The Grand Peabody Hotel - Honorary Duck Master That is HDM!

Coco from Master Chef Jr came to Memphis to join us to watch the show. I mean we are both home schooled and it is more fun to be with friends then to be home alone.

She stayed in the GRAND Peabody Hotel in downtown Memphis. Now, if you have not come to Memphis or visited the Peabody you probably don't know what is so exciting about the Peabody. IT HAS DUCKS - Yes LIVE ducks in the fountain in the lobby. 

Now this is an old hotel- refinished in the most elegant style to which it was built. Dripping with wood and paint and flowers, NO Hipsters allowed with their modern rooms and diamond encrusted peep holes. This hotel is for those who want elegance of a long forgotten age and history and a story...

So, of course, there is a story here-- and Duck Master Anthony tells it with flair. He is the 5th Duck Master and it is a cool job! 

It goes like this -- The Delta starts in the Lobby of the Peabody Hotel and ends in Vicksburg, Mississippi. The old hotel had a manger in the 1930s and he was going hunting with some friends and some Jack Daniels Whiskey... and the live duck decoys were left in the lobby fountain. Now the next morning when they went downstairs the ducks were just swimming in the fountain and the guest loved it and a long standing tradition was born.

Then Mr Pembrose came into the picture and he said he could train the ducks to march from the fountain across a red carpet and into and elevator all the way to the roof, across the roof, and up to the duck palace where they would be sheltered for the night.

Now this Grand idea is true and today you can go to the Peabody Hotel and watch the ducks come into the fountain and leave the each night. Anthony with make it a great event!!!

Now what made this event even better was Coco and I being DUCK MASTERS- in APRONS and with Canes- As aspiring Chefs we had to promise to not cook DUCK at the Peabody!!! It was so much fun to march the ducks around the fountain and into the elevator!! 

Before the hotel tour, we got a tour of the kitchens and we even got to cook a Fillet with Chef Derek in the Capricio Grill. We also toured Chez Philipe and it was stunning!! Very posh and old fashionably GRAND. Now I love kitchen tours but this one really was the best yet, cause that filet was FINE!!!!

Thanks you so much Peabody Hotel, and Staff!

I loved it

Love the duck weed,

LOGAN HDM

The Peabody ducks are wild, only tour the hotel for 3 months and then are released to a restful island where they can then return to the wild if they desire.

P.S I went to the grand ballroom and spoke to the Memphis Chamber Luncheon 

P.P.S I went back to enjoy a night at the Peabody after I won MasterChef Jr.

Capriccio Grill™ at The Peabody

MasterChef Junior Final Episode : I AM THE MASTERCHEF JUNIOR

Behind the scenes -

Ok when all your friends are gone, the pressure starts to mount. It has now become very real and I want to win. I believe I can win. I know I will win. I stopped being nervous and remembered that either way I am top 2 of MasterChef Junior. Pretty good for a kid whose Mom does Jewelry and whose Dad makes plastic!

I start thinking about what I want to cook- I feel I need to redeem myself on those spot prawns and pay homage to a local Chef who taught me how to cook fish, prawns, and scallops. Thanks, Chef Ben of Tsunami you are the best. The flavors of the Sun and Sea - salt and fish and Spain. I know my Madeleines are so very good and I think back to my very first friend on the show Berry and know I have to add her to my dish.

I see my heart coming onto the plate - Chef Ben, Berry, Christmas cookie party madeleines, the salt fish, my love of olives and mayo... this is me. The MasterChef ingredients are the best I have ever used! So fresh and high end. I think my plan is ambitious, but Samuel is a great cook. He thinks he can beat me easily, but he does not know that in that Ring of Fire, I see my Dreams and I see my love of food and cooking all coming together.

From my first pasta dish to walking into that MasterChef kitchen I am ready. I am going to add smoke to my aloi and it is going to be just perfect. The smoking gun takes me back to river and home and the Best Dang BBQ ever. I see my friends and family in each dish. I know Chef Graham and Chef Ramsay have taught me more than I imagined. I have real joy in my heart as I start to cook. My family is there to support me and I believe....

I work hard and stay with my plan- I even get to use liquid nitrogen a life goal! I am sure I can put my heart on that plate for the Judges.

When I stand there and Gordon Ramsay calls out my name and LOGAN rings through the studio and the confetti starts to fall I am just amazed. I feel for Samuel, I mean it hurts - I know it won't help but I hug him.

