CHEF SAMBRANO: THE MAKINGS OF A BOOK

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

THE MAKINGS OF A BOOK

The food book, or cook book, is in the computer file. Lots to do, lots. Like what? Yesterday was the final day of the pic and video shoot for what was to be put in, on my end. Now editing. And wait! There's other stuff my production man wants inside. More pictures, so it is, and more video. That's what I'm learning on polishing a book that is mine, what I have to say, and who are my associates that make my stuff.. well.. my stuff.

Food prep is expensive, especially if you don't have any sponsors at the moment, funds don't come easy, saving cash to make this particular shoot is what had to happen, a dollar here, five dollars there. What had to be purchased? Well, this is what needed to be shot in video and still photos.

1. Fried Chicken: Had to buy some chicken, just enough to video tape for demonstration purposes. Some flour, buttermilk, panko flakes, canola oil.
2. Beer Battered Fish: A quart of Corona, a pound of Shutome, flour, oil, seasoning
3. Stir fried Turkey and Tofu: Ground turkey, tofu, soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, garlic, ginger, cornstarch, scallions, celery, red onion.

This tab ran up to about 60.00 and that's a huge dent for a struggling media chef, ha ha.

Thank God for:

1. My nephew Chad and his ohana for letting me and my productions man Sascha Bauml do the gigs in their kitchen.
2. My niece for letting me use some of her herbs and spices
3. The house is walking distance from where I'm at.

So what is there to do when a cooking video is to be shot? Lots. I had to get to the house early, the shoot is 9:30 am. Sascha runs a tad late no prob. I have to get the halogen lights set up, all the ingredients placed in order, cut, sliced, diced, mixed and ready to go.

What about the talking part? Well, let me say this, without a crew and without rehearsals, you just wing it, and we don't have the funds to do more than one take on each dish. Did I screw up? Sure I did, but we're keeping it and running with it, we take the angle on reality t.v., if I say a word wrong, no big deal, if the dog is barking in the back yard no worries, we explain each non-perfection as we go along. And when I get stuck on something the cameraman acts as a bail out, I'll just ask him something and he saves my ass. Rachel Ray has lots of takes for sure, so does Tyler Florence, and all those other t.v. chefs, but until I get that break and financial backing, it has to be this way, a somewhat ghetto style of shooting a video and still pictures.

Three dishes done, and Chad keeps it for his meals for his ohana if so he decides, payment if you will for the space, which was about 1 1/2 hours from set up to clean up. Speaking of clean ups, if I do get the funding, I can hire a crew to clean up, and set up. Well set up and clean up in that order anyhow.

So now, I wait and plan my end as Sascha does his magic, with edits, I'll make more contacts to make the book happen. What kind of contacts you ask? Well, I still need to get some videos of some chef friends to put on the dvd which will be inserted in the book itself, and to put on our website. Also trying to find someone to fund the books itself.

Hard road to millions? The way the world is, I'll take this hard road we're on, because this hard road feels like home man, it feels alright.

L-R Stir fried turkey and tofu
Beer battered fish, Fried chicken.