From pickling and infusing to marinating and tenderizing, there are some unexpected ways for foodservice operators to use vacuum sealing technology from Henkelman.
One of the best ways to see how vacuum sealing is for more than just sous vide, though, is to get some ideas from other chefs across the country who are using Henkelman in unique ways. Here are some thoughts from four of them.
Chef Bill Kim - BellyQ
Kimchi is one of the most popular ethnic dishes right now, especially as Korean food becomes more and more prevalent. This side dish is made typically made with cabbage and other vegetables that are fermented with a variety of seasonings. Sometimes it can take months to fully prepare.
With Henkelman, these times are slashed.
Chef Brad Daniels - Osteria
One of the most important ingredients in any Italian restaurant is pasta, but traveling with pasta for catered events can be problematic. To be successful, pasta must remain intact during chipping, and if it breaks, it can become costly.
With Henkelman, traveling with fragile ingredients is a lot easier.
Chef Ryan DeNicola - chi Spacca
Sometimes marinading meat will bring out its full potential. At chi Spacca, their famous Moorish lamb shoulder chops are prepared with a marinade of yogurt and spices, and when you're cranking out as many as they do, the marinading process can become time consuming and costly with the sheer volume of required liquids.
With Henkelman, it's possible to save on marinade while reducing the time required from about a day to only five minutes. That's right. Five minutes.
Chef Bradley Kilgore - ALTER
If a tree falls in a forest and nobody is there... At ALTER, "the fallen tree in the forest" is the main dish, and it's made from heart of palm that's been seared in a shiitake, bamboo butter after being compressed and poached. "Then you have a tree stump," Kilgore says, "carved out of a mushroom and vacuum packed with walnut oil and gently steamed, like confit. Under pressure it allows to absorb the nutty flavor."
It's safe to say with Henkelman, you can get as creative as you want.
If you consider yourself to be a high-profile chef in the Washington D.C. or Central Virginia marketplace, and would be interested in becoming a Henkelman Chef Ambassador, apply below to see if you qualify.
