Chef's Kitchen

Jim began working in kitchens at 15 and during his undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Washington. After five years at Boeing, he decided that cooking was his real passion. He moved to Paris to attend L'Ecole Superior du Cuisine Jean Ferrandi, passed his examinations and received his Certificate d'Aptitude Professionnelle. While in Paris, he worked at several restaurants. On his return, he worked as the kitchen manager at Marketplace Caterers, then joined the staff at Campagne where he worked nearly every position, including line cook, pastry chef and sous chef. In 1997, he was named executive chef of both Campagne and Cafe Campagne, where he stayed until February of 2000. In August of 2000, he and his business partner Joanne Herron opened Le Pichet near Pike Place Market. In June 2007, Jim and Joanne opened their second collaboration, Cafe Presse in Seattle's south Capitol Hill neighborhood. Read our story.

Roasting a chicken to perfection, by Chef James Drohman

In my opinion, one of the best things ever is a crispy, golden roast chicken. The problem with serving roasted chicken in a restaurant setting is that the traditional methods take about 90 minutes to two hours, which is too long for diners to wait. Other options, like par-cooking the chicken in advance or splitting it in half before roasting just don't deliver a bird that is as juicy or deliciously crispy as roasting the whole bird to order. In the months before we opened Le Pichet, I roasted dozens of chickens using different methods in the hope of finding the perfect way to do it in less than one hour. I finally hit on a method that, although it varies from the traditional method I learned in France, delivers the tastiest roast chicken I have ever eaten. Our whole roasted chicken for two has become the signature dish of both Le Pichet and Café Presse. As an additional benefit, this recipe is very easy. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do.

There are two main tips for roasting a chicken that are a bit out of the ordinary. First, you should roast at a high temperature (500°). The high heat seals the bird, giving a crisp exterior but very juicy interior. Second, sprinkle the skin liberally with sea salt to help get that crispy skin. The salt removes some of the moisture from the skin, allowing it to crisp and brown better.

Le Pichet
1933 1st Ave
Seattle, WA 98101
206-256-1499

www.lepichetseattle.com

Café Presse
1117 12th Ave
Seattle, WA 98122
206-709-7674

www.cafepresseseattle.com

Click here to see Chef James Drohman's recipe