Objectives for the coming months (file under always learning)

The kitchen environment provides me with the perfect opportunity to learn new things everyday. It is not like in a school environment where things are laid out for you plainly and you follow a certain path. My ability to learn new things is heavily contingent on my ability to be curious. To watch something that is happening, internalize it and then ask questions about it.

One of the things that I have mentioned to Chef B that I really want to start learning so that I can do it everyday are;

Butchery – on all manner of protein. I have learned, at least in part how to butcher tenderloin and a striploin and have worked with European Sea Bass but I want to learn how to butcher Salmon, Tuna, Cod, etc. As well as all manner of proteins.

I have also started looking at the financial aspects of what goes in the restaurant. I am trying to discern how a certain thing ends up on the plate and how that affects the price that the customer pays. I am ever curious about food cost as a percentage, labour costs, etc. These are things that are vital to know inside and out if you ever want to have your own building.

I am always watching how management deals with certain situations and I will continue to be so. When I am unsure of how a certain thing has been resolved I will ask questions and to their credit all of the Chefs are willing to answer them.

I am going to be moving into our sister restaurant soon. It is going to give me my first real (for any real length of time) experience on the line in a restaurant. I am going to learn how to prep my station inside, how to handle orders both on Garde and on pans.

The next few months are going to be extremely difficult but filled with the opportunity to continue being the best I can. I am excited and ready for the challenges.

C.S. Lewis once said; “Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn.” You only need to almost take your finger off once before you learn, by experience, that you need to tuck them. Or grab a hot pan without a towel. I think you get the idea.

Are you dreaming big and inspired?

A la prochaine

SDM