Chef of the Month - Joseph

 Name: Joseph M. Basbas

Company: Feather and Bone Causeway Bay Lee Gardens Two

Position: Head Chef

1. Brief introduction of your restaurant/ working place

Feather and Bone brings a different dining experience. We have our butcher counter where our own butchers prepare a large variety of steak cuts, deli products, seafood selections for guests to choose from and is taken to the kitchen to be cooked. We serve breakfast, lunch and dinner for a la carte and a retail shop where we offer a wide variety of items, kind of a one-stop shop.

Feather & Bone Causeway Bay Lee Gardens Two

2. Where does your cooking inspiration come from?

Came from my mom because she loves to cook and that grew into me while growing up.

3. Your specialty dish? May you share with our readers the recipe, please?

Roasted cod fish with pine nuts, taggiasche olives, tomato in buerre blanc

Cod Fish                                               200g

Shallots                                                 20g

Chopped Garlic                                    5g

Olive Oil                                               20ml

Cherry Tomato                                    100g

Taggiasche Olives                                10g

Thyme                                           1g (4-5 Sprigs)

White Wine                                          75ml

Butter                                                    30g

Salt                                                         2g

Pepper                                                    1g

Toasted Pine Nuts                                 10g

Sauteed Spinach                                 150g

Fried Spinach                                        50g

Procedure:

1. Season the cod fish with salt and pepper. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on a medium heat pan. Skin side down. Make the skin crispy. Transfer the fish skin side up on a tray lined with parchment paper, then into the oven at 180c for 3-4minutes.
2. Heat up pan with olive oil, sauté the shallots, garlic until translucent and fragrant. Add the olives, cherry tomatoes. Deglaze with white wine. Add in the thyme, season with salt and pepper. Add in the pine nuts and finish the sauce with butter. Set aside.
3. Sauté the spinach with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside
4. Deep fry spinach leaves until crispy. Set aside in a bowl with kitchen paper tower to absorb the excess oil.
5. To plate, sautéed spinach on the bottom centre topped with the fish. Pour over plenty of sauce. Garnish with the fried spinach stacked on top the fish.

4. Who would you most like to cook for and why?

My family. It’s just been a long time since I have not seen or been with them since the pandemic happened. So, I am really looking forward to cooking for them again soon.

5. What is your favourite thing to do when not cooking?

Playing pool/billiards

6. Where is your most favourite city and why?

Hong Kong. One of the main reasons is convenience. In transportation, travelling back home to Manila and to other countries as well…

7. Your greatest indulgence?

Video games.

8. What will really make you angry at work?

When my chefs are not focused on what they are tasked to do and not having common sense…

9. What is your favorite thing about your career?

Got to learn and worked with some amazing chefs.

10. What would you like to say to the young people who have just started their career in the culinary field?

Be open and keep on learning. There are always new things to learn about cooking. Work hard while enjoying the moment.