Today, we learned how to make risotto—a fantastic dish for practicing the combination of dry- and moist-heat cooking methods. Our teacher walked us through his step-by-step process for making his version of tomato risotto. Preparing risotto this way is quite time-consuming since the broth is made from vegetable scraps and simmered for about four hours, while the tomato sauce consists of roasted vegetables that also require several hours of simmering. Once these two components are ready, however, the actual process of making the risotto is fairly straightforward.

I’ve made risotto many times before, but always using stock cubes, and I had never attempted a tomato-based one—so my previous versions were definitely much quicker to prepare.

Today’s task was to create our own version of risotto using the tomato sauce. I’ve always been drawn to Asian cuisine, and to be honest, a tomato risotto didn’t excite me. Instead of fully embracing the assignment and striving to make the best possible tomato risotto, I decided to rebel a little. My goal was to infuse it with Asian flavors by using as little tomato sauce as possible, seasoning it with soy sauce, and garnishing it with mushrooms. Since I’m already familiar with the technique for achieving the right consistency and texture, my main focus was on developing a rich, balanced flavor. But no matter how much I tried, the Asian flavors just wouldn’t come through, and there was no hiding the fact that, at its core, this was still a tomato risotto. In hindsight, it makes perfect sense—it was a rookie mistake to fight against the dish’s original flavor profile. But in the heat of the moment, I was convinced it would work.

The final result had the ideal texture and consistency, and my teachers gave it positive feedback. Even when I asked for constructive criticism, they had nothing negative to say. But deep down, I knew the flavors weren’t quite right.

This experience taught me some valuable lessons that will undoubtedly help me grow over the coming weeks. First, I need to be more open-minded and embrace new flavors—even those I don’t personally love. One of the key qualities of a great chef is the ability to bring out the best in ingredients and maximize their umami potential. Second, I have to accept that this isn’t a Chinese culinary school—we’re learning classical French cooking techniques, and I should focus on mastering them before experimenting with fusion cuisine. After all, one of the worst things a dish can be is confused—lacking a clear identity or direction.

I’ll be sharing the original risotto recipe soon!