- 3 months ago
Celebrate one of New Orleans' most beloved sweet traditions as Chef Ken Polk puts his signature Chicago twist on the iconic beignet. Watch the live demonstration, discover the inspiration behind his creative take on this Crescent City favorite, then sample the finished dish and cast your vote. It's a flavorful celebration of culture, creativity, and the joy of sharing great food.
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00:06Our folks today that are going to be reviewing what Chef Kim Polk has, y'all give it up for
00:12mega entrepreneur, longtime friend, give it up for G. Willie. Also, my girl, and she's
00:23been doing her thing in a major way as a major innovator and influencer when it comes to
00:30food, because she was like one of the first of the ports around here getting it in. When
00:34they was watching, she was doing, and now they kind of follow it. That's all right. That's
00:39all right. Y'all give it up for Boo Kutrisi. Y'all got to clap a little more for Boo
00:45Kutrisi.
00:47And we also have Miss Valerie Lomas. Is that correct? Oh, no, obviously not.
00:53But she's here, too. What's your name? I'm Chef Rosie.
00:59Hey, give it up for Chef Rosie. Yeah. That's what I thought. So I'm going to get out of the
01:06way, and we're going to let this thing go. I'm actually going to kind of do a little play
01:10by play so we can see what's going on out here. We got some cameras that are going to
01:13be roaming to see exactly how Chef Polk puts it down when it comes to these beignets and
01:18what kind of twist he's going to have on them. So Chef Polk, what are we doing here? How are
01:22we starting this thing? So we're starting off with a dough that we had to make last
01:25night to let it do what it's got to do because beignets, they take time. You understand?
01:28All right. All right. All right. So first thing I'm going to do is get my dough situated,
01:31and then I'm going to make the filling. Start with the beignets. We're going to roll this
01:35out a little bit. A little bit of rolling action happening. Nice new rolling pin. Yay.
01:40Oh, my dough is nice and bouncy. That's what I'm looking for. That's what I'm looking for.
01:44So the spin on this one is going to be made with a little bit of a beat of a
01:48beat of beer
01:48is going to be in the batter. Okay. Beer and cheese. I am from the Midwest. Okay. Okay.
01:53Not Wisconsin though. All right. All right. All right. So this is going to be a savory beignet.
01:57It is a savory beignet. Okay. It's going to be stuffed with some crawdads. Okay.
02:01We call them crawfish. We call them crawfish. Crayfish. Yeah. We got stuffed with some crayfish
02:05and some cheddar and some other stuff. All right. All right. All right.
02:08And so now I'm going to go ahead and get these cut out. Now, is there a certain thickness
02:12you're trying to achieve with this batter? Yes. Thin. Thin. Thin. Yeah.
02:17Because they're going to puff up, but we're going to stuff them a little bit. Okay. Just a little bit.
02:22Just a little bit. And so the thickness is going to be about a quarter of an inch. Okay.
02:29Not too much more than that. All right. So now I'm going to cut them into nice squares.
02:35You see that spring action happening? That's what you're looking for.
02:38That's what you're looking for. I'm looking for some spring action.
02:41So does the thinness help you with a quick fry and also so it's not too bready?
02:46I don't want it to be too bready. I don't want it to be too doughy. Okay.
02:48Doughy is showy. We don't want that. All right. All right. All right.
02:51And now I'm going to get started on my filling, filling, filling, filling,
02:56which is going to be, we got that. We got the crawfish.
03:02And get nice and going with my celery and my onions and my peppers.
03:09You got the Trinity. You know it. Okay. Okay.
03:11I figured somebody's going to pick up on it. You got to get the Trinity going.
03:13I figured somebody's going to pick up on it. If you don't have all of them,
03:16I don't know what are you doing. Right. Yeah.
03:17Because you're in the wrong place. Unless it's a mirepoix.
03:19I don't know what you're doing, bro. There we go. Mm-hmm.
03:21Get that in there. Get that going. Uh-uh. Talk back to you.
03:25He's talking to you. What'd you say? What'd you say? All right.
03:28He's here. Yeah, he's here. Who dat?
