It's called vision. Oh, of course we know visual. I like how you pronounce it. You're giving it fancy. I'm trying to make it. I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt. I gave everything. I gave it chances. I bought stuff there multiple times. It sucked every single time. It's messy food. It's messy food is terrible.
It's. Trash, by the way, episode 205, the whole thing is there is a 49 minute episode pretty much trashing visual. Yeah, so. How did I miss this? I was downloading things and listening to you guys on like my flights back and forth and somehow I skipped this vision. Yeah. Is that is that how you say vision? No, I mean I would, I would just say vision, but I think I think. You're giving more, right? I'm trying. I'm trying so hard to see. I literally bought stuff with.
Them you don't want them to succeed anymore. It's OK. It's OK. Let's just call a spade. A spade. Honestly, I think they one up to me. Like, as much as I don't want them to succeed, they are successfully not succeeding by sucking. You get it? Yeah, they're. That's what I mean. Like OK, so let's say. Yeah. Is there acknowledgement just like I was saying about like a bad comedian that like, is there acknowledgement from your side? Or are you gonna? Within the business that you're like?
I'm not gonna like shovel too deep into it because again, they've got a line. They're like, they're doing their thing. But I just see it as messy food. Like when you see something and you're like, that's impractical to eat, I'm gonna try and bite into that croissant and it's gonna get all over my shirt. Like you have to realize that's not like at some level that's just not good food. Yeah, should be able to be eaten, you know? So on the. Floor as much as their food.
Technically it crumbles and they realize because their food is not worth eating so they're doing you a service but let them crumble everywhere. You're like, dude, I can't believe you bought our shit so. Let me help you for a little third of it to be like your top in the box on the napkin on the floor. Yeah, you're welcome for letting me waste my food. Particularly how you how what how do you fuck up by making it to that messy like in the in the I? Think I think so.
I think what's happening is people in this day and age, so it's basically like a baseline requirement that all humans are foodies. Now everyone has to have an opinion about where is the best and where is this. And that means that all food establishments have to make complicated and often messy food where you're like, this isn't just a croissant, it's a matcha mocha brownie explosion. You're like fuck off with that. Like can I just chocolate? Can I just have something delicious like?
Just have a regular croissant. That is good. Sorry to, like, plug it, but like, can you just have a slice of red velvet cake? Go around the corner, have a nice, beautiful slice of red velvet cake? Yeah, it's great. And it's not gonna get on your other place. Like you're gonna eat something that's true food. And so I think people are trying so hard to one up themselves that they create like, catastrophes. Yeah, yeah. Unfortunately. But how does it become so flaky? Like why? Why does?
Like, God, this is not the podcast that you want to have me on. How does it become so flaky? Is such a unintended layered, a layered question? No. So making croissants is a really fascinating process. I won't bore anyone with it, but actually making it flaky means giving it less folds, which makes like less time and less technique. And then the flakes are bigger and then everything's messy, but it's actually just made less carefully, right? Again, I could. I could wax poetic.
About this, but yeah, yes, that's it. That's yes. It's all reined it in all. Yeah, yeah. So basically it's a lack of ability, skill, time, effort and everything that caused this to be the way it is. I love it. And we'll just segue here for like a 32nd, Yeah, you being like a vision of shit. Vision that's something like
this is the thing. When he told me that you're getting on, I was like, I'm gonna try to pull myself away from getting into that topic and I survived like 6 minutes into it. We're just started. I need, yeah, but that was amazing. I just need a true professional who knows what they're talking. Not me. See, I am the consumer, just like any consumer to comedy show, right? Consumers are the professionals, in a way. In a way, fair enough. What matters? That's it. Consumes.
They're the ones who are consuming. You may know your stuff, but they're the ones who are buying, right? As much as you may trash. Let's say Uncle Roger he is as most yes, he's selling stadiums and you're selling like your bathroom. Right. Yeah, exactly. So it is what it is, but my curiosity is like the phenomenal. See, comedy is very subjective because your ten sense of humor and everything.
But like for example, you don't lick the floor because the flavor of the floor is nothing appetizing. It's understood. You get it. Like no one's going like dude, I have a fetish for floor. Like maybe you've got like 5 people, right? You don't have a line of people. We're like, dude, I'm into floor licking, right? It's true. I mean, maybe you're finding a new community now by shout out to all the floor. They're like, we hate flavor, we
hate the. Good. I mean you would probably know this even because you live closer to it. Like the last few months even I passed by there was never really a line anymore. So I think people are catching on to it to be fair. Also, the line at Big House is very. Reduced to light. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I'm not sure if this is just like a Hong Kong economy tanking or the flavors change. What do you think if you are in, since you are in the business, Yeah.
In the business, I mean, luckily I've been away from the city for a month, so I haven't seen the shift in the lines. But I think that, you know, I think Hong Kong is very much a trend city. I mean, we all know that, right? Like once everyone's tried vision a few times, like I think, I think the lines start to reduce. Everyone finds the thing like it's, it's such a revolving
wheel. But I think what's key is like is maintaining consistency and having product that's like there for you all the time, not this like ever evolving wheel of like crazy new shit. Yeah. So I told a few listeners that our some of our regulars that you are coming on and pretty much everybody asked me the same exact question that I'm sure you are aware of.
People are talking about the conspiracy of blasting your like exhaust fan on the street and they're like, is this deliberate because it pulls people in like zombies? OK, so and. They're saying it's I've heard this, this exact word from two different people. They're like, tell them this is evil. Evil, evil, you know it's. Like, not in a bad reason. Like, yeah, it's like. Ebenezers, man on the bridge. Same deal, right? Yeah, same thing what they're doing. So they're like, this is, Yeah.
