Well, another great day down and another to come. Just finished a great conversation with the love of my life. Technology is amazing isn’t it? Sitting in front of my computer in Toronto I can talk on video with my lover in NYC seamlessly and for free. What a world!
Yesterday was another great day. With a station map drawn out and feeling a little more comfortable I had quite the experience. Setting up was relatively easy because I knew where I wanted things to go so that I could work efficiently and smartly. I can see how the station is difficult to work at the height of summer but I think as I refine and retool my station it will not represent a serious challenge.
At the height of service yesterday I had twelve chits up and that amounted to seventeen different items I had to prepare, at the same time, with a total of fifty four components. Timing is critical. Why you ask? Well, quite simply, a filet of Salmon cooks much faster than a well done steak. Or ribs!
I feel as if I have a pretty good handle on how to work the station. I know that it is going to be at times a ridiculously tough station but I have never backed down from a challenge. Nor will I. And the best part is I do it all with a smile. Knowing that I am living my dream and doing it with a great attitude and a beautiful smile (at least that’s what my love tells me).
The weather outside is absolutely gorgeous. Feels like about twenty degrees with a slight wind. That means that by the lake it is going to be around fifteen degree Celsius with a cool breeze. I should be busy but not overly so.
And I am excited because I am going to Reservation tonight to see one of my friends play with his band. Ben Clost and his band The Emotionally Unavailable Mariners. ABSOLUETLY INCREDIBLE. You should check him out in this video; http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.channel&ChannelID=132539289. AWESOME!
I don’t get to go out often which is one of the sacrifices you make to be in this industry. It will be nice to see all of my friends from Reservation. Executive Chef, Sous Chef A and the Director of Operations. I’m bringing my camera to take some pictures which should be fun.
So here is to an amazing day. I have tomorrow off which is one the reasons that I can go out tonight. I have lots to do tomorrow too. I need to tweak my menu a little bit more and get ready to roll out my first menu of the summer on Friday. I am excited for the coming week.
As well I would like to congratulate C on finishing her first full year at Stella Adler. I could not be more proud or happy. She had her first NYC show on Thursday and Saturday saw her in two performances. I wish I could have been there but I was in spirit. Next year I will absolutely be there. At any rate, way to go Babe.
Oliver Wendell Holmes once wrote; “The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Showing posts with label NYC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NYC. Show all posts
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Day 14 of 14 (file under The Shiraz Helps)
I know it doesn’t sound like that much but since getting back from NYC I have worked fourteen days straight which amounts to approximately 126 hours. Not to mention the hour a day I spend rollerblading to and from work. Which incidentally is causing my legs to go from fit to Uber fit. I’ve noticed that my lung capacity is increasing a bit and that I can really push my body now. Yesterday when I got home I opened up a bottle of Shiraz which immediately took the edge off the past fourteen days. I found myself wanting to do nothing more than sit on the couch, but, as there are only 24 hours in the day, I had a smattering of work I had to get done.
This morning my body wanted me to get up at 4:30. I told it, ever so politely, to take a hike and found myself still on the couch at 6am. By that point my body was winning the battle and I pulled myself out of bed and went to get a coffee. In what bizzaro world does 6am constitute sleeping in? Not that it matters; I have a lot to get done today.
Yesterday was another great day at work. Even after fourteen days straight I found that my energy was not diminished, that my capacity for work was still at the same level it was when I started this stretch. It feels wonderful. I mean truly wonderful.
When I arrived at work I had to do my regular set up, which to remind you all, consists of putting in the muffins, starting the bacon and sausage. Turning on the toaster, fryers, oven, flat top and heating lamps. I then fill three blanching pots with water and put them at their various burners. Fill the ice on the cold line. Fill the hot water on the hot line. Set up the cutting boards for both stations (and I have now made it a habit to set up boards for Garde Manger as well) and starting two pots of coffee for the servers. Grabbing six pairs of various sized tongs, two flippers for the flat top, two slotted spoons, and one regular chef spoon. I then refill anything that needs to be topped off (which in theory should be done the night before, but we have spoken about that). Yesterday I had to top off the lettuce, tomatoes, green, red pepper and onion mix, oranges, lettuce and pea shoots. All in all the set up process takes about fifteen minutes. Ten if I am really hustling. About fifteen minutes after that the bacon, sausage and muffins are ready so I get them to their various stages and get ready for the inevitable order that comes in at 7 am.