This is my night!

I AM THE MASTERCHEF JUNIOR.

against all odds... I WIN it all.

If you have been a member of TeamLogan all I can say is Thank You! Thank you for the support and the belief in me! It has made this journey more fun and this victory even sweeter! I am honored the judges chose me and I am honored you chose me!

Thank you so very much,

MASTERCHEF LOGAN

Links to all my blog posts on the episodes:

Episode 7: MasterChef Junior Final Episode : I AM THE MASTERCHEF JUNIOR

http://orderupwithlogan.blogspot.com/2014/12/masterchef-junior-final-episode-i-am.html

Episode 6 :  Episode 6 MasterChef Junior The Attack of The Salmon – Logan

http://orderupwithlogan.blogspot.com/2014/12/episode-6-masterchef-junior-attack-of.html

Episode 5:  Episode 5 The Pop Up In MasterChef Junior

http://orderupwithlogan.blogspot.com/2014/12/episode-5-pop-up-in-masterchef-junior.html

Episode 4:  MasterChef Junior Episode 4 Signature Dish

http://orderupwithlogan.blogspot.com/2014/11/masterchef-junior-episode-4-signature.html

  

Episode 3:  MasterChef Junior Episode 3 The Journey Continues

http://orderupwithlogan.blogspot.com/2014/11/masterchef-junior-episode-3-journey.html

Episode 2:  The MasterChef Junior Experience : Episode 2 - Pie??? Really!

http://orderupwithlogan.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-masterchef-junior-experience.html

Episode 1:  MCJ2 I finally get into the Masterchef Kitchen

http://orderupwithlogan.blogspot.com/2014/11/mcj2-i-finally-get-into-masterchef.html

Pre-Show:  The Beginning - From Memphis to Hollywood : MasterChef Junior Season 2

http://orderupwithlogan.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-beginning-from-memphis-to-hollywood.html

The Beginning - From Memphis to Hollywood : MasterChef Junior Season 2

Walking in Memphis on a kid's food journey!

You may know I am on the cast of MCJ (MasterChef Junior Season 2 on FOX) and you may be scratching your head as to how a then 11 year old kid would want to take on the famous Gordon Ramsay and Graham and Joe....

Well lets go back in time to when I was little, I loved playing with fake food, real food and had my own restaurant going when I was like 5 or something. Someone gave me one of those order pads and I was all set. My plastic Kitchen was my favorite toy!

My Mom let me do real stuff too. I started making coffee when I was like 2 and I had a bench pushed up to the counter. I used to have a cook knife that could not cut you, but it could cut real food and I had a metzaluna for chopping veggies when I was 4 or so.

I made my first recipe for the JIF most creative sandwich contest when I was 9 and that won me a trip to NYC. I went on tv a bunch with my recipe and it was really fun. I got so disappointed I did not win the grand prize that my Mom suggested that I enter another contest and I won.

This was the Epicurious Healthy Lunch Challenge. I won a trip to Washington , DC and the chance to eat in the WHITE HOUSE. MRS OBAMA hugged me and the PRESIDENT shook my hand!

THAT is huge, I mean you can buy a trip to NY, but you can't buy a trip into the White House for dinner.

I created my own spice rub between the two trips and started packaging it for sale to raise money for Cub Scouts. It is cool to have my own spice rub and small business. I have a few blends now. I love blending up new flavors.

Then I heard that there was a Judging Class for our famous Memphis In May World Championship BBQ contest. I thought I could do that, and with a little help from the organizers, I got into the class. At the end of the training, I passed the course!

My Mom challenged me to make something for The Spam Cookoff at the Fair and I did pretty good, 2nd place. It was a play on a reuben sandwich and was pretty tasty. I got a fun Spam hat and Apron. I don't usually wear a hat, but, it was for a photo op.




I then got an email asking if I wanted to be in a cookbook called FutureChefs - I mean really- Of course I did, so I went into the kitchen and whipped up a new recipe and made it into the book- Page 168 if you want to check for me.

Of course, you see my Blog, I have had it up for about 3 years. I started it to do writing assignments in school and it just has grown and grown. It is fun to have, but it requires lots of work. I did get my review in the local paper and I have been recognized as a food blogger! Both really cool. It also let me get entrance into the Association of Food Journalist convention in Memphis and that was a blast!

