A perpetual problem for Chefs and owners of Restaurants is to find adequate if not good solid help when it comes to the dish pit. At Reservation every once in a while I would be asked (read required) to do some dishes. No big deal as in order to be a Chef you have to be able to do everything in your kitchen. Dishes being an intricate part of what we do it is therefore important for a Chef to lead by example and jump in the pit every once in a while.
Now, the love of my life C, she can tell you that I am not the best cleaner. Or at least I wasn’t. However, since starting my work in the kitchen I have found myself on more than one occasion doing dishes. AND LOTS OF THEM.
When I started at Without Reservation we were without a dishwasher. Chef looked around and asked for a volunteer. Naturally I was more than happy to jump in the pit. That first week I probably spent at least 15 hours doing dishes. I’m quite certain that some of you don’t spend fifteen hours a year washing dishes care of a dishwasher. Well, that’s me. Or at least it is if we don’t have a dishwasher and the job needs to get done.
There is a certain Zen like state that one develops when they are stuck in a dish pit and when no matter how quickly you go there is always another tell tale slap of a plate signifying that more dishes are ready to be done. The Zen like state involved finding your happy place and concentrating on something other than the task at hand. In as much as you can seeing as you had better make sure that the dishes are clean.
I remember being asked whether or not I minded doing dishes and I harkened back to a conversation that Executive Chef and I had had which illuminated the point that I made in the first paragraph. I chuckled to myself as I remembered back to the first dish that I washed this year. I for a moment was lost in that wholesale nostalgia that is usually reserved for some life altering moment like your wedding day or your child’s first day. I started to laugh louder as I realized that in fact the dish pit was the very embodiment in a practical way of the journey that I am on and the things that are required to get there.
Does that mean that I enjoy doing dishes? NOT REMOTELY! However, there are things that we need to do which are the reinforcement of the larger picture. And in my case. As a budding restaurateur it is necessary for me to get my proverbial hands wet. And believe me get wet they do.
So for that first week I spent a lot of time at Without Reservation in the dish pit. Of course I had to perform my line duties too. So not only did I have the caked on smell of doing line work seeping through my pores but I added to that the dish pan hands that plague many a house wife and duteous husband or chore laden child. But I looked at my hands for a moment and realized that every dish I wash brings me one step closer to my reality. A dream that was set in place a long, long time ago in what seems like a lifetime ago in a galaxy far away.
As the days have passed I have found myself in the pit quite regularly. I am not asked to be there. I go of my own volition. I’ve turned it into a kind of learning experience (not to mention humbling). So what am I learning? Good question. I’m learning what sticks to plates. What makes the most mess? Which dishes require a different complexity in cleaning the dishes? I’ve got it down to an art. Another benefit of working the pit is that I can see what comes back. How much was eaten. What was eaten on the plate and what wasn’t? I watch wastefulness as things that are left on the plate just go into the trash.
To the laymen these may seem insignificant. But the margins in restaurants are not nearly what people think they are. As such any knowledge that I can take with me now, making note of, and use in the future enables me to be a better Chef, a better restaurateur but to my view even more importantly, A BETTER HUMAN.
So what is the art? First is to ensure that you get all the dishes wet with the sprayer. Then you take steel wool or a green scrubbie and get off all the offending dirt. Another spray with the hose, both front and back and then into the rack. You send it through the sanitizer and then examine the result for any defects. Repeat as necessary. Stack and put away. SIMPLE!
All these lessons, no matter how seemingly small, are all the cornerstone and building blocks of what will make me successful. What will make me become more than even I had ever hoped. It is that attention to detail, that very act of being willing to do the smallest or grandest job, that will make my dream, all the more fantastic when I get there. And the dish pit is just one example of this.
Paul Carvel once wrote; “He who wants to change the world should already begin by cleaning the dishes.” Interesting quote don’t you think?
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
And some days A follow up to (file under Train Wreck)
As I alluded to the post involving a train wreck some days are just a pain in the ass. Mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. It is however how you bounce back from these days that matter. In fact that bouncing back, that perseverance, is what separates those that say from those that do. If I could figure out a way to bottle it I would be a very rich man indeed (though I already am as a result of the love that I share with the most magnificent woman in the world).