03:30Saints could be good this year, too. Don't play no games. Uh-oh. Uh-oh.
03:33We say that every year, but. And.
03:36We're not worried about the Bears, though.
03:37Wait, wait, what? Wait, what?
03:40You see all this orange. We know what it is.
03:44All right. All right, all right, all right.
03:47And I'm going to cut these into nice little squares.
03:50And that trinity is starting to smell good already.
03:53Yeah. Yeah, that's God-sensitive.
03:55Yeah, yeah, it is.
03:57Yeah. Is he not? Is he here? Is he here? Yes, he is. God is.
04:00First class. First class seat. Let's go.
04:02There we go. There we go. There we go. All right.
04:05So if you couldn't see, he was cutting it into squares.
04:07He did strips, then he squaring it up.
04:09Yep, yep, yep, yep.
04:09So you have a landing spot for the filling.
04:12And I want to get me a little bit of garlic in there.
04:16Knife skills are a must.
04:17Y'all smell that? Can y'all smell that already?
04:19Can you smell it? Give me a second. You will.
04:21There it is.
04:22What you can't have now, leave, and you will.
04:25There we go.
04:28Oh, he got it. He got it.
04:32Smell-o-vision. Smell-o-vision.
04:34There you go.
04:37And then we'll.
04:38And I really miss you.
04:42Wait. What's in that liquor bottle?
04:43What's in that liquor bottle?
04:45I really miss you, Brandon.
04:48There we go. There we go. I thought that was the music town.
04:50Ketchup. Ketchup.
04:51Come on now. Come on now.
04:53The more you drink, I know y'all got something out there.
04:56Here we go. It might be too early.
04:57Here we go with the crawfish.
05:01And we go with the crawfish.
05:04All right. We're working now.
05:05We're going to deglaze.
05:07Deglaze with the brandy.
05:09Maybe a little more.
05:11Maybe a little more.
05:13And this is for my homies.
05:16Pour a little liquor.
05:17Pour a little liquor for my homies. There we go.
05:19And we're going to bring that up too.
05:21Oh, you got some boursin. Some good soft cheese.
05:24Okay. Okay.
05:25I'm just saying.
05:26I love it.
05:27That's a binding agent.
05:28Okay.
05:29All right.
05:30Now, which boursin is this?
05:31This one is the garlic one.
05:33The garlic.
05:34It's so good.
05:36We're going to try to keep it a little simple.
05:38Just a little simple.
05:39I probably just dumped the whole thing in.
05:41That's what you do?
05:42I mean, I'm just saying you're the boss.
05:45I'm not the boss.
05:47I'm taking notes.
05:48I'm taking notes.
05:49There we go.
05:50And we're going to add a little bit of Parmesan to that.
05:52Woo!
05:52A little bit.
05:54A little bit more.
05:55Woo-hoo!
05:56What'd you say?
05:56You say some more?
05:57Give me some more.
05:58Come on.
05:58Come on.
05:59Give me some more.
06:01There we go.
06:01There we go.
06:02There we go.
06:03All right.
06:03All right.
06:04All right.
06:04And now I'm going to put my spices because my spices are nicest.
06:07A little bit of this.
06:08Right.
06:10A little bit of that.
06:11It ain't sneezing.
06:11It ain't sneezing, man.
06:12A little bit of that.
06:13You can smell it.
06:14You can smell it.
06:16You can smell it.
06:16Now, what spices are these?
06:18A proprietary blend, huh?
06:22No, not really.
06:22Yes and no.
06:23All right.
06:24So we're going to have some, we're going to have some Creole.
06:25Get away from here.
06:26Shufla, he hungry too.
06:27All right.
06:28So we're going to go in with some, some Creole spice, some salt, some pepper.
06:32Yep.
06:32And then we're going to put some cracked black pepper in there.
06:35There's some, a little bit of, a little bit of cayenne, a little bit of cayenne.
06:39And some parsley.
06:42Y'all smell it?
06:43Can y'all smell it?
06:44Is it, is it coming out there?
06:45You say no?
06:45Y'all smell it.