I guess, I always have had chefie goals and dreams- food makes the most exciting journey!!!
So get in the kitchen and mix up some fun!

Love the Cabbage Leaf
Logan Masterchef Junior Contestant

PS. I forgot some of the work I do for people who are hungry- might have to be another post!

"Cook Wanted", so I applied - The Nina and The Pinta

It was a beautiful fall day and I went on a field trip to the Nina and Pinta down on the Mississippi
River. I saw a sign that said "Cook Wanted", so I asked for the job, but I had to be, sigh, 18.

I talk to the crew on how terrible the food was and how they needed a good cook. I felt kinda sorry for them, so my Mom said I could bring them dinner. I was all set to smoke some pork anyway, so I decided to give them a good Memphis Style BBQ meal. They were the guinea pigs for new seasoning blends I have been working on, but don't tell them!

I smoked a pork shoulder with my own blends, some sausage and some chicken. It tasted pretty good. I also made my own BBQ sauce to go with the sandwiches. We cooked up some beans and made some slaw.
I got my Dad to drive down to the docks to deliver the dinner. When all the prep work came together, we got to make some great volunteers very happy. The crew of the Nina and Pinta are unpaid, so they don't get to taste much local cuisine.


I got to go into the hold of the Pinta and it was cool. The galley is tiny, the hold is tiny, everything is tiny, and it is the bigger of the two ships! Now that made it a field trip! As a thank you they gave me a hat and an awesome postcard signed by the crew!

This may seem really crazy, but it an absolutely positively true story, just ask the crew!



Making people happy with food.

Love the cabbage leaf,
Logan

Pizza King Longview, TX from Post MasterChef Junior Auditions Season 2

One of the best things about doing the audition in Dallas for MasterChef Junior Season 2 was getting to visit my cousin Michael in Longview TX. He was in college there and I got to see the campus and it was all really cool.

We took him out for dinner and you might not know this, but Longview is a small town. We asked Siri the best place to go and she said Pizza King.

The inside was really cute with all kinds of vintage cars and trucks. It had a 50's diner feel and I liked it.  

Relaxing after MasterChef Casting

I was not expecting much in terms of the food. I mean it is a small town and all. But it was really good. We got some salad and ordered maybe 3 pizzas. We wanted to leave Michael with some extra food. You know he is a college guy and probably always can find a friend to share pizza.

I enjoyed the pizza. It was fresh, cheesy and well a pretty good pizza!
Michael liked it too, and when he told his Mom where he was, she told us that is the first place she went on a date with Michael's Dad. Michael had never been so it was kinda fun to think about his Mom and Dad having pizza at the  Pizza King.

So it you are road tripping through Texas and get hungry- Try it!

PS I did not take and pictures of the food sorry! My cousin Michael was there and I just was too excited to take them!

Love the Cabbage Leaf,
Logan

Like my Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/pages/Logan-Masterchef-Junior-2/322716741231433?ref=hl


Subscribe to Order Up! with Logan


Pizza King

Twisted Root Burger Co. a Big D Must, Before MasterChef Junior Auditions

For the MasterChef Junior Season 2 Audition, we pulled into Dallas the first thing we had to do was grab something delicious. I asked Siri for the best burger and she said Twisted Root Burger Co. It was close so we went.

It is a rustic kind of place with a great sense of humor. They have 2 of my most favorite things Root Beer and Pickles. It was love at first bite.

I ordered a burger and then I realized my Mom's burger was better so I ate hers. It happens frequently, sorry Mom! I get too adventurous and she saves me by choosing my favorites. This burger was huge and juicy and perfectly cooked. I loved that they made their own ketchup. They also make the pickles and the unique root beer. It is the BOMB. 

The fries were crispy and delish. I loved the place! The bathroom was devoted entirely to Chuck Norris! How cool is that?


I would say Siri did hit the best burger in Dallas, maybe....it is a big city and I am one hungry boy.

Love the Cabbage, Leaf
Logan


Twisted Root Burger Company

Masterchef Junior here I come!

I have a secret, I love Chef Gordon Ramsay and all of his TV shows. Last year when I saw Masterchef Junior on Fox I said to myself "well, I can do that"  They had a commercial for the auditions and I said to Dad, Can we go? Now, my Dad loves reality tv almost as much as hamburgers so he said yes.

MasterChef Junior 2 Auditions - Dallas

I filled out all the paperwork and we got accepted to go to Dallas and audition. I am gonna say this again my
Dad LOVES reality TV so he drove me all the way to Dallas to try out! 

I cant say too much about the casting process it is all top secret. I can tell you it was a lot of fun and I loved it!

It took some time then I heard the news. I MADE it!!!!

So,that means basically, I get to be on the show, meet Gordon Ramsay and try my best. I do hope that Chef Ramsay does what he does best and yells at me just a bit! 
I cant tell you how great it will be to meet Chef Elliot and Joe. I have Chef Elliot's autograph and he wrote me a real letter. 





It is SO EXCITING.

So tune in and watch me on Master Chef Junior.

PS. The other best part of the road trip was getting to see my cousin Michael! I love him and we had a great time eating pizza together in TX.

Here's my Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Logan-Masterchef-Junior-2/322716741231433?ref=hl

Love the Cabbage,
Logan






Links to all my blog posts on the episodes:

Episode 7: MasterChef Junior Final Episode : I AM THE MASTERCHEF JUNIOR

http://orderupwithlogan.blogspot.com/2014/12/masterchef-junior-final-episode-i-am.html

Episode 6 :  Episode 6 MasterChef Junior The Attack of The Salmon – Logan

http://orderupwithlogan.blogspot.com/2014/12/episode-6-masterchef-junior-attack-of.html

Episode 5:  Episode 5 The Pop Up In MasterChef Junior

http://orderupwithlogan.blogspot.com/2014/12/episode-5-pop-up-in-masterchef-junior.html

Episode 4:  MasterChef Junior Episode 4 Signature Dish

http://orderupwithlogan.blogspot.com/2014/11/masterchef-junior-episode-4-signature.html

  

Episode 3:  MasterChef Junior Episode 3 The Journey Continues

http://orderupwithlogan.blogspot.com/2014/11/masterchef-junior-episode-3-journey.html

Episode 2:  The MasterChef Junior Experience : Episode 2 - Pie??? Really!

http://orderupwithlogan.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-masterchef-junior-experience.html

Episode 1:  MCJ2 I finally get into the Masterchef Kitchen

http://orderupwithlogan.blogspot.com/2014/11/mcj2-i-finally-get-into-masterchef.html

Pre-Show:  The Beginning - From Memphis to Hollywood : MasterChef Junior Season 2

http://orderupwithlogan.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-beginning-from-memphis-to-hollywood.html

Schweinehaus : A new cuisine in Overton Square.

Another new restaurant opened up in Overton Square in that great building that used to be Paulettes.

Schweinehaus is a German restaurant, a very fun and happening place.
The decor was nice slightly old fashioned but still nice.

Most of the waiters were wearing very funny T-shirts, worth the trip just for the shirts. I won't tell you, so you can be surprised.


I ordered the Spatzle Mac and Cheese. It is a mac and cheese with eggy dumplings and baked crispy. I liked it. The dumplings had a great texture and the cheese sauce was nice and not grainy.  I don't really like Mac and Cheese, so it was a surprise.
I also ordered a Bratwurst with potato pancakes   and sauerkraut. I liked the Bratwurst it had a great meaty flavor, the sides were nice too. 

Dad ordered the Sausage plate full of like 4 kinds of sausages. I had a few bites of the Wild boar, the Venison, the Bratwurst, and Weisswurst. The wild boar was my favorite on the table. It just had a great flavor and texture. It was awesome. I thought the venison was a bit sweet but nice and not too gamey, if you know what I mean. Probably the sugar helped with that. 

Dad liked it and he enjoyed all the different types of sausage. Now Dad would have liked to have an added meat to off set all that sausage but I thought it was all really good.


Mama had the Weisswurst and the sides. The Weisswurst had a great light flavor and was complemented by the mustard perfectly. We did use all the fancy mustards that came with Dad's plate. I really preferred the whole grain, one of the three was just too sweet for me. 


I bet Mama a dollar that she could not cook the German food, days later, I had to give up my dollar. Mama can cook German food!

I surprised myself trying all this, not because I TRIED it, but because I really liked it all. Mama has made me "German", 3 times since going, and I am happy to eat it every time.

Thanks Schweinhaus!

Love the Cabbage, Leaf,
Logan

PS. So try something new and unusual! Be warned it is a bit pricey like most of the new places in Overton Square.