The day was horrible. I could do nothing right. NOTHING! I burned stuff. I screwed up prep. My counts were off. My brain was just not in the game. I don’t know why either. It just wasn’t.
However, the very next day was the exact opposite. It was in fact a beautiful day for me as a person and as a dreamer who is on his path. I had decided that I would stay after work so that I could know how to work every station. It is the job of a Chef to not just lead the team but to be able to work any station, at any time and under any circumstance. Though I am not yet a Chef I am trying to hold myself to the same edicts as a Chef would.
I came in early that day and just started working my little tail off. An hour before service I was ready and able to help others with the things that they needed to get done. During service, which was strange, I handled about fifty percent of all the orders that came in. I did so by considering timing, speed and organization. Something that I also have written about lately.
As I have mentioned in numerous posts, in order for the ballet, symphony, or whatever you want to call the kitchen production, timing, organization and speed are mission critical. This is something that I have had a hard time trying to figure out, partially because I am so green (well maybe not so much anymore) in the industry, but also because there are so many variables to consider and my focus up until now has prevented me from being able to follow through to a standard that I would consider proper.
I recall a conversation that I had with Executive Chef and Sous Chef A during the summer at Reservation, which related to my ability on the line. I had asked if I could ever be as good as Sous Chef A on the line and the answer without any hesitation was no. At the time I didn’t know whether to be hurt or to be spurned to action. Well now I don’t have the time to consider who is better. I only have time to consider what can be done. YES CHEF! SORRY CHEF! ANY MOMENT CHEF! 30 SECONDS, etc. For my journey I realize now it is not about the competition between two people that allows one to succeed and the other to only operate at a sub par level. Instead it is the internal dialogue and push that propels me to even greater possibilities.
Again, I feel, though this may be wrong, that when I left Reservation, there may have been the belief that I was going to fall flat on my face. I remember that Sous Chef A and I had a conversation in which eh told me that if I failed at this move that it would adversely impact my ability to live my dream. At the time it scared me. To the point that I second guessed myself. But how is all this relevant to this blog post you all may be asking. Well let me explain…
Timing; When you are working six different dishes with different requirements for lets say two different table, it is absolutely crucial that you, as the line cook, figure out a way to get them all up at the same time. This stems from both organization and the ability to see what needs to be done and to prioritize it. Now I have only been working the line for three weeks and a couple of days. In that scant amount of time I have found my inadequacies and addressed them. I have seen my flaws and started working on them.
Organization; There is no set way to run a station. How I might run a station is going to be entirely different from how my Chef, or my old Executive Chef or even Sous Chef A would run a station. You need to figure out what works for you, in terms of work flow, in terms of reach ability, in terms of maximizing your production with the minimum of movement. This is something, in fact the one thing that I am currently spending a lot of my time on. Someday, truthfully, I hope that I am as good as Sous Chef A on the line. But not from a competitive point of view. Rather for the benefit of what I am trying to achieve and in deed to make our profession better through practiced execution.
I was able that day to figure out how my station worked for me. To the point that I was capable of working not just my station but also Garde. AND also helping with the multiple other stations. It felt wonderful and it caused me to see that I do have not only the drive to do what I am doing but also the ability to conceptualize what it is I need to do. As time goes by I know that I am only going to get better and that is such a rewarding feeling.
I am reminded of a conversation that I had with Director of Operation when he was still Executive Chef after I had dropped a full plate of scallops for a VIP dinner. He looked right at me and said; “Stop brooding. Get over it and move on.” Only after the dinner was complete and I had apologized for making such a mistake did he say to me; “Tomorrow is another day. Start fresh.” This is something that was in my mind the day after my train wreck. And I believe that this belief contributed heavily to my ability to push through and produce a better result. So for that; Thank you Chef! Valuable lesson. Valuable result.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said; “Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in, forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day, you shall begin it well and serenely...”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
The day was horrible. I could do nothing right. NOTHING! I burned stuff. I screwed up prep. My counts were off. My brain was just not in the game. I don’t know why either. It just wasn’t.
