Brunch

I arrived this morning at 8:45 at Reservation. Drained and tired I did as I now have ingrained in my head. I started to do the stock and demi but then was tasked to help set up for brunch.

We had to move tables, chaffing dishes, the waffle maker, some heating elements, get the waffle batter ready, bring out the already cracked eggs (which I forgot to mention yesterday. I cracked 16 dozen eggs). We had to move the salads, salmon, shrimp, assorted pastries, etc. Then Head Chef comes in and says that I am going to be out in the Front of House serving the waffles, beef and peameal bacon. I was nervous, excited and ready.

For approximately four hours I was serving. Standing there watching as all manner of people came up to eat their $23 or 5 or whatever it is brunch. One of the first tables had some people that I knew and I asked Chef how I deal with it when they come up. The basic idea was affable but not lengthy conversation. No problem.

After that was done it was break down brunch. Finish the start of the stock and finish the demi for reducing. There was a dinner party there tonight (only canapés) so I actually got out early. Though I did ask several times whether I should stick around.

I then went to Chapters/Indigo and bought the very expensive but very helpful Larousse Gastronomique. It is an encyclopedia, no, the encyclopedia for the restaurant that I work in and I’m sure all classical kitchens. Had no choice. Want to make sure that I am on top of everything that gets thrown my way.

I feel as if I am a man reborn. As if my life has been charged with professional meaning and purpose. I was miserable for a good part of the last couple of years. Doing things only to survive and barely at that. Today I feel as if I have love at my side, passion at my back and the desire to take both into the next strata.

For all those that I have failed in the last year, I’m truly sorry. I have been an ass. Afraid. Tired. Scarred. Wanting. I have now passed all of these things and discovered that as much as I know about cooking there is so much more to know. I am now free to develop as a cook, a man and a human on this planet.

Tomorrow I am dedicated to studying. There is so much to learn everyday at Reservation and I am an apt pupil. I know that the coming years are going to help me continue to develop and one of the most exciting aspects is that when C and I have children they will be able to look at their father and say that he is hard working. It will help them to see that a work ethic is most important of all no matter what the work is. I hope that our children will see that although the path may not always be straight, that you need to fall every once and a while, the most important thing is to persevere.

Another lessons this week. As I get better with cooking I am also going to become a better writer. I am passionate equally about both and the writing of this journal is helping me to again to do what I use to do everyday. Writing. And it isn’t easy. When I get home I am dead tired. But I know that by developing the routine it will help me become a better person. A better lover. A better everything.

Aldous Huxley once said; “Civilization means food and literature all round. Beefsteaks and fiction magazines for all. First-class proteins for the body, fourth-class love-stories for the spirit.”

I will write tomorrow about the terms that I learned this week and about the week in general some more. All the best and please have an inspired day!

SDM