06:46Okay.
06:47Okay.
06:48My man over at the end, you say, yeah, I can smell it.
06:50And he hungry.
06:52All right.
06:53All right.
06:53All right.
06:55And we got, we got Chef Ken Polk for batter and berries and Kinspiration's out of the shy.
07:01Is anybody feeling Kinspired right about now?
07:03I know I am.
07:05Yeah.
07:06All right.
07:06So let's go in with these games, shall we?
07:08Okay.
07:08Here we go now.
07:10And in we go.
07:12They about to take a swim.
07:13They about to take a swim right here.
07:16No, no.
07:17They're going to take a dip.
07:18Oh, oh.
07:19Dip, baby, dip.
07:20Come on now.
07:21Dip, baby, dip.
07:22Dip, baby, dip.
07:24Oh, that's quick.
07:26That is quick.
07:27Boy, they're moving in here already.
07:29I like to move it and move it.
07:32I like to.
07:33Move it.
07:34There we go.
07:34I got the right crowd.
07:36Participation and everything.
07:37All right.
07:37Okay, congregation.
07:38You need a host at the club tonight, Greg?
07:41Right here.
07:42We got a celebrity host.
07:44There we go.
07:45There we go.
07:45There we go.
07:45Is there a certain amount of time you want to let these take their dip?
07:48Yeah.
07:49I'm going to let them dip until they tell me they're ready.
07:51Okay.
07:51When they look like us.
07:52I don't know.
07:53It's time.
07:54Come on out of there.
07:55They look like us.
07:56We're good to go.
07:59All right.
08:00All right.
08:00All right.
08:01All right.
08:03Get that happening.
08:04See if I can get a couple more in there.
08:08I think they got to be ready for a flip pretty soon.
08:11Yes, sir.
08:12Yes, sir.
08:13I heard.
08:13I think he cooking.
08:14Oh, yeah.
08:15Yeah.
08:15Yeah.
08:16Get you.
08:17Get you.
08:17Get you.
08:17Little more brown.
08:18They're not like us yet.
08:20They're not like us.
08:21They're not like us.
08:22They're not like us.
08:24So the trick is, you don't want the fryer oil up too high.
08:28Right.
08:28Because then you're going to have a problem on your hands.
08:30Because then they look brown too fast.
08:31Like they've been sent out that Nola Sun too long.
08:33Yep.
08:34All right.
08:34All right.
08:34All right.
08:38And in goes the cheddar.
08:43Sometimes you got to turn it up.
08:47Turn it up.
08:48Oh, there we go.
08:49I feel the texture.
08:50The texture is getting right.
08:51Right.
08:53Getting some body.
08:54They're getting some body.
08:55There we go.
08:55You get in there.
08:56Get in there.
08:58Yeah.
08:58Yeah.
08:59Uh-huh.
09:00I knew it.
09:01I think I like y'all.
09:04They all had their coffee this morning.
09:06Obviously.
09:07They haven't missed a beat yet.
09:10And you get down there.
09:12I want to make sure everybody has one.
09:14Or three.
09:15Oh my God.
09:16Y'all smell this.
09:20There's going to be some people mad at me.
09:22A lot of them.
09:24They're going to be happy over there.
09:26You ain't never lie.
09:28You ain't never lie.
09:30That man tells the truth.
09:31You'll be back here all day making these things.
09:33All right.
09:34All right.
09:34All right.
09:34And there we go.
09:35I think we getting some color now.
09:36Is that all right?
09:38Starting to work.
09:39Starting to work.
09:40Okay.
09:40There we go.
09:47No, I'm just going to turn it up.
09:49Turn down for what?
09:53There we go.
10:00Won't he send a friend?
10:03I had to get him in there.
10:04I had to get him in there.
10:05I had to get him in there.
10:05Oh, there we go.
10:06We're getting happy now.
10:10One, two.
10:10Buckle my shoe.
10:11So tell me about your spaces out there in the Midwest, man.
10:14Tell me about what's going on with batter and berries.
10:16What is it?
10:16We are a breakfast, lunch and brunch restaurant that is open right now.
