Time and Practice

Sorry I missed writing yesterday (though I did date this yesterday)everyone. I worked until 12:45 and then went to have drinks with some of the staff, as it was the one of the owners’ birthdays. I stayed for a few drinks and the got home and tried writing, but to no avail, I was too tired and needed to be up about five and a half hours later to get to work this morning for brunch.

My day started as every day has started. Deal with Stock, Remi and Demi! I’ve got it down now and though it takes time and I’m getting better with each one I make. There is an art to it and so far to Chef and Sauciers Rembrandt I am like a kindergarten student with crayons, but I assure you all I will get to Picasso or maybe even try to become Dali.

The function went off without a hitch. All our canapés we plated and served accordingly. All in all it was relatively easy. Of course the man that I work with closely named L has everything down flat and I tend to slow him down but he is very good-natured about it and understands that I am a newbie. He is patient and thorough in his demonstrations of how to do something.

One of the things I had a hard time with on Saturday was using butcher paper to make ice cream cone wrapper into which we place a couple of hand cut fries and a battered fish topped with a truffle aioli. I tried three or four time and got flustered. But L and S (the kitchens work equivalent of the Soup Nazi) both just shrugged and showed me again. I will get it. It, like everything else in the kitchen just takes time and PRACTICE and repetition. Just another thing to add to the practice list.

On the list of things never to do again; Veal bones came in and were in a smaller box. By my newly trained habit I immediately grabbed them and put them in the oven to roast. At the appropriate bone colouration I removed them from the stove and set them aside to cool. Head Chef then comes in to the kitchen and asks someone a question. I ask Head Chef if the colour was correct. He asked what was wrong with this picture. I answered after a moment or two that I was unsure. He made it very clear that I had used the wrong bones. The ones I had used were bones that are used for Marrow and not for veal remi. I apologized profusely and made sure he knew I would never do it again. He laughed, wrote down on the white board that he needed veal bones, turned to me and said that I should add the bones to the remi. Then back to the many other tasks that I was doing.

Cutting cold cuts for the meat platters, cheese for the cheese trays, blanching French fries, getting that canapés ready for the next function that was to start at 8:30 pm. This kitchen is a lot like a casino. As there are no clocks anywhere and not a window in sight it is difficult for you to know what time it is in the day (save for the rare cigarette breaks I ask Chef for). Sometimes time flies and at others it seems to take ten hours for ten minutes to pass. I guess it is like anything else in life though.

One of the tasks that I do which ten minutes feels like ten hours is peeling baby carrots in a very specific way. A box at a time. It truly is the most tedious job in the kitchen as it may take you an hour or more (right now for me it is more) to peel an entire box. First you have to cut the top and tip of the carrot. Then very gently in order to preserve the shape of the carrot you have to peel nothing but the skin. Though in order to get at the dirt that is at the base of the stem you have to create a bullet type cut. I haven’t times myself but I’m lucky if I can do one single carrot in a minute. Thus far, every batch that I have done has been less than stellar. There is always a little piece of skin or I’ve removed the green because I wasn’t gentle enough with my peeler. If you’d like to experience this go get a bunch of baby carrots. Do exactly as I just said and see how long it takes you and how very enjoyable it is. Although for me it is enjoyable because I would not rather be anywhere else in the world than in that kitchen.

After completing the first of about four batches I went to the Saucier and asked him if these were done correctly. He grabs a hand full and instantly identifies several small oversights. A piece of skin here, a little dirt there. You get the idea. I made sure to take extra care and effort to ensure that the next three batches I did would stand up. Bringing the next batch to him I asked if it was good. He looked and said; “Congratulation, you learned how to peel a carrot!” I laughed and threw my hands up in the air. Small victory. But victory for me personally nonetheless.

I find this to be a good spot to mention that I am a creative person. I love to write and take pictures but also to create plates that look very pretty. At home I have a pretty good rate of making plates look pretty but due to the exacting way that things are done in this kitchen I am yet (with the exception of canapés which are easy) to create a pretty plate. My finger fumble, I am slow and hold up the line and generally have not gotten up to speed yet. The number three chef kicked me out of the way yesterday for the evening function of twenty-one as I did not garnish properly and was snail pace slow. I took it for what it was. Just another thing that I need to spend time and energy improving upon.

After that I went to both Exec and Head Chefs and let them know that I was a little slow. Head Chef looked at me and asked if I like getting yelled at to which I responded no. He said without missing a beat. Well then I guess you’ll speed up won’t you. TRUE!

Another rapid-fire lesson happened when I came up to the line to give something to Head Chef. As I’ve said before, in this kitchen when you are walking behind someone you need to announce that you are there. Chef had been cutting something and turned as I was passing. He quickly flipped the knife and made a gesture that certainly would have eviscerated me had it hit me. As it was it was pretty close. Angry but fair he gave me a stare that you never want to get from a Chef. I apologized and mentally made a note to ALWAYS make sure that I announce I am behind so as not to lose my left testicle. Lesson learned in the real world real quick.

During one of my smoke breaks the Saucier came out and started giving me some good advice. In some ways I think he thinks I might wash out and I assured him differently but one of the things he said to me is that joining the kitchen now I am seeing a fairly lax kitchen because it is the winter. He said that there is absolutely no talking on his line unless it relates to food in the summer, as it would be impossible to get the job done. He also pointed out to me that in the kitchen (one of the reasons that I wanted to join as kitchen) your work and actions speak for themselves. As Head Chef had said just do your job and everything will be fine. It was nice to hear this from Saucier as I know that he also is going out of his way to try to give me that bump to take me to the level that I want to get to. It was he that later that night twisted my rubber arm to go for a drink.

There is a genuine camaraderie in the kitchen. It is like a family though each part of this family has to function perfectly in order for the family to work. If your function is less than stellar it affects the whole service. You always need to bring your ‘A’ game to the kitchen.

All in all it was a great day. Exec Chef also gave me a carving knife and fork. A great carving knife and fork and immediately I knew that I would be in the Front of House for Brunch the next day.

I had the opportunity at the party to speak with both Exec and Head Chef. I can't impart anything from the conversation here. But needless to say I know it in the deepest regions of my soul that I finally am on the right path by joining a kitchen. Especially this kitchen.

Leo Tolstoy once said about Art (of which food most certainly is); “Art is a human activity having for its purpose the transmission to others of the highest and best feelings to which men have risen.” I hope that my food causes just that.

Be well and have an inspired tomorrow.

SDM