No, I wish, I wish I could say that it was like this amazing marketing scheme, but honestly, when we, when I first started, it was just the little corner shop and like, that's just the exhaust. We just have to get the heat out of that bakery like but you can pull. It up. I think it's it's actually. I don't know. Just happened the way it is. You know physics. You know happens to. Be I feel like as fans go, they usually go, yeah, point of.
I think maybe we were trying not to like pipe that straight into the apartments above us, so instead we just put that out into like Club 7. Do people still call? That club 7-11, yeah, yeah, that corners up, yeah, I think. So, but yeah, a lot of a lot of drunk people need to smell carrot cake. I think it's just good for them. But a lot of like people on the way to work need to smell carrot cake. Yes, but smell it. But then you stop serving to actual like like humans at like
what, 8:00 PM? PM exactly, I know. And you guys are in there at like 12. We're in there all the time. They're in there all the time and all the last thing smell. And yeah, I really imagine people like banging on the window like zombies. Okay, okay, okay, so true story, true story. Before the bakery got bigger because we were one shop and then we became three shops before the bakery got bigger. I was in there at night. I'm working by myself.
My shift started at 1:00 AM and I was there like setting up pies and doing my thing and this guy comes in and I was like Lord the door. Wasn't locked. The door isn't locked. But yeah, you don't expect it's. Also like a fire hazard cuz it was only one door. It's like I locked the door. Anything you can't run out? Yeah. But also, it's Hong Kong, why do I need to have the door locked? Yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah. And. This guy, like, helps himself into the bakery.
And I was there alone and there's like no other exit. And I was like, I'm like, I'm trapped. I'm like Heller, Heller, Heller. Wait, what? Do you mean help himself? He's actually walking stuff. He's like. He's like walked in and he's like I need and I was like no, no, no. Like he's like coming towards me and I was like actually kind of scared. I'm tough but I'm actually not. I'm like I seem tough but I'm really like squishy and like very scared. I have seen you do hand stands
like it's not. But I mean when it's. All way by the way. Yeah, she do. Well, she's going on her hands. But like, get out of here. I'm just carrying. Like a spider man thing. Like he's drunk. Like he's seen. Her at yoga, like you're like, she's so flexible. Like what? Like I'm. I'm tough, but yeah. No, use the logic. OK, let's say this guy bars. I need cake. And she's like, watch me get on my hand. And he's like the rules upside down.
I have to walk away. Like, what do you think is gonna happen, man? Maybe. She would just like get him with her Zen. Yeah, just we just got to take a deep breath, yeah. And leave and exhale. Exactly the fuck exhale out of my store. Yeah, yeah, exactly. So yeah, he walks. In he walks in and he's like, he's there. He's like kind of pounding on the table. And I'm like, what do I do? I like do I give the mouse a cookie? Cookie drunk, right he. Was really drunk.
And then he like sits down. It was like a whole scene. It was fine. Ultimately it was fine. Luckily there are beautiful team members within the team of the restaurant group that you can call and they come and like help you. Wait at 2:00 in the morning? Yeah. What? Yeah, that means like. 2:00 in the morning, but like I. Because we have so many restaurants. Yeah. So you're just like, you're like A and I won't say names, but like, yeah, please.
And then they just, like show up and they're like big and intimidated. And then the guy is like out. And I was like, thank you. Back to my baking. She met her husband. Yeah, exactly. You wandered into my. Bakery, I'll give you way more than gig buddy. Give my pastry. Let me just say it's not flaking. Oh man. Oh man, I went there. I went there off the rails very quickly. Here we go. Wait, wait, wait.
Dude, this is so cool. So now people know that should they decide to attack, let's say, a black sheep or generally a restaurant in that area at 2:00 in the morning, thinking like, I'm the man, I'm going to go get some Kirk. Yeah. You just have to, like, dial a certain number and like, is there a certain code of like, like, you know, like how comedians you tell the security or if I say, oh, you know, get this guy a glass of water. Yeah, That means reject this. Problem.
That's the thing. A lot of them because they want to get this guy out, they're like, I think you need a glass of water, Sir. And. Then they sneak over and they. Come up to yeah. Yeah. Sorry. Yeah. Come with me, Sir. You get a glass of water and they eject them from the show. Yeah, no, there's team members who are there for some of our events. Where people tend to get real shitface, yeah, yeah, that are there just to make sure that our
team is taken care. Of there's no, there's no code word or code, say you don't be like, hey, I need a bit more of a car. I guess the shit out of this man plays. Yeah, break some kneecaps. Oh man, I need an ornament. I have. I need an ornament gentleman who I think one of the guys you're referring to, he's like a brown guy. Like, oh, he's a tall turban guy. No, not the tall turban guy who also was a topic on this podcast before because a lot of women find him quite attractive.
There you go, you are totally agree. Yeah. But no, there is another guy who is like wearing a suit a lot of the times he's like brown. I don't know what's his name is. There's a few, there's a few guys. There's a guy walking around, yeah. It's just a nice thing to feel
really supportive. But I mean break a fight, slash like try like it was actually at Burger Circus and it was during COVID and like just like right outside and some drunk idiot trying to go at the like he was trying to break up a fight and he just went for him and the guy tossed him like a child. Yeah, it was like it. Was so funny that. Is so cool. Yeah. He's like woof. Yeah. Yeah. It was. It was almost. He just wanted to like that cartoon. Yeah. He just looks. He just looks irritated.
