Hung Huynh's Bocuse d'Or Presentations

Well, everyone probably knows Hung as being the winner of Top Chef, Season 3; currently he is also the executive chef at Solo in New York City.  He is also a nonstop whirling dervish of chef action.  If I had that much energy, who knows what I could accomplish.  I'm jealous.  John Besh mentioned that Hung claimed he didn't practice - he preferred cooking from the heart.  Heart and hutzpuh.

Here is Hung and his commis Girair Goumroian in their kitchen:

this isn't the smiley Hung I saw all day on Friday:

Here is Chef Huynh's cod presentation, which won the Best Fish part of the Bocuse; Olive oil-poached cod with scallops, black truffles, and parsley sauce; ratatouille (with the little tomato on top); Hawaiian Prawn Crepe (the thing wrapped up in the green); and cod croquette with corn puree and bacon (yum):

Close up of cod with black truffles and scallops:

Traci des Jardins (the only female judge, by the way) about to taste:

Hung's meat presentation carefully leaves the kitchen:

And here is the meat presentation - Hung employed the very difficult technique of katsuramuki (cutting paper-thin, continuous sheets of vegetables) to cut the potatoes in which he wrapped the beef tenderloin to make a sort of modern beef Wellington; it was interesting to watch (here is an illustration of this technique, one I always admire whilst sitting at sushi counters).  The platter includes the aforementioned potato-encrusted beef tenderloin filled with foie gras, swiss chard, and beef cheeks; from right to left, the garnishes are creamed spinach tarts with chanterelles and Parmesan; olive oil poached potatoes with celeriac puree and red wine braised oxtail; and roasted butternut squash with young ginger on sage toast:

Here is judge David Myers taking a picture of the plate - this is what I look like every time I am about to eat in a restaurant:

Hung talks to Al Roker & John Besh: