Whiskey, Soda, Lollipop, IIHM on the TOP!

The opening of the Young chef Olympiad was so much fun. There were some speeches and some flags and some dancing... lots of dancing. The girls were all dressed in the most colorful costumes and the music was vibrant and exotic. I mean you don't see this stuff on Dance Mom's.

I gave a speech too- I had one carefully memorized but in true Logan style I went rogue and made it all up!
The Young Chefs are the best of the best of the best of the best of the best of the best....

Even though it was unexpected and almost all of the planners had a come apart it still worked out great.
Now enough celebration it was time for the competition to commence. 

I know people think I can't or shouldn't judge but I am super serious about it. I have a fresh perspective and I know how I would cook something and defiantly how it should taste. I look for confidence, body language, nerves, and more, not going to give out all my secrets.

I lot of people think that since i am still a kid they can sway me with friendship or bribes but ultimately what matters the most is whats on the plate, if you want to be the best of the best you have to impress the best of us watching. I was honored!

Then we hopped on a Spice Jet plane named Parsley and took off for Bangalore, the Garden City.

The IIHM group there really out did themselves to welcome us! Flowers Drummers, sunshine and Koti rolls. I loved it! My friends there even found me a most adorable suvi a Tuk Tuk toy! How nice is that?!


Sadly, I was there just one night and back to Spice jet to head to Kolkata.

Love the cabbage,
logan

You can also Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Vine.

Follow My Blog For "Behind The Scene" Posts on MasterChef Junior Season 2 USA - Logan

Follow My Blog For "Behind The Scene" Posts on MasterChef Junior Season 2 USA - 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

Going to The MasterChef Junior Kitchen from Memphis

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!

Not just another Taco el Mezcal

It is hot out so go grab some spicy Mexican food at El Mezcal. I know it is an older chain of somewhat local Mexican food but that isn't a bad thing.
Tried and true, you know what to expect and it always delivers.
The inside is old school Mexican not a bit of the new trendy decor. It is comfy, and I really like the cactus lights.

I like to go because it is the only place my Mom lets me pick her food. I usually pick something new each time but the spicy Chipotle chicken is my favorite dish there. The cream sauce is layered in spicy flavor and the hint of smoke makes it my favorite.  I like the thin chicken and the rice is always pretty tasty. We don't usually get the gauc but I imagine it is pretty good too. Dad usually gets a ranchero steak and he likes it.

El Mezcal will give you a good salsa crispy chips and a pretty big plate of food. Good even for 2 meals. The prices are ok and I just  am happy to go. If you have not tried it and are tired of the small hipster plates out there then go!

Love the cabbage Leaf,
Logan



El Mezcal

World Famous Fried Chicken- Gus's

Memphis is known for it BBQ but there is more to the city than just BBQ.

I was watching a food network show about the best fried chicken, they went all over the place and talked about the science behind the best fried chicken.

And guess where they landed for the best fried chicken drum roll please (all though its pretty obvious)

Memphis TN, to Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken. They landed right here in Memphis for the best friend chicken.

Gus's World Famous fried chicken is tender, juicy, spicy, hot, crispy, delicious, spicy, tender, crunchy, moist, tender, fried, killer, hot, moist, crispy,divine, deliciously crunchy, straight from the fryer to your mouth.

It is soaked in buttermilk and fried to perfection.  It also depends on the location for a bit on some of the chicken-  downtown's is a little bit spicier but take a long time;East Memphis Gus's is a lot faster and a little less spicy but still great. The one way out in Collierville servers some catfish that supposed to be just as good as the chicken! I tried Southaven's but it was just not as good, they had not been open long and I have not been back.

Now for a little history on Gus's fried chicken, so it all started in one of the little towns out side of  Memphis and old Gus started to make fried chicken and sell it out his back door, and so it eventually turned in to  Gus's World Famous fried chicken and then Gus made a new location in downtown Memphis and the rest is history.