Yeah, yeah. No more of that. Yeah. And then he just like did like a James Bond, like fixing his suit thing. Yeah, yeah. Walking, yeah. Yeah, it looked very comical. Yeah, so, OK, so let's visualize. I really need to visualize this whole thing. OK, so you you picked up your phone and you were like, I need a a bit more of icing sugar and the guys like I got it. That's code for something else anyway, hey? All German guys just say so. 3
minutes later. 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 5 minutes, right. More like 3 than 5 but yeah, shows up and the door just slides open and the guys like all slumped and then the guy is just like. To join these 5 minutes, what's the What's the protocol for you? Do you entertain this person and keep? I don't have time for that. I'm making pies, my friend. Yeah, I told you this. Yeah. You're making. Yeah. Yeah, I know.
Yeah. I mean, I have no idea what the process is to me. According to some bakeries, it's just like, no. No, I'm like in the weeds. I'm in the weeds because. This guy's in there. This guy's just sitting there. I'm like, my heart's like, yeah, so I'm trying not to be stressed, but I'm also trying to be cool, 'cause. I'm the boss and I'm like, yeah, I'm like, I shouldn't. Freak out, I've already called, someone will be here. This guy doesn't scare me, 'cause logically he shouldn't, right?
Yeah, I shouldn't be good. Yeah, I mean, you also have stuff to give him. Like you can just give him, obviously. Yeah, just throw cookies at him. Throw the. Crumbs at him, you know what I mean? Like the little cut off that. You'll need like when they say like when you have a shop and you're getting robbed, just give them what they. Want them what they want, I mean. He's obviously not there to like chat, no. And once that was the thing, I was like, I shouldn't be scared.
So I had no reason to be scared. And I just kept on. I kept on. The word is fonsage. I was fonsaging my pies. It means what is fonsage vision. Yeah, Fonsage. It just means to put the the dough inside of the pie tin and make it look nice, like make the little crinkly edges. So I'm like funsaging and and staring him down, being like he won't move. He won't, you know, like a stare off with like a bug in your bathroom. You're like, if I look at it enough, it won't, it won't come near me.
Yeah, do the the the cowboy stare at it, Yeah. Let's backtrack. How do you get into being a funsage expert? I think. Yeah. It's your new title I love. It I love it. I got into being a pastry chef from a pretty young age. I was in high school and I was planning to go into neuroscience. I was gonna be really smart. I was a nerd. I ate lunch by myself in the library every day, which logically led me to pastry. Yeah, of course.
Yeah, I was working part time in a bakery and I really loved it. Were you working as in that bakery part time? Were you like neurosciencing them? No, I wasn't even neurosciencing them when I was 15. I had no idea what I was doing. Yeah. I was just trying to make some money, like, support my mom's whatever. Yeah, yeah, Yeah. And so I was, like, making tarts and cakes and learning how to decorate things. I was learning how to come up with, like, flavors of Creme brulee.
And I loved it. Yeah. And my brother was like, don't get into food. It's no fun. It's no good. You'll never make money. Is he an F&B? Of course not. No. My whole family are engineers. Everyone was like be smart and I was like rad I'll. Do it, Yeah. And so I was like, I'll go into neuroscience. And then my mom, she's like the black sheep of the family. It was like. Hey. She was like, but you love baking. And I was like, yeah, but that's not a real job.
I was like, I'm gonna go to real college. But she's amazing. She was like, follow your passion. If you're interested in this and you think that there's like, a future for you that would make you happier, like, give it a try. And at that point, I was in all these, like, nerdy study groups, Yeah. And I was, like, baking stuff every week. And I was so excited. To Baker, that would bring stuff and.
Every week I was like, this week is marble cheesecake and everyone was like Oh my God. That must have made you so popular. I was the only way I could make friends. Yeah. I was like the only person I knew in high school who had a tattoo and, like, baked stuff. And I was like. But, but otherwise, I was such a nerd. I was like such a juxtaposition. People were like, is she cool or not? And I was like, I don't know, I'm just gonna keep confusing you.
Yeah, but so I applied to the Culinary Institute of America, which is the closest thing to like a real college for pastry chefs cuz you can get a degree in baking and pastry arts management. Wow. Wait, what? Yeah, What's pastry Arts management? Baking and pastry. Not just pastry, but baking and pastry arts management. You can have an associate's or even a bachelor's degree. Yeah. And what like so when you have that, are you able like do you learn how to create new like
completely new inventions? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you have all sorts of different modules. You learn about culinary math. You learn about, like, yield testing. You learn about menu design, team management, basic psychology, art and design. Yeah. Question, is this in the menu design session? Do they teach you? How do you choose when it is chef recommendation and when it's not? I don't recall. Is there criteria? Is that something you must have hit these tick these boxes before It's a chef
recommendation. Good question. I don't recall there being like a specific, like, sort of calibration. Yeah. What becomes a chef's recommendation? Yeah. But we definitely talk about like how to highlight certain things, where things should go on a menu, like menu psychology. Yeah, yeah, pretty big. Three items over there and you got the small ones. The small. Ones like how you scatter the prices and things like this. Yeah, you.
Give us give us a bit of a crash course on menu, like if yeah on on menu. Well, so I mean, the basic thing, I think about it more from a chef's perspective than a design perspective because luckily I don't have to design a lot of menus. But from a chef's perspective, you have to have your like best selling items that make some sense food cost wise. And then you have to have things that you just like know are gonna waste money, but people love them. You know what I mean?
The pistachio Raspberry tart of it all, Like that's gonna cost way too much to be profitable, but it brings value to the brand. And then you've got to have a few slam dunks that are just like really easy labor, low food cost, and even if they don't sell as much, they kind. Of fill out your French fries for example, in a regular restaurant like something like. That. Yeah, Exactly, Exactly. Yeah. It's not going to take much labor.
