There is a massive and almost indescribable difference between prep and working the line. First a la carte is a way different animal than functions. Obviously right. Well for the past couple of days I felt a pain like I haven’t really felt and I will explain it here.
Our new package for the 2009 function menu came out the other day including some additions for the 2008 holiday season. I was told that Tuesday was going to be quite a day when I got to work and man was it ever. I figured it would be all hands of deck so I was a little shocked when I got there that I was the first kitchen staff in the building. I didn’t think anything of it and just started going about my day. Pastry Chef J arrived and then I figured okay people will be coming now. NOT SO MUCH!
I had a few things I needed to tend to before I could even look at the prep list for the day such as stock and some protein issues. But then I looked at the prep list. 3 pages of things that I had never done before let alone seen or conceived of. By 9 I went and looked at the schedule and realized that it was going to be the me show that day. It was up to me.
I have to be honest here. I worked my ass off. I did everything I could to make the package a success. I know I messed up a couple of things but we’ll get to that later. I felt an incredible amount of pressure to produce. I felt an enormous amount of pressure personally because this was one of the biggest tasks that I had been assigned and I felt lost.
As a result of feeling lost I started with the things on the prep list that I knew I could do and do well with little or no input from anyone. This served me in two ways, the first was that it allowed me to calm down and secondly it allowed me to start the day off on a proper footing so that I would feel okay.
When Executive Chef came in he and I discussed the menu and the items for about twenty minutes. I learned a ridiculous amount in that twenty minutes. He has an incredible way of forcing you to think. Instead of giving you the answer he coaxes it out of you. Think of him almost like the kitchen version of Socrates.
Then it was off to the races.
So, bearing in mind that I did not have recipes or specs, the following is what my day was;
Savoury Egg Nog with Cayenne
Butternut Squash Bruschetta
Cranberry Maple Glazed Duck
Scallop and Lobster Salad
Poached Artic Shrimp Sheppard’s Pie
Sage and Apple Bread Pudding with Oka Cheese
Lobster Shrimp and Scallop Wellington
Apple Compote
One Bite Potato Salad
Cider Aioli
Stuffed Cremini Mushrooms
Chanterelle Veloute
Potato Galette
Apple, Sage and Yukon Bread Pudding
Cucumber Roma Salad
Roasted Cremini and Pickled Red Onion Salad…
I think you get the idea. In all the items equaled about 90 or so different components to compile approximately 50 dishes I had never made. It was daunting, extremely frightening and enlightening.
I was unsure why I was left to my own devices on this. I still am kind of wondering why I was left to my devices. Was it a test? If so for my own very personal reasons I would have to call it a failure despite the fact that I did the best that I could.
When I left that day it was decided that I would come in at 9 to finish off the rest. By the time I had left I had knocked off about two thirds of the prep list. I felt pretty good about the day if not a little unsure.
The next morning I came in and got right to work. We had about six hours of work to get accomplished in three. We had all kinds of prep still to do and to assemble and mount everything by 1 pm. Needless to say it was a bit of a shit show. But we pulled together and mounted the best assault that we could. A and I worked out the list that remained and started going to work. He on the proteins and myself on everything else.
We were hustling. I mean really moving trying to get everything done. The line started slowly trickling in and we started getting more help. We assembled the canapés first. Then the buffet items. Then station items. Salads and then mains. We were doing fairly well. Everything that was going out was at least passable. But of course because I am much harder on myself than anyone else it was a bit difficult for me to hear certain criticisms. Even though they were beyond constructive.
So we were able to identify the issues with the tasting. We knew up close and personal very quickly what worked and what didn’t. We knew what tasted good and what didn’t and perhaps why. All in all it was an up and down experience.
I did the best I could. In fact I think I did better than I thought was possible for myself. Pat on the back yes. But at the same time I tempered that with some rookie mistakes that I shouldn’t of made and if I hadn’t felt under the gun I wouldn’t have. But I think that too is part of the learning experience.
When it was over I felt relief first and foremost. Then after being relieved for a moment or two I started feeling bad about the things that came out less than stellar. I WANT TO BE BETTER EVERYDAY. But rather than beating myself up I looked at the experience, what I learned and what I can take forward and I felt pretty good.
I also made Caesar dressing for the first time yesterday off of a recipe that I was given by M, the Garde Manger Commis. I thought it tasted pretty good and put it in the fridge. 14 litres of it. L and I had a party to do which called for Caesar and so I pulled it out. Chef J came along and said; “What is this?” I told him it was the dressing. He looked at it, tried it and then said; “No, how did you make this.” My back was up against the wall. I had followed the recipe to the t, did I screw it up. Do something wrong. No idea. But Chef J looks at me and says; “I don’t even want to serve this. Let me check with Chef.” So he goes and comes back and so too comes Chef. Executive Chef asks how I made it and I showed him the recipe. My back was up against the wall and after the day that I had had I felt like a garbage bag just ready to get filled. As such I went outside to clear my head (which incidentally is filled with all kinds of family drama to boot). Sitting there with Chef B he started letting me know what I might have done wrong and working it through with me.
Executive Chef comes out the door, angry, I mean ANGRY and lets me know that I should be inside. Exact words if I recall correctly were; “We’re in there fixing your mess and you’re outside having a smoke… Get the f^&** inside” I put out my smoke and started walking inside after him. And realized that he was beyond right. He pointed out that this is how I will get better. By making mistakes and seeing how they get corrected. So that when I am a Chef and we have an issue with the Caesar dressing right before a service or during of 400 people that it can be corrected. He was right. Is right. And I was wrong for not taking the opportunity to learn how to fix it. My head wasn’t there. No excuse. It just wasn’t.
I don’t really like being stressed out. I don’t really like family drama. I don’t really like feeling the endless pressure associated with that. But Executive Chef was one hundred percent right. Because my head wasn’t in the game I couldn’t see it. But I pulled myself together and learned the lesson. Next time I make Caesar dressing it will be much, much, much, much better.
I am not a big fan of getting yelled at. And when Executive Chef yells at me it is both painful and hard. I understand. I do. I know what is going on and I am trying. The lesson I learned yesterday above all else is that I need to try harder, work smarter and keep on going… NO MATTER WHAT!
Talk about a rough couple of days, both mentally and physically fatiguing. And yet I still stand and celebrate the life that I have chosen and the people that are helping me become what I want..
Confucius once said; “When you meet someone better than yourself, turn your thoughts to becoming his equal. When you meet someone not as good as you are, look within and examine your own self.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment