Chef Robin Paula
Robin Paula is the executive chef for Continental Airlines’ Chelsea Food Services catering facility, which serves flights departing from Newark Liberty International Airport, outside New York City. With more than 10 years of service in the fast-paced, high-energy flight kitchen, Chef Paula oversees the composition and delivery of 26,000 meals per day.
Paula is a graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, N.Y. We spoke with her about her profession and asked if she would share a recipe for one of the most popular desserts Continental Airlines offers — tres leches cake.
Q. Who first introduced you to fine cuisine?
A. Beginning when I was about 10 years old, my Aunt Ellen and Uncle Earl began taking me to upscale restaurants in New York City, such as Windows on the World, Il Cortile, and the Russian Tea Room. It was at these restaurants that I enjoyed many different cuisines and flavors.
Q. What made you decide to be a chef?
A. I had an after-school job working in a local restaurant in New Jersey. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and pace of the service. So I decided that the culinary field was something that I would like to pursue.
Q. If we looked in your home fridge, what would we find?
A. Pecorino Romano cheese, homemade pesto, and meal worms (for my 7-year-old son Gabe’s pet lizard).
Q. What one kitchen tool can you not live without?
A. A corkscrew.
Q. What’s your favorite New York restaurant?
A. The hot dog stand on 8th Avenue — just kidding. I don’t think I have a favorite. I love the creativity of Gotham Bar and Grill, the flavors of Tabla, and the sophistication of Jean-Georges.
Q. What’s your favorite dish?
A. Chicken parmesan from my mom’s kitchen.
Q. What’s your favorite dining experience?
A. Dinner at the American Bounty at the CIA. Being an alumna, it was a lot of fun speaking with the students who waited on us. They were one week from graduating, so it was very interesting to hear where they were going, and what they intended to do with their education. The food and wine were pretty good as well.
— Tammy Briggs
100,000
Number of ice cream sundaes served to First Class and BusinessFirst passengers every month
Tres Leches Cake
A Latin American–style sponge cake glazed with a sweet meringue
Ingredients:
- 10 fl. oz. sweetened condensed milk
- 12 fl. oz. evaporated milk
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp. baking powder
- 11 eggs
- 1⅓ cups sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1⅛ cups warm water
- 1½ cups confectioner’s sugar
Preparation
- Allow 8 eggs to reach room temperature before making cake.
- Mix milks, cream, and vanilla extract; refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 350"+F.
- Blend flour and baking soda; sift into a medium bowl and set aside.
- Break 8 eggs into a large mixing bowl and whip in a mixer at high speed until double in volume; gradually add sugar, then salt.
- Set mixer to low speed and slowly add warm water.
- With a hand whisk, fold flour mixture into egg mixture.
- Cover a deep 13-by-9-inch pan with nonstick spray and add cake mixture immediately. Do not allow batter to stand at room temperature. Transfer to oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until top springs back when lightly touched.
- Remove from oven to cooling rack and use a toothpick to punch holes across cake’s surface.
- When cake has cooled slightly, pour the milk mixture over it. Cover and refrigerate.
- Prepare meringue by whipping whites of 3 eggs in a very cold dry mixing bowl on medium speed until soft peaks form; add confectioner’s sugar gradually and mix on high speed until all is absorbed.
- Spread meringue across cake.