It doesn't cost much, it doesn't bring you much revenue, but it helps to bring like a more balanced experience. So you've got to kind of play the synthesizer of these. So do. They teach you like for example, let's say you know your product sucks. OK, And do they teach you like OK, if you have it on a display, the best way to hide that product and continue sucking is you write the name of the product on a display to kind of hide the food with from with the word.
Big display, big font. That wasn't something that I was taught at the the at America's premier culinary college. But I'm sure maybe, maybe now kids are being taught this. It's been this little while since I've been in. College. Some hacky college that was like, oh, you spell vision with two s s, you know. Trick them and so you get. Them. This is the spelling I've never seen. This must be good, this. Is Nancy.
That you were here because the topic of the vision trashing episode was mostly me trying the egg tart inside the cookie. The cookie thing. Did you hear of that before? Before you know, I told you know Or did you try it? I've seen it, I know about it and look OK, so after not to like dive back into me, but like we after college, I worked at a very well known bakery in New York and we were known for an item called a cronut, which is a croissant and a don't work for.
Dominic Ansel. I was his first head pastry chef. What? Wait, so you're the reason people were like selling it in like the black market? I I. Can't say that I came up with it. I started shortly after the cronut started so it's not it's not mine. I would never claim it. Shout out to Anna, she's amazing. She made it. But I worked for Dominic Gansel, I helped to expand his brand and opened his 2nd and 3rd and 4th and 5th shops. But I was that is not something. New. I mean, I didn't do it.
I I my research is talking to you. I did not look up anything before beyond talking to you, but that's amazing. Yeah. So working for Dominique. Was very cool. It was it was funny to like work in the place that originally I never tried that thing by. The way like, because it was here for like a year or whatever, yeah, it's gone and then it's gone. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Was it? Was it? Worth the hype? Loaded question.
Guys, OK, so the cronut was never my favorite pastry, but when you talk about these fusion pastries, when you're like, it was an egg tart inside of a cookie, yes. I think in a way, Dominique kind of started this like he was he was a visionary in that sense. He was like, I'm gonna make a croissant slash doughnut. It's gonna be the same thing. I'm gonna make a magic souffle. I'm gonna make a cookie shot. I'm gonna make these different things.
Very fusion. And it was very fun to work with and for him and to learn to innovate these things. But now as a pastry chef, if there's something that I and tiring, yeah, it's people being like, it's a waffle, but a pudding, a pud waffle and like, what's happening? Yeah. So when it comes to an egg tart cookie, honestly, anytime I see these things, I'm just like, that's a red light. Like nae nae, that's clearly
like a gimmick. That they're like, oh, well, how do I get the two of them to buy the same thing twice? Yeah, exactly. Yeah, you're like, I think. It's also because. Obviously right around the corner is Big House that is famous for the egg tart. Yeah. So I think you want to be like, well, while you're waiting, if the line is too long, we have an egg tart. But it's with A twist. Yeah. Yeah, it's. Like jail time worthy, which this thing is so bad. No, Yeah. Yeah, I was like.
I like, it's hard. Like I'm not a foodie and it's hard for me to like eat something. I'm like, oh, I am upset. Like I'm actually very angry eating this thing. And that was one of the few times. I mean, I'll give you an example. Honestly, it's so bad. Let me explain to you how bad it is. Like you know, like how a lot of charities they will take, let's say pastry bakeries and everything.
When they can't sell the items, they'll donate it to charities for people to take it. I do a lot of charity work and work a lot of charities. I have never heard anyone say, oh, we're going to collect the leftover pastries from Bizon. They're like, I think we have a heart. We would never. We would not give. This to homeless people, Yeah, we're like, dude. How would you? That's me. Haven't they suffered? Enough. Yeah, exactly. You know, so a lot.
Of that and that keeps like I think the reinforcement this may be confirmation bias, but so far it's just purely confirmation. It's not confirmation bias. This is just. Yeah, just saying what it is. Yeah, exactly. So having. You also approved, like, not reapproved. But I also agree with the idea of, like, having the egg tart in the cookie. Yes. You know, it sounds really cool. It's funny. Ha, ha, ha, ha. But come on, people. We're better than this.
Yeah, unfortunately. They're not even better. Than that wait, do you have? Do you have? Any like funny stories working for the the crouton? What is it called Cronut? The cronut did you have like friends? Who was like, you know, asking you like at midnight, like, hey, can you sneak us some like so, OK. The small funny stories, things like I would try and go to work and people be like, no, you can't cut me and I'm like I have to I. Am making it. Yeah, this is another time.
It's so funny. I didn't realize this, how how often I've had security personnel. We had security for that line. So security would help to make sure that I could get into the shop because people would be queuing up from like 2:00 AM literally. Yeah, that's insane. That's just. Like for a whatever item, Yeah, it's not that. It's like. If it's like the. Best burger in the world. It's it's, if it's anything, it's still yeah. Worth a four hour queue. You're like, no, we also have New York.
It's it's like. Fucking freezing. It's cool. Yeah, during certain. Times it's like it's absolutely frigid outside and people are doing it. People would pay other people to wait in line for them. Professional line we had we had a couple of guys that were just like there every morning. Yeah, you again. Yeah. But in terms of like funny stories, something interesting that I learned is that we actually, this is kind of sad. Maybe in maybe not sad, but we couldn't throw away any of our
cronuts. If the cronuts were not usable to our standard, we had to RIP them up because people would go through our trash. They would go through our trash. And like, want to resell the cronuts or like try them or like take photos of them. And so like if you had a cronut pastry that was not acceptable. You had to like RIP it to shreds and like put it in the bin with other stuff, which was like so silly. You're like, my Lord, fair
enough, I mean, but that also. Happens with let's say like toy figures, right? Like there are companies that design like these proper figures and everything that if you buy it and let's say there's something problem with it, you take a photo of it and they replace it. But you have to show them a shattered piece of it, like a photo of it's all shattered before they send you a replacement. Wow. Yeah, cuz they're like. Collectibles. Oh yeah. Yeah. What? Do you collect?