10:20We're in three locations in Chicagoland area.
10:22And Kinspiration Kitchen is my own personal show.
10:25Okay.
10:26On live on YouTube.
10:27Kinspiration Kitchen, which you guys are all in right about now.
10:30Ah.
10:31Yeah.
10:32It's an improvisational cooking show, which means I never know what I'm going to cook until I start what?
10:37Cooking.
10:38Okay.
10:39All right.
10:39All right.
10:39All right.
10:39Oh, we good.
10:40We good to go on that.
10:42We're going to turn you down.
10:43Turn down for what?
10:44Because you're ready to go.
10:49You're going to have to turn that on.
10:50Just to keep you a little warm.
10:51Mm-hmm.
10:52Just to see you smiling and enjoy yourself.
10:57And there we go.
10:59Get these out.
11:03One, two.
11:09Y'all going to keep going.
11:11In the meantime, in between time, it's time to make a plate or so.
11:15Shall we?
11:15All right.
11:15Here we go.
11:17Chef Ken is about to plate this first round of the savory beignets.
11:22Is there a name for these beignets?
11:24Yeah.
11:24Kenyets.
11:26They're not French.
11:29Not to be confused with Kanye.
11:32Not to be confused.
11:33All right.
11:34So what I'm going to make now is my topping for that.
11:36All right.
11:36So we're going to go with a little bit of paprika, a little bit of salt, a little bit of
11:40Creole,
11:42a little bit of cayenne, just not too much.
11:46All right.
11:46All right.
11:46All right.
11:47All right.
11:47All right.
11:47All right.
11:48And a little bit of spices.
11:51I like him.
11:53Put him on payroll.
11:57All right.
11:58W-9 is coming.
12:01Care of Essence.
12:04Uh-oh.
12:05Uh-oh.
12:05Uh-oh.
12:06All right.
12:07Jim Ken is doing his thing.
12:08So now that you have told us about your locations, are you scouting spaces in the world
12:13is to start a-
12:14Is that what y'all want?
12:15A battery of berries in New Orleans, maybe?
12:18A B&B in New Orleans?
12:18Ah!
12:19Well, I'm just saying.
12:20Ah!
12:22I'm just saying.
12:22I'm just saying.
12:23We'll move this right over here.
12:25And here we go.
12:28And he's plating them with the, uh, the Kenye's mix.
12:35Who'd have thunk it?
12:36All right.
12:36We're going to get these out of here.
12:37There we go.
12:38There we go.
12:38There we go.
12:39Oh, okay.
12:40I'm not mad at a hand.
12:42Give him a hand.
12:44Both hands.
12:45Not one.
12:46Both hands.
12:47Not one.
12:49There we go.
12:50There we go.
12:50There we go.
12:53And...
12:53And this looks amazing.
12:57And a little more cheese because...
13:00It's never enough.
13:01Why not?
13:02Never enough.
13:03Ah!
13:04Lemon zest, huh?
13:06Okay.
13:08Add a little kick.
13:10A little acidity.
13:11We got a little freshness to it.
13:13Brighten up the flavor.
13:14Oh, I can smell it.
13:15That's a nice combination.
13:17And then...
13:19Oh, okay.
13:20Okay.
13:21All right.
13:21All right.
13:22All right.
13:22You go there.
13:25And then...
13:29There it is.
13:31Uh-oh.
13:32Uh-oh.
13:38Seasoning bae.
13:41And then we have some Kenye's.
13:44Y'all give it up.
13:44We got Kenye's.
13:47All right.
13:48All right.
13:48All right.
13:49To the judges.
13:50To the judges.
13:50All right.
13:50We're about to see what's happening here.
13:51But I'm just saying.
13:53Here you guys go.
13:54He was competing with himself today.
13:56And you guys got the world's cutest tongs.
13:58All right.
13:58All right.
13:58All right.
13:58All right.
13:59Okay.
13:59All right.
14:00Let me know what that do.
14:01For Greg hungry.
14:02Greg was in the club drinking all night.
14:05I've been drinking all night.
14:06I've been drinking all night.