So take my advice when you come to Memphis for BBQ, save some room for the best fried chicken in the world. Gus's!

Love the Cabbage, Leaf

Logan

When one eye is good: Patricks

Well, you remember when I did the post about the best burger contest, I went to the next years contest but never wrote about it. I am not to sure why. 
It was a great time, sun, burgers, food, dogs, kids- Burgers!
We were walking around looking to try burgers and one was a clear stand out for me a Burger by Patricks. It had an egg on it. It seem to me that eggs on unexpected  food are popping up more and more. 


My Dad just had a craving for that wonderful burger and luckily Patricks still makes it. I
My Dad and I both ordered the One Eyed Jack it was really good. The burger and egg go together like two pieces of a puzzle.

The burger was nicely seasoned but with out the egg it would have lacked every thing, The eggs a key piece of the burgers success. 
The curly fries were great and seasoned well.
Patrick's is an older place and had a sporty atmosphere decorated with licence plates and signs. It did take a  while to get the food out but the grizz were on a projector screen and it was a good time. 

My Mom got the club smokestack but they forgot the cold cuts and so that was a bummer. 

Go try this local burger in a local hangout it is sure to make you smile.
Love the cabbage Leaf,
Logan

Patrick's Steaks and Spirits

Pyros- choose wisely Padawan

There is this new place on Union Ave. called Pyro's.

Pyro's is all about pizza and it is kind of like Ghengus Grill, but for pizza. The way it works is you select the size, the sauce type, the meats, the veggies and cheese. It is fun to just go crazy with toppings and you can get pretty creative. The problem is you are the one who has to eat it! So if you choose lots of good stuff but it goes together in a strange way it is still your dinner. I would suggest thinking carefully about the type of things you like and then think if they blend together well.

      I got a snack size pizza with red sauce, mozzarella cheese, a bunch of olives, and Cajun chicken.

It was ok. The chicken had no taste and the crust is a cracker type, but the rest was good.

My Mom got a pizza with red sauce, mozzarella cheese just like me and she also got sun dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, sausage, mushrooms and other cheese. It was good to but still had a cracker crust- not her favorite at all. She won't go back. I think it is a NY thing.

My Dad got the pesto pizza it came pre-made and he did not decorate with anything else.He said it was good but I did not try it. Have you noticed that my Dad does not share often, and he usually has some basic choices. 

Pyro's is a cool place but needs to fix its crust or my Mom won't take me back. 

Logan Guleff at Pyro's

Ps. They do have a build it yourself salad: the same advice stands.

Love the Cabbage Leaf

Logan

Pyro's Fire Fresh Pizza

La Michoacana

I went to ,Taqueria Camino De Michoacan not to be confused with theMichoacana ice cream one but a mexican restaurant and bakery off Jackson Ave.  It was a nice place they had a bakery and a lot of sweet yummy looking things like: some weird doughnuts, buns, rolls, and a bunch of other stuff that I looked at but couldn't understand.

It all looked SO good  I couldn't pick but I decided on a doughnut. It was cool but not quite me, to be truthful I don't much like sweets. It has a more doughy texture than an American doughnut. It had a nice sweet icing  and it was very pretty. 






Now back to the meal, they had three different salsas one of the three is a regular salsa,just your basic salsa, another one is a green salsa which I didn't like it, not me, and last one was  a smoky spicy salsa which was quite enjoyable.  I shared a torta with my Mom it was ok. It was on nice soft bread, spread with beans and carne asada. I like the one at La Guadualapana better but we did eat it all.

My Dad had some kind of steak thing it look kinda good but my Dad REALLY loves steak so he ate it ALL so unfortunately I did not get a bit. (so sad)
Overall it was good but with so many Mexican places to try in Memphis, I am not sure how soon we will go back. 

Love the Cabbage Leaf,
Logan

PS. This is my favorite thing to drink Mexican Coke- And my favorite shirt, Overcast Network for all you Minecrafters La Michoacana