A lot of those like Joker. Figures and stuff like that. So if you look at that, there's a whole bunch of these figures. Oh yeah, we forgot to tell. You that Vivek is actually mentally 12 years old. OK, sorry that we should have opened I've got a lava. Lamp in here. Like in all tracks. I mean after. Talking about visual soccer egg, I think I have 12 years old. They suck. They suck. I don't like them. OK, so.
Coming back to, but are you when you are working there and are you being told like, hey, can you make these like items or are you more like given freedom to create new lots of freedom? Lots of freedom. It's been a really cool adventure. Like Black Sheep is always opening new restaurant concepts and they always need new desserts. And so there's a lot of freedom for myself and the team to to make new things. There's not a lot of boundaries so long as it fits the concept.
But the cool thing is, what is your most proud like? Invention. Oh God. That's so difficult to say. Butter that is like currently. In in in I mean. I mean, I haven't, like, I haven't made new stuff in a while. I'm like, I'm checked out. I'm unemployed now. Yeah. I think my, I would say my proudest sort of like recipe or achievement at, at butter was the red velvet cake or maybe the apple pie. It's a tie. It's a toss up because the, the apple pie is A twist on my mom's recipe.
Love my mom, but she doesn't know how to bake anything. So the fact that I could, like, take her recipe, tweak it a little bit, add some beauty and like, make it a, a legitimate thing that people love. And it's the only place you can really get apple pie in Hong Kong. Yeah, and the red velvet cake, just because it's kind of a funny story. So I was like, I need to make a red velvet cake. But prior to working at Butter, I wasn't a cake lady. I was in fine dining.
I was at Dominique Ansel in French pastry. Like, I actually don't have, like, a good, like, deck of cake recipes. So I was like, scrapping and scrimping and trying. And I was like, I'm going to make this red velvet cake. But it was like, kind of not good. And I was complaining to my husband. I was like, it's not good. It's not good. He's also a pastry chef. Whoa, wait, hold on. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. This is hold on a second diabetes. Yeah, number.
Of people who are getting heart attacks, yeah, from just this couple. Does yeah, the. Plaques is you. Welcome. OK, so he's a pastry chef, but he. Doesn't do cakes, he is a pastry chef as. Well, I met him at Dominique Ansel. It was his first job. I was his boss. Whoa. Shit, you're like you are. Gonna get on your knees boy. Give me that ring. Like make pretzels. Yeah, wow. Go, go. Game So I met my husband. Doing work things. I moved to Hong Kong.
He chased me out here, La La la. But I was trying to make this. Yeah, there's a whole 3 martini conversation about that. Yeah, I was married before. It's a whole. It's fun, Yeah. Yeah, we can get into. It on the Patreon, Yeah, Patreon dot. Com slash hoho pod if you want to know more about her private life, her private life and how her. Husband stole her from her other husband. Yeah, yeah. There you go. Whoa. Oh yeah. Jesus. Oh, my. Good. It is flake. Yeah, very flake. Lot of layers.
Lots of layers. Let me just wait. So wait. So. To wrap it up, the red velvet cake, I was like, I was like crying. I was like this red velvet cake. My recipe sucks. I don't know how to make cake. I'm a bad cake lady. And I'm doing this for like a week and a half. And then he's like, do you have my recipe? And I was like, hello, hello. Like we, I've been. Why didn't you start with this? Yeah, because he, unlike me, he knew he wanted to be a pastry chef from the time he was very small.
Yeah. And so like he has like a tried and true red velvet cake recipe and he just like held back on me for like 2 weeks of my trials and tribulations because he. Wanted to not interfere with, I think you know. As much as he's like the best man ever, he's like also a man. And so he was like, oh, I just didn't think about it. And I'm like, seriously? Seriously though, you you were. Doing stuff and I was like, and he's just like, he's like, I
don't know, I just. You, I knew you'd figure it out and I'm like, but I wasn't figuring it out. And you had the answer. You have the answer. You could have just. Given me a good. Speech as to to. Quote UN quote identifying as male people. If you were in that situation, would you? What would be your true excuse? Not the one you tell her, but the true excuse of why you didn't give it to her. It's probably because I was thinking of like football on set, football results.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I. Think I'm thinking probably how many? Times like how many games are left for Liverpool to win the title and like the new signing for Man City and like how it's going to affect our lineup next season. Like that's because that's. What I'm thinking of? About 80% of the time. So my God, I. Had no idea that was what's like in the backtrack. Yeah. Yeah, you said. Red Bell screensaver is. Usually the the EPL like this mental screensaver. I don't know.
For me, it would be a little bit of that typical male alpha ego thing of like if I just give it to her, she might make it really big and it's my recipe. And then I have to be like, you know, this recipe you inspired by? I'm not inspired by. It was my recipe. Yeah, it means it is inspired by. Him, but like I also made it better. That's what I mean. So like you would make it nice. My point is that he'll give you the. Recipe. Whatever you will make it
better. That better is the tipping point of what made it huge. And technically he was inspired by him. But nobody's reading the the little asterisk that says inspired by this guy. Well, actually, it's true. His shop? Is gonna be called better and it says 0. That's pretty good. Yeah, they. All feel better. Butter. Yeah. I can't believe it's butter. Oh yeah, yeah. Better, right. Or yeah. So that might have been the
whole thing. And after a week, he's like, he's just like, he's holding out. Yeah, yeah. He's like, she's not giving up. I gotta do this. Typically can't listen to her wine. Yeah. I want to do the husband thing. I'm. Like let me, let me fix it for you. Let me call my mom. So I never mentioned this here. How we met is that I came to your yoga class and I was like, well, it's like, probably like a year ago now. Like, it's been a while. Yeah.
