Reservation...

So it is now 12:29 am as I start this. I left work at midnight after making sure that the kitchen was thoroughly cleaned. However, I would not have been home yet had the car not been acting temper mental. It wouldn’t start this morning so I thought that she could use a good boot. Sure enough she is fit as a fiddle now.

It is so refreshing to get up in the morning and feel a sense of purpose, a direction, a reason for your life (other than my love C which of course goes without saying). Not only a reason for your life but an intuitive feel in and around the kitchen and the knowledge that common sense can in fact be good for something and in Reservations kitchen is in fact common.

I learned so much today that it is insane that I was able to keep it all. I did keep notes on a bog pad today but of course left it in Head Chef’s office. My day started out as I had suspected with a prep list and go figure as I had thought it started with finishing the Ravioli.

I had tried to make Ravioli a couple of times for C. It is quite a difficult task if you do not have the proper tools. However here I have the top of line rolling machine (hand cranked of course). I rolled out one sheet of dough at a time. Folded it in half, use rounds to create an indent so I could see it when I egg washed it. Insert filling after egg washing. Fold over, push out the air, and use a smaller round to press it firmly into place. Then take a larger round and centre it on the Ravioli giving you two defined circles. Not only did my Ravioli look great but they also tasted great and I got a compliment from the Chef in that he didn’t complain and kept using the ones I made. So all in all a good thing. Not only that but I came up with a better and more efficient way to prepare the filling to be inserted by rolling it into balls. Chef liked it and now I have created my own efficiencies. Talk about value added (cue my own raging laughter as I remember a day that meant something else).

What have we learned so far? Task and then, you guessed it, CLEAN. Wipe down and put away the roller, wipe down your station, put used inserts, etc into the dish pit and start the next task.

For me this involved a lengthy session of the different type of sauces (5 mother sauces in the French culinary sense). Every sauce is based in some way on these types of sauces, they are; Béchamel, Espagnol, Veloute, Hollandaise and of course Tomato, from these the world is opened to your palette and there are numerous variations (thousands to be sure).

After Head Chef (also referred to herein as Chef E) had explained these mother sauces he spent an inordinate amount of time explaining to me the method and madness of his stock, remoulage (sp?) and jus. Of course to the lay men or uninitiated a jus is just a “sauce” that gets put onto whatever and I have to admit that until today I was largely naïve as to the complexity and extreme care that is needed to create the perfect jus. In Reservation that jus is the most perfect flavour profile possible as it should be given that you’re looking at like $2 an ounce. Think about that for a minute… How much is store bought ketchup? Puts it into perspective doesn’t it!

Naturally, I respect both Exec Chef J and Head Chef E so I will not explain how they make their stock save to say that it has mire pois (ah duh), bones, water and other flavouring agents. I can however tell you that the stock I started today will take three days to turn into jus AND that for approximately 16 litres of that magnificent gold I will have to use approximately 200 litres of various wet. Did you catch that 200 turns into 16?

For the next few hours I was dutifully caught in task, chop, clean, task, chop and clean. It is so amazing. Then after chopping some hand cut fries for the saucier I came back to Chef and noticed some more prep that had to get done; Chop Parsley, Chives, Grate 4 year old Cheddar, slice Brie, Cheddar and various other cheeses, prepare an apple vinaigrette, and lo and behold there was a soup there. We had not started soup yet.

Head Chef looks at me and says; “Let’s go shopping!” A kitchen term for lets go into the fridge. Looking at the various array of vegetables Head Chef asks what I think. I looked around and proposed that we could do either a roasted red pepper soup (I think I was trying to impress him) or a butternut squash soup. He looked at me with a huge smile on his face and said; “Let’s get at it.” So naturally I had to peel the skin, cut into cubes, put onto a cooking sheet, added some maple and salt and then roasted it in the oven. This kitchen is regimented however; a good idea is clearly taken as such and can be incorporated.

After that I helped out the saucier by cutting his fries and blanching them. Damn they are so good with a little demi and some cheese. Call it 5 star Poutine but geez I might get fat (not likely but) though it tastes so damn good. While doing this the Saucier instructed me to pay attention to the Garde Manger station which naturally excited me but of course scared me. So much to learn. But of course it was exciting to be standing there and I even plated six deserts that were sent out to customers and one Foie. Me, I prepared and plated a Foie.

For those of you that don’t know Foie is one of the most sinful luxuries in the world. It is fattened duck liver which is so rich it is to die for. You can only have it in small portions (some people can do larger but not me). At any rate, the fact that I am in a kitchen that serves Foie, Sweet Breads and the like means that I truly did pick the right kitchen.

The famous American philosopher and poet George Santayana once said; “There is nothing to which men, while they have food and drink, cannot reconcile themselves.” I friends could not agree more.

Everyday when I arrive I am elated and every day when I leave I am beat tired but elated because I know that I have learned more both as a matter of fact and experientially that I will be able to put to good use for my own well being, that of my love, that of our families and friends. So stay tuned.

There is so much more to say but only so many hours in the day. I know you all would like to hear more but I really have to sleep, as I need to be in work, dressed, prepped and ready to go in less than eight hours. But fear not for there is always tomorrow.

Be inspired today and have fun in what you do!

SDM