However, the very next day was the exact opposite. It was in fact a beautiful day for me as a person and as a dreamer who is on his path. I had decided that I would stay after work so that I could know how to work every station. It is the job of a Chef to not just lead the team but to be able to work any station, at any time and under any circumstance. Though I am not yet a Chef I am trying to hold myself to the same edicts as a Chef would.
I came in early that day and just started working my little tail off. An hour before service I was ready and able to help others with the things that they needed to get done. During service, which was strange, I handled about fifty percent of all the orders that came in. I did so by considering timing, speed and organization. Something that I also have written about lately.
As I have mentioned in numerous posts, in order for the ballet, symphony, or whatever you want to call the kitchen production, timing, organization and speed are mission critical. This is something that I have had a hard time trying to figure out, partially because I am so green (well maybe not so much anymore) in the industry, but also because there are so many variables to consider and my focus up until now has prevented me from being able to follow through to a standard that I would consider proper.
I recall a conversation that I had with Executive Chef and Sous Chef A during the summer at Reservation, which related to my ability on the line. I had asked if I could ever be as good as Sous Chef A on the line and the answer without any hesitation was no. At the time I didn’t know whether to be hurt or to be spurned to action. Well now I don’t have the time to consider who is better. I only have time to consider what can be done. YES CHEF! SORRY CHEF! ANY MOMENT CHEF! 30 SECONDS, etc. For my journey I realize now it is not about the competition between two people that allows one to succeed and the other to only operate at a sub par level. Instead it is the internal dialogue and push that propels me to even greater possibilities.
Again, I feel, though this may be wrong, that when I left Reservation, there may have been the belief that I was going to fall flat on my face. I remember that Sous Chef A and I had a conversation in which eh told me that if I failed at this move that it would adversely impact my ability to live my dream. At the time it scared me. To the point that I second guessed myself. But how is all this relevant to this blog post you all may be asking. Well let me explain…
Timing; When you are working six different dishes with different requirements for lets say two different table, it is absolutely crucial that you, as the line cook, figure out a way to get them all up at the same time. This stems from both organization and the ability to see what needs to be done and to prioritize it. Now I have only been working the line for three weeks and a couple of days. In that scant amount of time I have found my inadequacies and addressed them. I have seen my flaws and started working on them.
Organization; There is no set way to run a station. How I might run a station is going to be entirely different from how my Chef, or my old Executive Chef or even Sous Chef A would run a station. You need to figure out what works for you, in terms of work flow, in terms of reach ability, in terms of maximizing your production with the minimum of movement. This is something, in fact the one thing that I am currently spending a lot of my time on. Someday, truthfully, I hope that I am as good as Sous Chef A on the line. But not from a competitive point of view. Rather for the benefit of what I am trying to achieve and in deed to make our profession better through practiced execution.
I was able that day to figure out how my station worked for me. To the point that I was capable of working not just my station but also Garde. AND also helping with the multiple other stations. It felt wonderful and it caused me to see that I do have not only the drive to do what I am doing but also the ability to conceptualize what it is I need to do. As time goes by I know that I am only going to get better and that is such a rewarding feeling.
I am reminded of a conversation that I had with Director of Operation when he was still Executive Chef after I had dropped a full plate of scallops for a VIP dinner. He looked right at me and said; “Stop brooding. Get over it and move on.” Only after the dinner was complete and I had apologized for making such a mistake did he say to me; “Tomorrow is another day. Start fresh.” This is something that was in my mind the day after my train wreck. And I believe that this belief contributed heavily to my ability to push through and produce a better result. So for that; Thank you Chef! Valuable lesson. Valuable result.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said; “Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in, forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day, you shall begin it well and serenely...”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
The Sound of Searing Flesh (file under if you only knew)
Every Chef, in fact I am sure every home cook, to some degree, has experienced the following. I can tell you that you say it is only going to happen once but sometimes you are operating on autopilot (which is both a good and bad thing in the Chef world). The following is the story of my seared flesh and the very real pain that comes from it.
Six pans, I had six pans on the go when I had to run to the fridge in order to get something to fulfill an order. I had three orders of Chicken Penne working on the front burner on a medium to high heat. Running again to the fridge I came back to my pans and realized that I had to jolt the chicken to prevent it from burning. With the items I grabbed from the fridge in one hand I placed my other hand on the pan with the chicken in it and immediately heard that sound all to familiar to Chefs the world over; “sssssssssssssssssssssssss” which is immediately followed by a “Damn it” as I snap my hand back. I look down at the offending hand and see the skin tattooed with the indent of the pan handle on my hand. I look at it for a moment as I curse myself for being so careless as to not have a rag in my hand to toss my pan.