And you know I. Recognize you from from butter because I bought stuff from there before. We never really actually talked. I just bought stuff or whatever. And then we eventually started like making friends and talking. But funny enough, Jared was there the whole time and I didn't. The husband, husband. Jared, so he's at at every. Your class, like even when I would go like once a week, he's always there.
And I didn't know who you are. Like, I knew you guys knew each other, but I didn't know he's the husband. I actually thought he's just a very dedicated yoga student. Yeah, who is like, I'm like that very dedicated. Yeah, like I just made a. Mental note of like first of all that guy is definitely jobless because. He's always there. He's. Always there. And also he's really good at yoga. I'm like, maybe he's like, like doing a, like a, like an instructor thing or whatever.
Yeah, we're like a connector. But I never and. He's also has a lot of tattoos. You have a lot of tattoos and I never connected that you guys are an item. Yeah, until like you told me, like very recently. You know why you didn't connect it? Because 80% of your fucking brain, it's like you're on. Screensaver mode. It's so obvious, it's like. I do tattoo. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You have a lot of like very similar. Tattoos as well, Like tattoos from similar artists or similar
artists? Yeah. Well, yeah, like one of my. Tattoos is of a is like a prominent graffiti artist in Hong Kong. And so I got a picture of one of their graffitis tattooed on me that I thought was very cool. And then they actually the the artist graffitied over there. Your own graffiti with a new graffiti. Yeah. And he got that. And so like we have some like kind of cool before the act. Ohh. We have some kind of cool. Do you? Have one of those. Tattoos where like when you when
you stick together. No, no. You should have one of the you guys. Maybe, maybe, maybe. One day, but not not yet. You don't have one was. Like I'm with stupid, you know? Yeah, he's like. Ha ha, it's. Me because that. Would be the dream. Like, you have the chat too. And that's the true test of sagging skin. Like, you know, if you don't get spit, who stays? Yeah, spit. Yeah. Nicer, Yeah.
Wait, does he feel? Betrayed that you left like the the butter like the pastry chef in industry in a way. No, he's my biggest like. Honestly, in life, he's my biggest cheerleader, He's my biggest champion. Like nobody wants to hear like my mushy, like I love my husband so much, but like all of that plus plus, yeah, that's kind of gross. So boring. Yeah, don't do that. I won't do that when you're
making your. Pastry, let's say, you know, like how you have that turntable for to do the cakes and all that stuff. Has he ever, has he ever just just while you're doing spinning the table and trying to do the pastry and doing the icing and everything, has he ever done the ghost movement where Patrick's played? Because Oh yeah. I don't know, maybe now that I'm like not employed as a patient like that was like more. Hot now being like baby shut me. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Funny. Yeah, you can like hopefully now. Is a good test. If he doesn't make him listen to this episode, I will and I will. If he does. And then he's like, that's a good idea. Then you'd be like, I, you did listen to the episode. I see what he did at home. Again, I don't think he would want to. Listen to the Patreon because we're going to go hard on on the stealing husband's situation. Meaning why? Yeah, that's good. There's some funny stuff, but.
And also like for who don't know anything, I mentioned yoga randomly and people will be like, what the fuck? We thought she's a pastry chef. What's going on with the yoga thing? Because that's yeah, came out of nowhere. You are a yoga instructor as well. Certified. I'm a certified yoga. Instructor. So when I first moved to Hong Kong, one of my best friends introduced me to yoga. I had taken a few classes here and there, but I got involved at the studio and started
practicing daily. And it's honestly, it's been the best sort of foil or counterbalance to chef life. Yeah, is making time to slow down, to breathe, to move mindfully. And I never thought that I would want to teach yoga, but I knew that I wanted to learn more. So last year I took a 200 hour, which is like the base level. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, and. Actually the, the company that I work for, for hospitality was like, could you teach some yoga
classes like to our community? And I was like, oh, I don't know how to teach. I'm nervous. I can't do that, but I did. And it opened up these like floodgates of like, oh, I actually love sharing this practice in this way. So I'm teaching. I've been teaching yoga once a week, once to twice to thrice a week actually for the last year plus. Yeah. And it's become this nice little group, this this kind of nice little community of F&B people, but also non F&B people. Yeah.
So I'm looking to explore that more as I become unemployed, which I am now. Yeah. So yeah, I'm gonna be teaching more and more. I'm taking my 300 hours certification at the moment which is just the next level, so 300 hours on top of. The 200 so total 500 hours, so I'll have a 500 hour. RIT cert Yeah. So does that mean? Every class you're teaching is added to the hours some. Certification programs allow your teaching or even just taking classes to count towards your certification.
But the studio that I'm taking my certification at is really quite strict and serious. So the 500 hours are all actual, like lecture and learning time. Yeah, so in addition to that, I'm also taking classes, I'm teaching, I'm doing all these other things, but it's 500 hours of learning about anatomy and yoga, history, philosophy, mantras, pranayama, asana, practice, like all of it. So what are the biggest like? Misconceptions about yoga instructors.
I think the biggest. Misconceptions are that you have to be flexible to teach yoga. And I think the biggest, maybe that's not a misconception, but the biggest kind of gap that I see in modern yoga is that people focus just on movements and hand stands and being able to do tricks. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it looks. Good on Instagram, but yeah, there's nothing behind you. My heart. My heart hurts. Yeah, I know. Like I don't. I won't forget to have my mic closed. My heart hurts.
