Week 2 Day 2 AUSTIN CITY LIMITS

(Please disregard the site's posting dates (they don't line up), as mentioned earlier internet doesn't always work so well.)

Well I've been waiting for this day since I found out we were going. Austin City Limits has been hosting some of the best artists from all genres for over twenty years. Most of you may remember seeing Austin City Limits on PBS. I consider it's show the original "unplugged" (although not all are acoustic), but needless to say I think today will be a real treat. Some of the bands I am looking most forward to watching are Flogging Molly, And You Will Know Us By the Trail of the Dead, Mos Def, Dave Matthews closing the day on the Livestrong Stage. And who can forget the half mile row of some of austins finest festival cuisine, with everything from gator on a stick to some of the hottest foods you can think of.

We were told we that we'd be parking at a Wal-mart then getting a shuttle to the venue, instead we find ourselves parked under an overpass a half mile away. Oh and big surprise, the rain has followed us to Texas (ironically they are having a drought for the season, go figure). Not having to cook today, means nothing is gonna ruin this day. After devouring a jalapeño burger i make my way backstage of the Flogging Molly concert and had the good fortune of meeting some of the band before their set. Let me tell you, these guys are all a class act. Sure they might be crazy Irish folks, but how can you not love a band that all drink a guiness on stage during their first song. From that point the rain starts to let loose, yet this crowd is not going anywhere packing the fronts of every stage and even having their own mud people, who just dont give a dang about the weather and just want a hell of a time. Trail of the Dead played well but I can't really say much about them cause i was enjoying people watching the large crowds entirely too much. Mos Def Killed it and even rocked the drums for a few songs. This being the twelfth time I've seen Dave Matthews, they have never disappointed. Well now that i am soggy and muddy time to call it a night and try to wake up and make some great food for the Oklahoma City show. Good night my friends, and as always thanks for your time in reading my exploits and experiences from the road as a traveling Chef.

Week 2 Day 1 Everything is bigger in Texas!

(Notice: Wireless internet does not work everywhere on the road, I write about everyday but sometimes can't post right away)

Day 1 of week 2

So after a solid half day drive on the bus we arrive in Dallas. I'm starting to get used to the fact that most all I am going to see of some cities are behind amphitheaters. Dallas is no different. Indoor venue at the Nokia Theatre, which the Zac Brown Band crew, Sonia Leigh, and Nic Cowan, and the one and only and Levi Lowery, all appreciate the change. Finding comfort in not having to be in this infinite rain that keeps following us from city to city. So we finally started to switch up our side dishes, and start using only local produce to decide what we pair with our permanent menu of the pork and beef tenderloin. Which I am extremely happy cause it's adding that level of appreciation and knowledge of local farming. Rusty has been teaching me a great deal of new things to add to my growing repituor of bad ass food. We still have killed every eat and greet thus far, and the food that has been catered for us continues to make me feel that much better about our own product. In other words, our food is so much better than we've had catered for us, and we've only been doing this for two weeks now. No real funny stories to tell except some jerk had the gumption to steal a handle of Grey Goose from our after show drinking table. Which pissed everybody off, but was then followed by all night song writing and jam sessions on our bus. Zac Brown hopped on our bus again because the man loves music and loves playing and this bus is chalk full of talented pickers and singers. This is quite the treat for the non musically gifted to hear beautiful music everynight in the smallest possible setting.

The Best Summary I can give for days 3 and 4

Day 3

Hello my friendly followers out there! Sorry it was a little tough to stay on top of the first week (as i thought it would be), but for those of you who were waiting for an update for the end of the first week, then wait no longer. My help in Charlotte (day 3) were on the ball today (progressively better each day) keeps making things look better and better. In my opinion today was the best eat and greet we have put together thus far, I feel today was the most tender I have gotten the meat all tour, and we are finally getting in that groove of perfect timing for the whole meal, so everything is coming out hotter and fresher than the day before. So after day 3 I am blessed with my first day off for a festival in Maryland. Zac Brown Band's set (the parts i caught anyway) was awesome at the Fillmore, and the staff there were on top of everything we and the weather could throw at them. Big ups to the staff and Janeane (sp?) an alum from my high school who is now GM of the facility.

Day 4

Not much to report on day 4 except that, today was the first time this tour I was off and able to catch a whole Zac Brown Band set from start to finish. I must say not coming into this tour as a regular fan of country, I am starting to remember all the sounds of the comfort and peace that i have spent my whole life surrounded by, whether it be just living in Georgia or through my father's love and passion for music. It all boils down to good soulful music, speaking to the best of southern tradition and ideals. I might say this entirely too much but I LOVE MY JOB! You don't have to be from a certain area, or only like a certain type of music to appreciate that there is something to be found deep within all of us that music fulfills. It's one of those absolute undeniable connections in all of us. From Rap to Country, the power to it all is always the music itself not the lines we draw to separate us.

As far as the food we have had different catering each day for each venue, but til we lock down our eat and greet, we are stuck cooking the same things for the next few stops. Through friendly conversation and connections with other traveling chefs, I have been able to learn a great deal of things of how my life as a chef can keep growing and improving. Like the cliche "practice makes perfect", lol but too damn true. So util Dallas in a few days, thank you always all ways. Feel free to spread this to anyone you like, and i swear there will be recipes and home favorites i will be posting soon, and if i can ever get my camera working right or charged then there will be video soon too.

Day Two. Things are getting easier?!

