Executive Chef Hok Chin focuses on French cuisine with Asian flavors at Bruno Jamais Restaurant Club in New York, where his creative presentations are a perfect complement to the artistic style of the restaurant.

I met Chef Hok Chin when I had dinner at Bruno Jamais Restaurant Club in November 2008, and learned that the very personable and talented chef was born in Hong Kong and started working in the kitchen at age 14 years. Throughout the years he has honed his culinary craft working first in Hong Kong including working at the Sheraton Hotel, where he learned from the Executive Chef that it is important for chefs to cook with their hearts; if you are passionate, it is not a job, it is a joy, and that you should lead with your heart. Having had dinner and experiencing Chef Hok Chin's culinary approach, it is clear that he learned his lesson well, and indeed cooks with his heart.

For the past 15 years he has worked in the United States working in the Hamptons and in French restaurants in New York including the former French restaurant at the Essex House. He joined Bruno Jamais Restaurant Club in 2008 and his culinary focus is on French cuisine with Asian flavor. For him presentation is not only very important, it is an art form. When I asked him what he enjoys most about working in New York, he said for a chef, it is the availability of ingredients, and that everything is so fresh, especially the seafood. The menu at the restaurant changes daily, and when not working creating new recipes he enjoys relaxing and listening to music, especially Chinese music.

Chef Hok Chin graciously shares his recipes for a delicious three-course menu to whet your appetite until you can visit Bruno Jamais Restaurant Club.

The Menu

Yellow Fin Tuna Tartar
Lobster with Day Boat Scallops and Thai Curry Bouillabaisse
Grandmother's Bread Pudding

Yellow Fin Tuna Tartar

Ingredients:    

Wasabi Avocado Mousse

Ingredients:  

Method: Peel and pit the avocado. Place all ingredients in a food processor and process for 3 minutes until smooth and has the consistency of mousse.

Ponzu-Soy Dressing

Ingredients:  

Method: Mix all ingredients in a blender at high speed and process for 1½ minutes. Pour into a container and refrigerate. Combine the tuna with shallots, mango, shiso leaves, chives, jalapeno, and ponzu-soy dressing in a small bowl, mix thoroughly and season with salt and fresh black pepper.

Pack the tuna into a small mold or cookie cutter and place a timbale in the center of a slightly chilled plate. Spoon the Wasabi Avocado Mousse on top of the timbale (Tuna Tartar). Scoop a mound of orange tabiko onto the avocado, molding the mousse into a quenelle shape if desired.

Maine Lobster with Day Boat Scallops and Thai Curry Bouillabaisse

Ingredients: 

Method: Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. Make sure the skillet is good and hot. Add the scallops and sauté until they are golden brown on one side, about 1 minute. Turn the scallops over and cook about 30 seconds more. You may finish them off with butter, (optional), and season with salt and pepper.

Method: Blanch the lobster for 3 minutes in boiling water. Remove and shock in ice water. Separate tail and split lengthwise, remove meat and discard the vein that runs the length of the tail. Remove the meat from the claws. Place the lobster meat in a well-buttered pot. Season with salt and pepper and slow cook about 5 minutes.

Method: Blanch the Brussels sprouts leaves in boiling water about 2 minutes, then drain and shock in ice water. Melt 1½ tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium high heat; add the honshimeji mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally until they begin to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts leaves, and season with salt and pepper.

Thai Curry Bouillabaisse  

Method: Heat the oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium high heat until it shimmers. Add all vegetables and garlic and sauté, stirring constantly to prevent sticking for about 10 minutes or until very soft. Stir in the Thai green curry paste and continue cooking. Add white wine and cook until it reduced by half, and then add the lobster stock. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Finish with coconut milk, then strain the sauce, and pour into another saucepan and cook until reduced. Finish with butter.

Presentation: Place the scallops and lobster tail on top of the Brussels sprouts leaves and mushrooms in the center of the plate. Crown with lobster claw meat and garnish with 1½ ounces of micro greens placed on top of the lobster.

Grandmother's Bread Pudding

Ingredients:  

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and then whip firmly for about 3 minutes. Pour the mixture into buttered soufflé cups and bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 ° F for 30 minutes.

Crème Anglaise

Ingredients:  

Method: In a large saucepan, heat the milk, heavy, and vanilla beans to the simmer point. In a bowl, beat the sugar and egg yolks until light. Add half of the hot milk mixture slowly to the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Slowly pour the egg milk mixture into the remaining milk heavy cream in the first saucepan. Continue cooking over medium heat until slightly thickened about 4 -5 minutes. Stir continually so eggs do not curdle. Remove from heat, and pass through a sieve into a bowl set into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving time.

Owner Bruno Jamais and Sommelier Benjamin Maury collaborated to create Bruno's signature cocktail, aptly named Bruno's Martini Platinum, which uses Bruno's favorite spirit, Patron Platinum. The story of this cocktail is that Bruno wanted a cocktail that was strong, yet smooth, and liked the way orange liqueur such as Cointreau or Triple Sec is often used to complement tequila. It was Maury's idea to muddle fresh orange slices instead, and add Peach Schnapps to add a hint of sweetness. They graciously share this delectable cocktail recipe for you to pair with Chef Hok Chin's menu to give you a taste of Bruno Jamais Restaurant Club.

Bruno's Martini Platinum

Muddle four slices of orange in a cocktail shaker. Add the Patron Platinum Tequila, Peach Schnapps and shake hard with ice, then strain into a chilled martini glass.

The restaurant is open for dinner Monday - Sunday from 6:00 pm until closing time somewhere between 3:00 am - 4:00 am with a late night menu available. Monday nights, Bruno Jamais Restaurant Club features live music with the Soul Solution Ensemble from 8:30 pm where the focus is on Dance, Soul, and R&B music.

For more information on Bruno Jamais Restaurant Club read the article in the Restaurants section.

Bruno Jamais Restaurant Club
24 East 81^st Street between Madison and Fifth
New York, New York 10028
Telephone:      +1-212-396-3444
www.BrunoJamais.com 

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