Category: The Persnickety Chef

Cape May chef Jon Davies shares his insight into the world of cooking and fine cuisine in this monthly columns featuring exclusive Cape May recipes. Jon Davies is a graduate of Johnson and Wales University of Culinary Arts. His work as a chef has taken him to Aspen, Colorado; Cape May, NJ; and the odd private jet for culinary gigs for the rich and famous. Jon Davies was the head chef at The Mad Batter Restaurant and is currently the consulting chef for The Merion Inn, both in Cape May.

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Backyard Grilling

Not sure of the difference between grilling and barbecuing? Looking for something more exciting than your store-bought marinades? The Persnickety Chef has you covered!

A Chef’s Last Meal

Deep down, most chefs are entertainers. Our audience the palettes of those who dine rather than eat. That is when it came to me, if I could only cook one more meal, what would the components of that meal be?

For the Love of Chocolate

Food and holidays often become intertwined with the original connection lost through time. It is doubtful that the Pilgrims and Native Americans dined on turkey at the first Thanksgiving, but I challenge you to serve something else on the fourth Thursday in November. It is also doubtful that any of the three St. Valentines that… Read more »

The Return of Comfort Food

Ah, 2009, the last year of the first decade of the new millennium. This New Year will, in my opinion, bring some major shifts in the culinary universe. Due to the economy, high-end restaurants that are little more than exercises in culinary narcissism are going to disappear. The country is getting back to basics, and… Read more »

Holiday Appetizers

This is a busy time of year for chefs. Everyone is scrambling for quick, easy holiday recipes. This time of year I get asked more questions than a doctor at a hypochondriac’s holiday party. I am most often asked for “simple” recipes. This is difficult since I consider Coq au Vin and Cassoulet – dishes… Read more »

Let’s Talk Turkey

Everyone has the perfect foolproof way to prepare their Thanksgiving bird. After relentless polling among fellow chefs and home cooks, three cooking methods are the front-runners in Turkey Decision ’08. Each candidate has strong advocates as well as detractors. The candidates in Turkey Decision ’08 are Oven Roasting Plain, Brined Roasted Turkey and Deep Fried. This month’s column tackles… Read more »

Ish’s Recipes

Inspiration has been a recurring theme for recent columns. It often comes from sources and at times we least expect. Being a chef has its perks and drawbacks. One drawback is everyone who has ever boiled water wants to talk food with you. So it was when I started at the Mad Batter on Jackson… Read more »