14:07I've been drinking all night.
14:07I've been drinking all night.
14:08Hey.
14:08Yeah.
14:10Show him how to do that thing.
14:12She gonna get it together.
14:14Ooh.
14:14That thing look good.
14:16Look.
14:16There it is.
14:18Woo.
14:18All right.
14:22Make it hot.
14:23The ones that don't tell you to stop.
14:25Eat it up.
14:28All right.
14:29I think.
14:30Look at.
14:30Look at.
14:30My work here is done.
14:31I want to see what.
14:32I want to see what they working with over here.
14:44All right.
14:44Here we go.
14:45Here we go.
14:47Uh huh.
14:49All right now.
14:49See what it do.
14:50I'm trying to see.
14:51I'm trying to see.
14:52You know what.
14:53I ain't never scared.
14:54I ain't never scared.
14:56I ain't never scared.
14:56Mm hmm.
15:00Okay.
15:01All right.
15:02He said we're from the side to straight up.
15:04Uh huh.
15:06All right.
15:07Let's see.
15:08Let's see.
15:12I thought it was gonna be sweet.
15:13Get in there.
15:14He came and hit us with the favor.
15:15Yeah.
15:16Yeah.
15:17Uh huh.
15:18All right.
15:19Now he did his thing.
15:21Uh oh.
15:22Uh oh.
15:23Uh oh.
15:26Uh huh.
15:29See.
15:30See.
15:30See.
15:31Now what made you decide to use brandy as your alcohol that you added to kick it up.
15:38So it's so you got I have Sazerac in the batter but I put a little bit of brand in
15:43here because
15:43you know because I really miss you brandy.
15:48Yeah.
15:49That's why.
15:50So you get a little Sazerac in your in your dough.
15:52Yes, sir.
15:53Okay.
15:54Okay, sir.
15:54So we got a boozy bid.
15:56Yeah.
15:56Yeah.
15:57You got a boozy bid.
15:57Yeah.
15:58And it's not boozy.
16:01Boozy.
16:02Boozy.
16:03Okay.
16:04And we are.
16:05All right.
16:07And we got to do Sazerac.
16:08Yeah.
16:09So you got it.
16:09You got it.
16:10You got to put one in for the home team.
16:12How we doing over there.
16:13We good.
16:14All right.
16:15Let's see.
16:15Let's see.
16:15Let's see what what these guys are talking about over here.
16:19One to ten.
16:20What you got one to ten big Greg.
16:22I ain't gonna lie.
16:24Okay.
16:25Twelve.
16:26Oh.
16:27Okay.
16:28Okay.
16:29To be from Chicago.
16:31You know.
16:32I ain't gonna.
16:33I was.
16:33I wasn't expecting this.
16:34Right.
16:35Right.
16:36Nah.
16:36You did your thing, brother.
16:38You did your thing.
16:38Have you been Kinspired, my brother?
16:40No.
16:41Better yet.
16:41I've been a bad and embarrassed, dude.
16:43Oh.
16:45Oh.
16:47That was G. Willie.
16:48Boo Kutrisi.
16:49Give me your thoughts.
16:50Yes.
16:50Yes.
16:51I do love the miniets.
16:52I love the nice savory flavor.
16:54You got the spice that comes in with it.
16:55The cheese adds a nice texture to it.
16:57Uh-huh.
16:58Perfectly crispy.
16:59So thank you for that, sis.
17:00Ah, yeah, yeah.
17:01On the alley-oop.
17:02I had that.
17:02Go ahead, Scotty.
17:03Go ahead, Scotty.
17:04I had that.
17:0410 out of 10, Jeff.
17:05Scotty pimping.
17:06Go ahead.
17:07Definitely a 10 out of 10.
17:09Okay.
17:09Couple of things.
17:11One, not bad.
17:13Oh.
17:15What?
17:17I'm just trying to, you know, get into the details.
17:20Them flavors, they all came together in a punch.
17:23Okay.
17:24Secondly, you were pouring that brandy.
17:26I love me some brandy.
17:28But I was like, hmm, that's a lot of brandy.