Yeah. Exactly with the like the.
Instagram yoga but like I try and make sure that any class that I teach incorporates at least a little bit of meditation and breath work because so many places just skip over they're like settle in yeah OK now downward facing dog let's move let's flow, let's sweat, let's burn and I'm like no we got to breathe yeah bibs, bibs the whole thing we got to start with yeah yeah you do a lot of. Like, yeah, like smaller breaks in the middle of I guess Osters movements with a lot of breath
work, which which is actually I think the one that I come to Ying Yang usually is 75 minutes. And I imagine it's because of that. Like, you want to allow certain like, time for breath work, right? You need to have time for breath. Work, you need to have time to slow down. Like traditionally classes were always 90 minutes or even longer. So the fact that everyone's trying to package yoga into this like 45 minute, like lunch break yoga, yeah, it's great. It's still movement, it's still
beautiful, absolutely. But for me, the biggest, again, maybe not miss conception, but this gap in modern yoga is not making time for the foundation, which is mind and body connection, which comes from meditation and breath. So yeah, that's my my yoga sound bite. But I'm really enjoying to teach yoga. Would you? Would you do it full? Time I. Would like to do it full time. I know that like that's a bit of a challenging thing to make financially soluble. I mean, you have your own.
Studio or no if Visio doesn't run out of. Business stopping you from doing that right that's so I'm I'm. Really just open minded right now about what my like future prospects are. So I'm going to teach. I have some opportunities to teach so would you do like one on ones? Yeah, of course. One on ones, one on twos, whatever. Is like you're happy that anyone is willing to genuinely learn. Yeah, right. Of course. OK, OK. Of course.
So small. Format classes can be really effective because you can tailor more to what people's goals are, whether that's more physical strength and like what the mental or more. Like or help? Me check. Out if I'm messing it up without realizing all these years, Yeah, of course. Or like group classes that are more for kind of community building, which is what we're doing now. So the classes are usually 5 to 8 people, 5 to 10 people.
And it's nice cuz you see some regulars, you make some friends, you move together. It's great. Yeah. Or like bigger stuff, corporate stuff, like I'm really open. I'm happy to teach in different formats. As a chef, you're always kind of a teacher. Yeah. So I've found teaching to actually be quite natural. Yeah. I'm not saying I'm great at it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But it comes naturally to me to speak and not be nervous in front of people. Yeah. And to give guidance and
directions. So it's been really fun to share something that makes people feel so good. I can tell you there's a really. Simple idea. It's actually on par to the egg tart cookie idea in a way, but it's a bit better. It's called bacon. Breathe, right? Because while you're bacon. Is a lot of time awaiting. So while you're waiting for it to bake, do the breathing. Yeah, you go in, you mix a. Cake. You put it in the oven and you come and do that. And you're learning 60 minutes
later. Yeah, yeah. And then my God at the. End What you do is then you have a little room where people put on goggles and they have baseball bats, where they bash microwaves, they bash those instant cake mixes. And that's when they like. I will no longer be impatient. Bake and break and breathe. Yeah, yeah, yeah, all the. Bees, Baby bees. Yes, all the bees, you know what I mean? Yeah. It's all that kind of thing.
Yeah. So there's a lot of I can, I can guarantee if you had something like that, people who are probably like in the financial industry, like I need to break something. I wasn't. I wasn't. Expecting the breakdown as the curveball, it's yeah, it's also. Like, you were very creative. Yeah. You need to like go out there and break shit and be like, what am I doing with my life, man? It's not what life? Well, it's a lot of like. I mean, all of these things individually exist.
There is like the break room or whatever. Like I've heard about these. Yeah, yeah. I would love to. Go. Someone write in. How? Where do we go? Yeah, yeah. How do we go? And can you get us, the three of us in for free, one right down here? Is it just like that? That trash receptacle part, no, it's. Like I just keep giving money. To the guys over there, they let me throw stuff you. See, no, that place basically you have to bring your own baseball bat. Yeah, it's called.
It's called vision. That's right. You go and beat the shit out of all this stuff there. Nice. What do you do? I'm eating a fucking dough. OK. That's I think. What normal people call a crime. So it's not. That's when you start helping prisoners, yes, do bake and breathe and break. Yes, in prison. I mean, just like the field day. Out exactly. I'll go. To the prank room. Wait, hey. Selfishly. While we have you, I would like to learn a quick like recipe to make like some fun desserts at
home. Oh my God, a quick recipe. To make fun desserts at home. Yes. You know what I do? Yes. Well, you don't like? Desserts but you. Spoiled it. I was gonna. Say, do you know what I do? I take one part Corkscrew and one part wine bottle. Yeah. And there we go. Wow, we. Go bottle. Bake. You know, like. Yeah. Is there like a brownie rest? Like something really easy that me and the listeners can make? I mean, I wish I could.
Give you something but to be honest we even tried to do just like a simple take it home and bake it thing like it was like a tray bake. It was already ready, like a Raspberry crumble, and, like, nobody bought it. I think Hong Kong is the laziest city in the world. Yeah, I do. Sorry. Sorry. Love you. Yeah. When it comes to baking, I don't think anyone wants to make anything. Yeah, because everyone's thinking like. Hold on a second. Let me understand this.
So you're gonna provide me with the ingredients which I can get myself? Yeah. You tell me what to do. I'm like, that's not the point here. The point is you do it. I enjoy it. I no like. Honestly, even if you tell people how to make things, no one wants to make anything at home. It costs so much more to make something at home than to make it than to just buy it. Yeah, but if you do want to make something, I mean make some chocolate chip cookies, Simple. OK, well. Butter.
