Eatin' Good

Can we, just for a second, try to understand what Tyler Florence is doing with Applebee’s?

He’s created four dishes that they’ve themed “Huge Flavor” by Tyler Florence.

On the website they show him shopping at a market and chopping tomatoes (with an Applebee’s embossed knife) before he gently slices through the fresh mozzarella that he’s putting in your dish. All the quotes say things like “I quickly sear …” or “I flatten the chicken…”

Are there people who really believe that he’s cooking for them? Is there anyone who even believes that he’s coached the cooks who are making these dishes? Or that any of the food product comes from anything resembling a fresh market?

I had to see what was being delivered. I went to an Applebees and tried the herb-crusted chicken: “I coat a whole chicken breast in a light Panko crust and Italian seasonings and top it off with a baby arugula salad mixed with grape tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.”

The plate was pretty enough, better looking than the dead yelow-green Caesar salad my friend had. But the Panko crust was both greasy and burned on one edge. The actual chicken itself was thin and dry. There was plenty of arugula and tomatoes, but only a few pieces of fresh mozz.

Not that I expected more. When I asked the server what Panko was, she said bread-crumbs. When I joked, why don’t they just call them bread crumbs, she replied “They’re from France or something.” Huh.

I’m glad that people who wouldn’t normally recognize a chef’s name are being exposed to arugula and Panko. But without training and sincerity, all you’re doing is patting yourself on the back.

And what about your name, Mr. Florence? Or is the exposure and cross-promotion of your latest book worth an assignation of low-quality? Don’t worry, they’re not really your restaurants are they, you can shrug off culpability as soon as you move to your next project or tv show.

Learn from the mistakes of Rocco DiSpirito: You reap what you sow.