The Sphere

A couple of weeks ago Nancy and I were rebuilding our piece from Pastry Live at the Chicago Mold School for the Chicago Restaurant Pastry Chef Competition.  I had been wanting to post how I assembled the sphere and almost forgot to take pictures while I was assembling.

This piece was originally conceived as an interesting technique that I felt would be suitable for a competition where you bring your piece mostly assembled.  When I completed, what we lovingly referred to as "the helmet", Nancy loved it and we incorporated it into the piece.  Now my biggest concern was trying to figure out how to assemble it in a way that would be efficient and clean.  After thinking it through I developed a system to speed up the assembly.

This was the prototype

The fins were created using a simple chablon
This was made using a piece of vinyl flooring

Before the fins set they were placed into a mold to shape them.
The outer sphere was cut using a warmed round cutter

The center was composed of a half sphere with a plate to attach the fins

Once the fins were attached the sphere was placed over them

The piece has the appearance of being able to move.  One of the aspects I enjoyed most of Pastry Live was that we were not allowed to use any commercial molds, other than simple geometric shapes.  We really wanted to play with many of the traditional showpiece elements and break them down and transform them.  That way the basic technique was there, but we gave it our own touch.  The stand you see in the images was what was used in the competition.

Balance

Chef Andy Chlebana
Courtesy of Beja @ Studio 7 Photography

I have been looking for a good way to follow up the start of the blog and really talk about what has recently happened and will be happening in the near future.  Recently came back from winning the National Showpiece Championship http://www.pastrylive.com/ in Atlanta, with my partner Nancy Carey.  In 9 days Stacey and I are competing in ACF 2 person mystery basket.  It has been busy and will be for a little while longer.  Working in a team for a competition is like many other ways we experience in everyday life.  Finding your own strengths and weaknesses with your partner, learning new skills and successfully completing your goals.  This does not always mean winning.  Sometimes it is the journey, not the destination.

Theobroma cacao "geastrum"
Courtesy of Beja @ Studio 7 Photography

That being said, busy is the name of the game.  With competition practice schedules and travel comes sacrifice.  Schedules need to be adjusted and sometimes things are missed, not just the important things but the little things.  The weeks leading up to the competition are the most hectic, we are still unpacking from Atlanta while planning for Indy.  I am looking forward to the weekend after we return, a nice dinner with my wife and a weekend at home.  Things will slow down a little, that is when the fun will start.

Chef Nancy Carey
Courtesy of Beja @ Studio 7 Photography

I know some of you are waiting for demonstrations and new recipes, they will be coming.  I will post pics and descriptions of what we prepare for the mystery basket including some of the new techniques we will use.  It is a work in progress, stay tuned it can only get better!