Well we were on time today and the combined age of my helpers was not a 120 like yesterday, so just like i hoped with each day passing the job gets easier. So many kind and gratious fans in Simspsonville probably shook fifty hands thanking me for such a wonderful meal. Right now i love my job, despite the long hours and fast paced atmosphere. Things are looking on the up and up. For the first time in two weeks of work I finally got to catch more than one full song. I love this job, and i am starting to feel that i had to something right in this life to be able to give good people good things, travel the country, and somehow get paid for it all. Not that my job is easy but the experience keeps paying off any possible negative effects. And if the $100 dollar bill i found when i decided to take the initiative to clean some things, eventhough i didn't have to, then i dont know the meaning of the word "karma". Still terribly exhausted, so i am sorry if my blogs are a little short for the first week. I promise everyone i will get into more details as this crazy journey continues on until then good night my friends, and remember positive thinking is the easiest step towards solving any problem!

Day One two hours late and under the gun!!

So first day of the tour we are running two hours behind schedule due to some trailer tire issues (for the second time). At first look, not a good start. To make things more hecitc, the helpers i had been so eagerly waiting for to make my life easier, were two sweet older ladies who happened to be 55 and 65. Oh crap. Half of my job is lifting heavy things, so needless to say i worked my ass off. The food went great though, still just getting the best compliments ever. So come 11:30 at night i finally finish all of my duties. Zac Brown Band and his openers Sonia Leigh and Nic, and Levi played a hell of a show and Zac Brown Band finished with standing ovations and a thirty minute cry for a second encore. Good way to start the tour despite my diffculties. Not much to report on specifics of the food cause we will be doing the same menu all week long. Sorry really exhausted so this blog is gonna be a little shorter then i'd like it to be. Still just gonna ride the high and take every experience i learn out here to heart, and keep putting my best foot forward.

NEW PHOTOS

Pictures from the first day cooking "our trial run" It was like a crazy episode of Top Chef!

No One Sleeps on Tour

So I am starting to think that no one sleeps on tour. Was up til two this morning and fifty people were still up and running around, then when i got up at 8 today everyone was up already. Well today was the first day of the "eat and greet" menu today, highlighting Zac Brown's recipes, cooking for 75 people in three hours, 8 items, all fresh and homemade. Pork Tenderloin with Zac Brown's sauce Beef Tenderloin with his rub, and his pocket knife cole slaw, Rusty's cheddar stone grits and collard greens, i made the herb vinegarette for a medi salad, fresh bread roles, and cookies. Cant get into the specifics of the recipes for the "eat and greet" cause they will be selling the sauce and rub, but i will fill you in when i get to start on my own recipes for the non-eat n greets. So far it's a lot of damn work, but nothing truly great that you want should never be too easy. That has never made as much since for me until this day. All in all good things. My life will get alot easier when i have some helpers and runners at my disposal to delegate, and hopefully ease my load. Tomorrow is the first day of the tour near raleigh, NC. My day begins when the bus arrives at eigtht, setting up "riders" (-food and beverage requests filled by the venue coordinators for every show) for each of the three tour busses. It's a pretty funny list with some strange requests, some of you may have heard of the green m&m's stories from i believe Alice Cooper, well that is in the "rider" request. Then I immediately go into the prep for the eat and greet, followed by clean up then i should be all done by 8pm (i'm hoping). Then repeat the whole process for the rest of the weeks dates.

I love cooking, so far we have got nothing but the kindest compliments for the food we've done. As far as saying it's the best food they have ever had on a catered venue. lol. We haven't even got to playing around with some realy fun healthy foods yet! I am once again feeling that this is gonna continue to be a surreal experience and one hell of a time. The truly hardest part is being away from my loved ones. If that is the hardest thing to deal with, aside from the hours and stress, then i dont think i could be at all disappointed. Well thanks again as always for caring enough to follow my blog. Look for some more pictures as my job is better understood. Time to crash and kick some ass tomorrow.

NEW PHOTOS

Problems with building a kitchen in a Trailer

So it has been an odd day, probably the last truly easy one I will have for awhile. With all good days problems are always there to be fixed. 70 hours building a kitchen inside a trailer this week and just when we think we are all set, circuit blows in athens today cause we have to much running off of one power line (Not a good thing to say the least), but like any bump in the road it's just a bump. Nothing to freak out over, or let myself get worked up about. The band is ironing out there sound and lights and started with sound checks, but just as we had problems so did they. Georgia is having some of the heaviest rain in months so coordinating this many people in the weather has left them seperated, and made it difficult to get everyone in the same place at the same time. Suprisingly everyone is remakably calm about it all, as they choose to be. Positive attitude goes along way everywhere.

On a fun note we cook our first meals for the band and staff tomorrow, Lunch is Spaghetti with a light homemade spaghetti sauce, with a greek salad, fruit medley, and some rolls. For dinner nothing but comfort with Prime Rib potatos au gratin, sauteed mushrooms and green beans, collard greens, and home made cookies. Sound delicous?? I say yes. Hope the oven is firing up tomorrow or things could change up a bit. All in all good things and good times out here. Everyone is still as kind as can be and we are all getting more comfortable with one another now that we are all remembering each others names and faces. Well a few more things to do today and then tomorrow brings more experience and new challenges. Thanks to you all who became followers of my blog i hope you at very least find it mildly entertaining and amusing.

JP

First day of a New Adventure as a Traveling Chef

Well up after a first night of bunks on the tour bus. Damn it's good being a little guy in one of these, enough room for me to stretch out and still have room for my computer and a drink. Not so lucky for my larger friend (6'3" 250+). Ha score one for the shorties of the world. Everyone i've met is insanely nice. Very much of a peace, love, and family vibe (like hippy but not quite) with road tested experience from Cowboy Mouth to Better than Ezra and Brooks and Dunn. Lots of work to do but i will post again before the end of the day. Thanks for checking out my first blog and i look forward to posting more stories about the way I see life and give everyone a taste of what it's like cooking for a headling band on a National Tour.