For a moment the searing flesh rings inside your mind as if you have been punched in the throat, head butted and kicked in the nuts all at the same time. If your brave (read stupid) enough to try to sear a pan into your hand sometime you will know that the preceding description is the best possible. Without missing a beat I turned around and grabbed my offending rag (I say offending because it should have warned me with its very existence on my cutting board that I needed it) and tossed the pan. As I plated the offending Penne’s. Three in all. I let out a blood curdling “FUUUUUUUUCCCCCK.” Chef looked at me and asked if I was alright to which I responded that I was fine but was beyond missed off that I had made such a rookie mistake.
It was at this point that my seared flesh started to paint itself on my conscience. I was beyond aware of the pain but found myself working through it. It sucked. As I type this now I just looked down on my hand and saw that although this happened only a few days ago I still bear that ringlet from the pan handle perfectly on my hand. Oh well, a new lifeline as the case was.
When I left work that night I found myself considering how I had let this incident happen. I listed my mistakes and what I could have done differently and came to realize that this is just another stepping stone on the journey that I am on and in as much as it can be avoided. In reality, IT CAN’T BE AVOIDED. I play with fire every day and by doing so that the reality is that some days I am going to get burned. The name of the game then becomes how to prevent it as best as possible. RAG IN HAND AT ALL TIMES as my first Chef had told me is how.
At any rate, we live and we learn. We cut and we burn. All in all it is a valuable experience. Pain is a great teacher. Pleasure is the result as I realize that I am living my dream and that the dream is complete with cuts, burns and scratches. Life goes on.
Lance Armstrong once said; “Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”
How true!
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Six pans, I had six pans on the go when I had to run to the fridge in order to get something to fulfill an order. I had three orders of Chicken Penne working on the front burner on a medium to high heat. Running again to the fridge I came back to my pans and realized that I had to jolt the chicken to prevent it from burning. With the items I grabbed from the fridge in one hand I placed my other hand on the pan with the chicken in it and immediately heard that sound all to familiar to Chefs the world over; “sssssssssssssssssssssssss” which is immediately followed by a “Damn it” as I snap my hand back. I look down at the offending hand and see the skin tattooed with the indent of the pan handle on my hand. I look at it for a moment as I curse myself for being so careless as to not have a rag in my hand to toss my pan.
For a moment the searing flesh rings inside your mind as if you have been punched in the throat, head butted and kicked in the nuts all at the same time. If your brave (read stupid) enough to try to sear a pan into your hand sometime you will know that the preceding description is the best possible. Without missing a beat I turned around and grabbed my offending rag (I say offending because it should have warned me with its very existence on my cutting board that I needed it) and tossed the pan. As I plated the offending Penne’s. Three in all. I let out a blood curdling “FUUUUUUUUCCCCCK.” Chef looked at me and asked if I was alright to which I responded that I was fine but was beyond missed off that I had made such a rookie mistake.
It was at this point that my seared flesh started to paint itself on my conscience. I was beyond aware of the pain but found myself working through it. It sucked. As I type this now I just looked down on my hand and saw that although this happened only a few days ago I still bear that ringlet from the pan handle perfectly on my hand. Oh well, a new lifeline as the case was.
When I left work that night I found myself considering how I had let this incident happen. I listed my mistakes and what I could have done differently and came to realize that this is just another stepping stone on the journey that I am on and in as much as it can be avoided. In reality, IT CAN’T BE AVOIDED. I play with fire every day and by doing so that the reality is that some days I am going to get burned. The name of the game then becomes how to prevent it as best as possible. RAG IN HAND AT ALL TIMES as my first Chef had told me is how.
At any rate, we live and we learn. We cut and we burn. All in all it is a valuable experience. Pain is a great teacher. Pleasure is the result as I realize that I am living my dream and that the dream is complete with cuts, burns and scratches. Life goes on.
Lance Armstrong once said; “Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”
How true!
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
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