17:30But no.
17:32No.
17:33It sealed it out perfectly.
17:35Yes.
17:35And the crispiness of the beignet, it all came together wonderfully.
17:39So, Chef, excellent job.
17:42Thank you so very much.
17:42All right.
17:43Thank you so very much.
17:44Give it up for all of our tasters today.
17:47Yeah.
17:48Thank you all so very much.
17:50And, yeah, the kimyes are kimye-ing.
17:52I'm happy about it.
17:53I'm happy about it.
17:54So, once again, like, folks want to know how to check out your YouTube channel.
17:58What is the exact title of your channel?
18:00It is literally Kinspiration Kitchen across all media platforms.
18:03Kinspiration Kitchen.
18:04Across all media platforms.
18:06We've been going for about two and a half years.
18:08Every Thursday, we've never repeated a recipe in two and a half years.
18:13And I do about five dishes a night.
18:15So, yeah, we're going to keep it going.
18:17So, I'll probably never make these ever again in life.
18:22No, they're not going on to me and you anywhere.
18:23But I'm going to tell you who is going to make some tomorrow morning.
18:29I'm going to be all up in the kitchen.
18:30That man, the Ben Kinspire.
18:31That's what I'm talking about.
18:32There it is.
18:33Thank you all so very much.
18:35I really, really appreciate you.
18:36And I'm going to eat meat.
18:37They said don't get what?
18:39High off you.
18:40Well, he never cooked.
18:43So, I'm going to...
18:44We get...
18:45Oh, we're going to eat.
18:45Oh, we're going to eat.
18:46Oh, we're going to eat.
18:47We're going to smash.
18:47We're not throwing none of that away.
18:48So, after the party is the...
18:51It's the after party.
18:52Yes, yes, yes.
18:53And he's going to be in the Essence Lobby.
18:57So, make sure you check out Kinspiration Kitchen.
18:59And if you're in Chicago, you can come to Batter and Berries and find me doing my thing.
19:02Come to Chicago and find me doing my thing at Batter and Berries.
19:04We've got three locations to serve you at.
19:07And...
19:07Is that a wrap?
19:07And that's a wrap.
19:08And that's a wrap.
19:09Peace.
19:09And y'all give it up for Chef Ken Polk from Kinspiration and Batter and Berries.
19:15Batter and Berries.
19:16Also, make sure to give it up for our tasters.
19:18Oh, tasters.
19:19I've got to make sure to say it right.
19:20Gee Willie.
19:21Also, my girl Buku Treacy.
19:23And Chef Rosie.
19:26Thank you all.
19:26Oh, I got it right.
19:27I got it right.
19:27All right.
19:28All right.
19:28And a while away, by the way.
19:29We'll be here all day.
19:30We've got some more different demos coming.
19:32We've got some tastings coming.
19:34The whole nine yards.
19:35But we'll definitely be back.
19:36Make sure to see your people over here.
19:38It's the Food and Wine Festival here at Essence.
19:42Thank you very much.
19:43Now, over here to the bag nets over here.
19:47I got you.
19:48I got you on the bag nets.
19:49I think that brand is good.
19:52The little sweetness of the brand, just to give it a little one-two.
19:57Absolutely.
19:58Absolutely.
19:59Kiana.
20:00I'll take care of these.
20:00You got these.
20:01Appreciate you.
20:04No, you ain't got it on the black radio.
20:05Did you see the shirt?
20:07Did you see the shirt?
20:07Turn around and look at that shirt.
20:13I'm the official black radio chef.
20:16By the way, stick around because we have a panel coming up on aphrodisiacs and food and wellness.
20:26That's coming up next.
20:34You want it in front?
20:35All right.
20:35Yeah.
20:35Not behind my messy station.
20:37My phone right here.
20:38Absolutely.
20:41Me in the middle.
20:45Sheffy in the middle.
20:46Where he at?
20:46In the middle.
20:47Sheffy in the middle.
20:47In the middle.
20:50In the middle.
20:51In the middle.
20:52Looking right there.
20:53there.
20:53One, there one.
20:54Yeah.