Brown sugar. Sugar, some eggs, little baking powder, some flour, chocolate chips. Like, you know, just write that. Yeah, done. Done. Done, done, done, done paddle. Paddle. Would you? Would you? Put all of your original recipes in into a book of sorts to for for us to learn for us dummies.
There's a possibility. There's a possibility I would be interested to possibly create a little bit of a recipe book slash life story situation at some point Yeah, but I think more centered around kind of the adventures of chefing and less around specific recipes cuz I I wonder how many people do the fine art of baking at home. Yeah, yeah, and on. Top of that they must have. So if you're doing recipe book wise, you're competing on that level.
It's all right, we get we, there's tons, you know, I think there's so much. About kind of the story of the interesting, like, experience of being a chef. Yeah. I've had the chance to move to many different countries, live in a lot of different places, work for a lot of interesting people. Yeah. I think if I were to ever publish anything, it would be kind of a fusion of recipes, art and also story. Yeah. That's all. Have you? Read Kitchen Confidential of course.
I think you have. To read Kitchen Confidential To be a chef. Do you? Do you? Obviously, like his story, whatever, like there is a level of like, I guess sexiness to like the messiness of the kitchen and stuff. Can you relate to that as well? Even if you're a pastry chef? Not. Oh my God, yeah. When I was. So I when I was 2020 to 20, me too. I worked in New York City in a fine dining French restaurant. We were through Michelin star.
We were 7th best in the world. Like we had 200 covers a night. It was a very busy happening place. It was at the top of its game and it was everything that you think of as like the kind of crazy kitchen being like you show up 3 hours before you clock in, you stay 4 hours after you clock out. You work hard, you party hard. Like I most not most nights, but I would say a few nights a month at least. I didn't even have enough time to go home. So I'd like sleep in Central
Park like it was wow. Oh yeah, it was crazy. And you're like getting paid well in a good. Restaurant, you're getting paid shitty. Because you work in a good restaurant. Oh, that's how it is. Because you want the name on your right next. To nothing. OK. And. Then you go out with all your like, your comis and other chefs and you get completely just like, and then you sleep in the park and you wake up and you like dust yourself off and do it
again. And you work super hard and you get yelled at. Like I had a chef who would like time our bathroom breaks. You'd be like, chef, I need to leave the lion to pee. And he'd be like, OK, 2 1/2 minutes. He'd be like, ah, this isn't sanitary, but you'd just like, yeah, you'd just run. Yeah, I saw there was a night service somebody went down on, like, this Peach dish, They didn't have enough Peaches. And it's, we're in, like, the Upper East Side. And he's like, go get more Peaches.
And you're like, there's literally nowhere open. It's 9:30 at night. But like, this poor guy Vincent, like, leaves the line to, like, run to try and find white doughnut Peaches at 9:30 at night. They have to be specific. Kind of Peaches, of course they do. This is Michelin. Baby, Yeah, yeah, the little doughnut sheet and you needed to. Poach them in lemon. Verbena like on the station like. So yeah, you deal with the craziness of one last thing
though, with all the craziness. It's led me to ask one question. If you were to cook scallops, God and you. Were to serve it. To the front, whatever they call it. Sure, And that chef finds it raw. Why does the chef have to slap the scallops and then tell you it's raw? And then put it on TV. What's the necessity of that? I mean, everyone likes. Outrageous shit. No, I would never cook scallops. Mostly 'cause I'm a vegetarian. Sorry. Oh, I'm like, oh, raw scallops. Gross. Yeah, yeah.
I mean, I think everyone wants to make a big splashy show. It's raw. Let me do it. close the show. I thought maybe it's one of those those. Etiquette things with, with chefs, like you can't just say it's raw, man, just try again. Oh, of course I I. Literally, I was like, I was on the service line and there was this giant chocolate sculpture and it was kept on this tall shelf because my shelf was tall. And he's like, get it down.
And I was like, I can't reach. And he's like, get it down and I'm like, I can't reach. And I like as I'm getting it down, it like fumbles out of my hands and I break this like massive chocolate. Sculpture. He's like, why did you break? It and I'm like because I. Told you I told you I was about to. Break it like I said it and I called it and he's like, go make another one. And I'm like right now.
Yeah. And I and I had to like ran downstairs and I like, cried and I cried and I like made chocolate and I like made a thing. It was. It's a vibe. Yeah. Oh, my God. Yeah. OK, Yeah, yeah. OK. That sounds. We had the Fabio's a common friend of ours on the podcast like years ago. And actually it wasn't me, it was Andy the host before me. And yeah, he's still like, he's actually a big Liverpool fan. So yeah, sometimes when I'm thinking of Liverpool that I'm also thinking in the back.
He he works. On the screensaver section of your mind, so. Fabio, shout out. He's executive chef for Falconi. 22 restaurants now, Yeah. Yeah, many restaurants, yeah. Many. Restaurants Karis, thank you so much for joining us. This is wonderful. This is so fun. Yeah. Super fun, thanks. Guys so how do people find you for yoga needs and the general online present present suite? Find me online. On Instagram at Karis loves kale. As in, like the vegetable, Karis loves kale.
One word karis dot loves dot KLKRY notes. Yeah, sure. And then yoga together dot HK. So Yoga Together is my yoga page and you can find practice times and opportunities for us all to meet up and breathe and move. Amazing. Thank you so much. We're about to do the Patreon where we do a little bit more gossip and yes, All right, OK, we're going. There. All right, see you guys on. The Patreon, thanks for joining us everyone Come to a live show.
We have a bunch of stuff coming up before this gets too long. Just you'll find everything. The show notes. Thank you and see you next week. Bye Ciao.