Posted April 2nd, 2015 by Dana Cree & filed under Uncategorized.
I’ve been receiving a lot of media attention lately. You see, I’ve been nominated for a James Beard award in the outstanding pastry chef category. It’s an incredible honor, and one that has brought a lot of attention to my department at Blackbird, and me as a chef. More specifically, it’s brought a lot of… Read more »
Posted March 6th, 2015 by Dana Cree & filed under Uncategorized.
I have been the pastry chef of Blackbird restaurant for almost 3 years now. A respectable tenure by all means, but one that comes at the end of a long line of pastry chefs. It’s an interesting roll to take on, a custodial position in an established restaurant that hasn’t always belonged to you, one… Read more »
Posted February 12th, 2015 by Dana Cree & filed under Uncategorized.
The pastry department at Blackbird, with all it’s nuances and challenges is structurally straightforward. Our menu invites guests to dine with an appetizer, entree, and dessert, and our pastry kitchen is staffed with a traditional chef, sous chef, and line cooks who both create and plate our desserts, controlling the experience from start to finish…. Read more »
Posted December 30th, 2014 by Dana Cree & filed under Uncategorized.
I’m not sure I look up to anyone in this industry quite like Sherry Yard. When our paths crossed, I was at a point in my career where leadership was becoming a skill I wanted to cultivate in myself. When I looked at the people in leadership positions through out my time in kitchens, many… Read more »
Posted December 9th, 2014 by Dana Cree & filed under Uncategorized.
One of the most striking desserts I’ve had this year came from a place I had only considered for their decadent burger, a good beer and a bourbon, or if it’s late enough the over sized platter of chilequilles. This restaurant, a poorly lit dive with reel to reel music is commonly full of chefs… Read more »
Posted December 4th, 2014 by Dana Cree & filed under Uncategorized.
I have a theory. It goes something like this. Chocolate goes with everything. Not in the cultish chocolate-is-better-than-fill-in-the-blank kind of way. I believe with the high quantity of volatile aroma compounds present in chocolate it can be tied to any flavor, much like game of 7 degrees of Kevin Bacon. At blackbird we have exercised… Read more »
Posted November 21st, 2014 by Dana Cree & filed under Uncategorized.
Blackbird went through a big transition recently. We bid goodbye and good luck to David Posey, the Chef de cuisine I’ve worked with for the past 2 years as he stepped away to start the process of opening his own restaurant. His large shoes are being filled by Perry Hendrix, a chef who I have… Read more »
Posted November 14th, 2014 by Dana Cree & filed under Uncategorized.
I’d firmly say I’m the type of gal that doesn’t stray, but when it comes to cuisine I am often tempted to wander. Last September, a dish belonging to another caught my eye. The object of my affections, a sourdough crumpet golden from the griddle peeked at me from under small bits of salmon roe… Read more »
Posted November 3rd, 2014 by Dana Cree & filed under Uncategorized.
Inspiration most often comes in the least likely packages. Our most recent dessert, a Parmesan cruller glazed in white chocolate, and served with basil and blackberries, was born of an orange box of Stouffer’s mac and cheese. Nestle contacted me and put me to the task of hacking one of their products, which basically means… Read more »
Posted July 10th, 2014 by Dana Cree & filed under Uncategorized.
Sitting high above the countertops on a shelf many of can only reach on tip toes, we keep larger containers of dry goods we access on a near daily basis. Way up there was a relic of a dish past, dehydrated flakes of coconut, a byproduct of processing whole coconuts for our winter dessert of… Read more »