Diego Masciaga Prepares Pressed Duck (Canard a la Presse, Caneton Tour D'Argent) at The Michelin Three Star, Waterside Inn Restaurant, Bray, Berkshire. @finediningguide
Add an extra gold star for explaining what and why he's doing each step. I feel like I'm a duck press away from being able to make this at home (which isn't really the case, but I've never seen someone explain how to make pressed duck this well)
Had the pleasure of eating at this restaraunt a couple of years ago, me and my party were obviously not from the economic class they normally serve but Diego and the rest of the staff still treated us like royalty, not an ounce of snootiness. Top class restaurant
And well they should. They are not made to serve one class or another. They are there to serve all who come. So glad they honored that moral truth and traditions and that you enjoyed it
Diego left Waterside Inn in 2020 to join Claude Bosi at Bibendum, as a front of house ambassador. I believe he is now a fine dining consultant, which makes absolute sense.
Cooking table side is a lost art, along with other sorts of classical dining, le voiture comes to mind immediately, and the dessert and brandy trolleys. Waiters and maitre des were highly skilled in silver service and carvery. The good old days
It is still alive in fine restaurants in Asia and Europe. The reason it died out in America is primarily because insurance companies don't like live flames in the dining room and won't issue policies. Of course the other reason is that you can't find properly trained waiters for $8 an hour.
@@CookinginRussia I worked with a fantastic older Italian chef, who used to talk fondly about tableside service and such, back in Italy... When he went to America, he was told no one did that anymore, as other diners didn't want to smell like some one else's dinner.... pity, it is a graceful and classy experience when done right...
@@TheScouseassassin It is actually the trolley they are preparing the dish on, I know it means "car" .... In the old days, many restaurants would have a couture that had the roasts, chicken, beef, whatever and they would be carved table side, sauced and given to the diner, the veg was always presented in the centre of the table in a bowl. The was also the sweets trolley and a liqueurs and cigar trolley. This was obviously all pre ala carte days. It's a novelty now to see anything more than say Caesar salad or crepes suzette prepared table side
House of Prime Rib in San Francisco still uses the trolleys to serve the main from and the salad is prepared table side as well. Very old school and extremely popular still.
Such a professional. Dressed to kill. Knowledgeable. Well spoken. Just absolutely perfect. Personally i didn't find the dish something id order but his skill and confidence was outstanding
This in particular is hardly servitude. This is pride in a hard-won skill. This is on the same level of a top gymnast who seems to defy the laws of gravity with a smile that never leaves the face. It is hard work hidden by gracefulness, training and dedication to a craft. Cooking might of b m time-consuming than hard, but doing it hidden away in a kitchen, or even in a studio for a television show, can cover a multitude of sins. He’s doing this in front of an audience and carrying on a conversation with that audience w hike doing it. This is not servitude. This is art.
Though my cooking service ended nearly four years ago, as an ex grill and sous chef I feel nothing short of privileged to have seen this short but deeply fascinating video. Absolutely superb. The bone compression machine was something else. This whole video was WOW.
Many moons ago, when I was growing up in Ireland, my parents would take me to the local hotel restaurant, The Grand. And it really was, Victorian building with chandeliers, finest Wilton carpet, Egyptian cotton napkins and full silver service. The maître d, James, would wheel out his magnificent trolley equipped with gas burner, steaks of your choice, seasoning, stock, spirits etc, then proceed to cook you the most incredible Steak Madagascar or Diane, all the time keeping up an interesting dialogue with us the customers, exactly how Diego explained it. The flambé was always done with a flourish and pomp that only enriched the fine dining experience. Heady days of which, sadly, I doubt we shall ever see again.
My fathers favourite restaurant and also he was a friend to the great Chief Michael Roux, who also passed away some years ago. Michael Roux learned me to cook a special Lamb shoulder in out house in Mallorca 1997 with a Bernaise sauce based of Lemon...He cooked the Haricots verts and I was ready with the Ice cubs so we got them instant Crispy...Mixed with Mint Leaves 🍃..What a dinner!
This is a very very high standart. Perfectly executed. This way of dining and the kind of dishes like Canard á la Presse should never die. Its cultivated and skillbased. Just wonderfull!
I was fortunate to have this dish at La Tour d'Argent in 2003, and still remember the incredible taste and texture. The whole afternoon was a complete taste sensation. It was complimented with an 85 Margaux.
Germans: No one wants to see how the sausage is made. French: Lets butcher a duck carcass and squeeze the juice from its bones right there on the table in front of the dinner guests. Magnifique.
The pinnacle of culinary achievement. Almost 30 year 3 star speaks for itself. Roux brother and cousin are gods in the kitchen - Diego is front of house which it under the spotlight.
you can tell he has carved this duck thousands of times, having carved birds at home i can say he makes it look quite a bit easier than it is, thats the years of experience he has.
I've been a chef for over 20yrs and I'd make a pig's ear of this behind the scenes, let alone in front of a customer - my hands trembling, sweat dripping off my forehead into the sauce! It's not as easy as it looks, as you say
In April I visited the Railway Museum in Buenos Aires (Av. Libertador) and walking around upstairs I saw a duck press in with all the Mapin and Webb silver. The young manager was behind me and told me it was a grapefruit press. No said I it is a duck press. No he said "how can you have a duck press". After a few minutes of argument when he clearly thought `I was mad I asked him if he had a lap top. "Of course" Then Google the Tour d"argent restaurant Paris. After about 5 minutes there was a shout from his desk when he said "you 'ave made my f ing day' I did not believe you." He had found the origins and a photograph of the Tour d'Argent Canard a la presse. He was thrilled to bits and so was I. Remember that in the day Argentina had a vast and very sophisticated rail system. It was also 7th most prosperous country in the world.
Had the pleasure of eating this dish some years ago at the La Couronne, in Rouen, France. I like Diego's showmanship here much better, and the color of the sauce looks way more appetizing!
I have had the pleasure of enjoying this at the Waterside and it was superb. Diego is a showman with his presentation and a master at what he's doing, and so charming.
Pressed Duck is one of Georges Escoffier’s most famous & prolific creations. His methods are considered fundamentals in French cuisine, every culinary student begins by learning Escoffier, at the good schools that is
This is what experts call fine dining. It's not only the food, it's the place and the people too. Back in my teen days, I had the oportunity to work on a place like this as an apprentice and trust me, most maitre will make sure you won't mess up his performance, much like a stage actor, which was intense to say the least! Thanks Maitre Diego for that!
Classe e professionalità. Chiedo scusa, ma non posso fare a meno di sentirmi orgoglioso di essere un Italiano. Grazie al Maestro Masciaga e saluti a tutti.
I've had this at a different place, ....hearing all those bones crunch, with blood running into that little pan and then making the sauce out of that blood and eating the raw duck breast smothered with that blood sauce, made me wish I ordered a BLT sandwich...
I love this because as opposed to the Chef who has to make a variety of entrees, this guy is EXPERT at making just this and maybe a couple other things.
I grandi personaggi che hanno appreso l' arte quando STRESA sfornava il meglio dell'hotellerie mondiale e nel servizio NESSUNO ERA PARAGONABILE AGLI ITALIANI!!!!
