In route to Shanghai, China

My journey began in Dallas at 4am this morning (now 8pm Dallas time), and I am finally getting the chance to fully relax 36,000 feet in the air.  The route was Dallas-Chicago-Shanghai.  Now that is like the ultimate tease, having a layover in Chicago with no time to get out and swing my one of the many outstanding restaurants!  Joking with a friend this morning (aka “Big D” or “DA” -a true foodie), I texted, arrived in Chicago, wish I could stop off and grab 12 courses “to go” from Alinea!  Another friend pings me an email- swing through Hot Doug’s???  Thanks geniuses like I am not thinking along the same lines and salivating at the mere thought of some of my favorites!  Sadly settled for a hummus/greek salad with walnuts and dried cherries… no comparison but beats the typical airport slop!

Here I sit on the flight to Shanghai, flying like a star in the front of the plane, kicked back in this chair that acts almost like a lazy boy!  We are currently over the Sea of Okhotsk, just past the International Date Line.  So technically,  it is now 9am in Shanghai.  If I play my cards right grab a few more hours sleep when I arrive at 2pm local time, I will be full of energy and not jet lagged… which in my opinion is all mental.

Not having the opportunity to swing by Alinea or one of my other favorites I see that Mr. Charlie Trotter has done the consulting for the first class food…(that is good Karma kicking in!) , so I think to myself, great I won’t be stuck eating rubber and over cooked veg!  A true staple to any American airline carrier….sad to say but true!

They flight attendant swings by and asks what would I like..  so I say well, let me have the  cured salmon with cucumber salad, the side salad with roasted garlic-vinaigrette and for an entrée I will have the Grilled Chicken Breast with grain mustard potatoes.  Let me say this, out of pure excitement and joy I was getting “sudo” Trotter food up in the air, I dug in before taking a photo of the salmon, please forgive.  Now it’s a first for me to see the micro beet greens served 36,000 feet in the air!

Space age chocolate- tasty, weird, but most of all nice touch.  I took these photos mainly for one of my dearest friends, Christine-former pastry chef of several Ritz Carlton Hotels, and now thriving business owner of Slice Cake Designs. (thanks for always supporting my insane ideas)

The chocolate looked like a rolo candy, yet, hollow in the middle, filled with a dense ganache and then had these white and dark chocolate morsels inside… Not being the chocolate lover did taste it.. Shell bloomed, but nice concept and tasty..

(more…)

Tips to Traveling Headache Free

Travel Headache Free- (yes, leaving your spouse at home is always an option too..)

These sounds so basic, yet emotionally people have a hard time letting go of their comfort zones-trust me it works!  Try it!

1. Travel Light- if you forget your favorite T-shirt, get over it!  Buy a new one for 1/3^rd of the price.  You will see I have a few bags here (out of the norm), yet don’t be deceived, the majority of the contents are culinary related items that are required to be checked through.
2. *Thinking ahead- I will soon fill the empty suitcase (the size of a small circus clown) with newly purchased goods.  And little does the world know the first person that comes to visit will be taking it back home for me!  Transitioning me into a lighter load and simply creating what I like to call “baggage freedom”.  This allows easy nomadic travel- always been my style.  Be honest “Who wants to deal with baggage?”  (NOTE: International flights you are allowed 2 checked bags FREE)
3. ONLY take what you need! –traveling is not a fashion show ladies, take the basics, hard to believe the rest of the world wears deodorant, uses shampoo, likes shoes, shirts, etc.  Always just pick up the basics once you arrive- beyond travel size
4. Checking in/Seat Assignments- When purchasing your ticket (or in my case) if someone else does the purchasing always let them know to reserve you your favorite location in the plane.
5. Personally, I am an aisle guy (up towards the front please!), waiting for slow people is a nightmare after being cooped up with hundreds of germy bodies for hours!  We are humans not chickens at Tyson Farms!

1. The Final Annoyance- The arrival (on the flip side!)
   
   1. Picking up checked baggage (avoid checking unless a must!)- Let’s be honest when you’re done flying you just want your bags, a cab, and a hot shower.  So make it that way! The general employee in any part of the world that works baggage handling is slow and has minimal motivation to get you your belongings –don’t expect Olympic pace. (Most in the US ride the union clock, shocker).
   2. How to avoid the headache of waiting- I laugh as I watch the vast majority of people flood to the baggage claim as they sit and wait for 15-20 minutes aggravated.  That is just the right amount of time to grab a cold beer or cocktail in the terminal! Standing there is not going to get your bag there any faster!  DUH!
   3. Know the Game on the other side-Take the 5 minutes, go online, read about “the game when you arrive”.  You are a tourist no matter where you go, what you look like, the locals can pick up that you are not from there!  Know the scams (example: Bangkok International Airport- you will be attacked right past immigration with taxi drivers, by pass them head to the airports transportation desk, about 300 feet further, you save 35-45% and keep your sanity)

Follow these  3 guidelines and traveling will be far less stressful, and more of a pleasure!  After all that’s what it’s all about!!!

I will leave it to someone else to comment regarding the partner/spouse travel!

Arriving in Bangkok International Airport. Bangkok, Thailand

Well, here I find myself in the city that never stops smiling.. or something like that!  It is now 3am here and I am going to keep this one brief as I still want to catch an hour of night life… but to be more honest I am stoked about the street food that shows up on the scene between 2-5am!

McLovin’ life,

Chef Dave

PS- lesson #1 don’t get the taxi service inside the airport… it is secret
code for “private driver”..I just learned the hard way!  oooops….