ChristopherCina.com » Featured Articles

Banana Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

Christopher — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 07:28:44 +0000

Today marks the first month in my new kitchen. We’ve completed the concept and changed the menu to a fresher, more seasonal list of offerings. While that was a challenge, it was easy compared to the next phase, changing the culture in the kitchen. That means erasing the ingrained bad habits, creating work ethic, instilling [...]

Aioli 101

Christopher — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 06:31:50 +0000

It seems whenever I go over to a friend’s house for dinner, the subject of my job comes up. Chefs like Gordon Ramsay, Bobby Flay, and Mario Batali, along with shows like Top Chef, Hells’ Kitchen and No Reservations have glamorized the life and work of the chef. These blue collar service industry employees have [...]

Photographing Bittersweet

Christopher — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 19:38:05 +0000

Is it me or does summer just seem to fly by? I always have more plans than time during the summer, some stuff I get to, some things get put off and some appear out of nowhere. Back in July, Olav Peterson, a friend and chef/owner of Bittersweet, Denver’s current best restaurant, asked me to [...]

Fried Chicken Thighs, Charred Corn-Red Onion Relish

Christopher — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 05:07:17 +0000

I survived, I figured I would and it was actually much easier than I thought. Save for the fact I work in a meat-centric restaurant, it really wasn’t that hard avoiding beef altogether. Pork was a little more difficult due my addiction to cured meats and bacon, but I found it surprising that chicken was [...]

Summer Spice, an Original Cocktail

Christopher — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 01:05:45 +0000

It took awhile for me to warm up to mixology, more specifically, the mixologist. It seemed like a glorified title for a bartender and I hate titles. That’s why when somebody asks me what I do, I reply that I cook professionally. I intentionally left my title off my kitchen whites. I feel titles are [...]

The Vegetarian Experiment

Christopher — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 01:37:53 +0000

It’s funny how the things we begin to accept as we get older are generally those same things we swore in our youth never to compromise on. For some it’s politics, for others it’s art, for me, it was my diet. I’ve been a carnivore since day one. I love meat, in all forms, shapes [...]

Almond Poundcake, Cherry-Goat Cheese Ice Cream, Cherry-Whiskey Sauce

Christopher — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 19:23:12 +0000

What is it that sets individuals apart from the masses, be it chef, writer, photographer or what have you? Is it their creativity? In part, yes. Is it their execution? Most definitely that is a large part of it. But there is a single factor that encompasses all these little attributions that make up what [...]

Black Bass, Grapefruit & Crab Salad, Caramelized Bok Choy, Citrus-Ginger Dressing

Christopher — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 19:01:08 +0000

I’m living every dad’s dream right now, a little break from the family. The mrs. has left and taken both the girls with her to Europe for two months. For now, there is no more fighting for bathroom time, no snarky remarks about sports on TV, no crying, no spilled bowls of cereal, no arguments [...]

Seared Chinook Salmon, Lobster-Corn Chowder, Tarragon Oil

Christopher — Wed, 18 May 2011 18:42:20 +0000

I’ve always prided myself on the fact that I rarely cook with butter and/or cream. When I started in this business, it was cream sauce this, butter sauce that, and while there are a myriad of things that you can do with each in regards to making sauces, none were ever exciting to me. They [...]

Goat Cheese Gnocchi, Spring Vegetable Ragout, English Pea Puree

Christopher — Mon, 02 May 2011 07:59:36 +0000

Here it is, my first day off from the restaurant, and I’m celebrating with a new post. It’s been 47 consecutive 14-18 hour days, but who’s counting. Honestly, I probably could have taken a day off sooner, but chefs, by nature, are control freaks. It’s not that I don’t [...]