Sure enough the first order popped at 7 on the nose. But I was ready and excited to start the day. It was a relatively slow day but for a Tuesday it was anything but. I would say that I did approximately 70 orders and along with Garde Manger that was probably double that number.
We operate as a team, if he is in the weeds and needs assistance, without being asked, like a real team member, I jump over and start helping him.
I had some prep to get done yesterday as well so that I didn’t leave anyone in the lurch. Prep included chopping stir fry vegetables (onions, celery, yellow and green zucchini, carrots as well as red and green peppers).
I think one of the things that I really enjoy at the end of my days is the sense of achievement. The feeling that I have accomplished something and done it with a smile. Which also leads me to the next point;
The small things in life are usually those which bring us the greatest joy. You’ll recall that a couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I had started writing on the take out containers of members. Usually something that is short and sweet but will definitely impact their day in a positive way (or at least that is the attempt). Yesterday I started writing on many of the boxes so that while I was on my days off they would still have some with writing on them. The messages I wrote yesterday were as follows;
Carpe Diem and I also wrote it in English on a few boxes Seize the Day
The Best Part of Wisdom is The Practice
Love is the Truest Wisdom
The Shadows in our lives are Usually caused by OUR standing in OUR OWN sunlight
Inspiration and Genius – One in the same
Knowledge of what is possible is the beginning of happiness
Each morning while I am rollerblading to work I think of little statements that have made me smile over time. Whether it is from Longfellow, Aristotle, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Doesn’t matter, the impact, is what matters. Apart from making a terrific meal that I am preparing for them to take away with them I am also trying to give a little ray of sunshine where there may have been none. As was the case the other day when a server came in and told me about a woman who was having a horrible day, nothing was going right, but when she got home and opened up the bag and saw the message she almost started crying. Coming back the next day she asked who had written it. They informed her (this is now the second time this has happened which only makes me want to do it more) that it was me and that I had gone home for the day. She asked them to relay the message that I had made not only her day or her month, but also her YEAR! A rewarding feeling to be certain.
So it is now 7:42 am. I have the whole day ahead of me. A couple more blog posts to come. I am also working on some writing for a friend of mine resident in NYC at the moment. Exciting times. I am also cleaning up my iTunes today. I started the day with 6000 songs amounting to almost nineteen days of continuous music. Today I am getting rid of some of the crap. Time consuming but necessary to make way for more great music to be added.
As I said at the beginning of this post. The Shiraz Helps. And it sure did last night. Today I am fresh, alive and filled with the wonder of where this day will lead. I hope the same is true for you.
T.E Lawrence once said; “All men dream but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes to make it possible.”
Are your eyes open? Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
This morning my body wanted me to get up at 4:30. I told it, ever so politely, to take a hike and found myself still on the couch at 6am. By that point my body was winning the battle and I pulled myself out of bed and went to get a coffee. In what bizzaro world does 6am constitute sleeping in? Not that it matters; I have a lot to get done today.
Yesterday was another great day at work. Even after fourteen days straight I found that my energy was not diminished, that my capacity for work was still at the same level it was when I started this stretch. It feels wonderful. I mean truly wonderful.
When I arrived at work I had to do my regular set up, which to remind you all, consists of putting in the muffins, starting the bacon and sausage. Turning on the toaster, fryers, oven, flat top and heating lamps. I then fill three blanching pots with water and put them at their various burners. Fill the ice on the cold line. Fill the hot water on the hot line. Set up the cutting boards for both stations (and I have now made it a habit to set up boards for Garde Manger as well) and starting two pots of coffee for the servers. Grabbing six pairs of various sized tongs, two flippers for the flat top, two slotted spoons, and one regular chef spoon. I then refill anything that needs to be topped off (which in theory should be done the night before, but we have spoken about that). Yesterday I had to top off the lettuce, tomatoes, green, red pepper and onion mix, oranges, lettuce and pea shoots. All in all the set up process takes about fifteen minutes. Ten if I am really hustling. About fifteen minutes after that the bacon, sausage and muffins are ready so I get them to their various stages and get ready for the inevitable order that comes in at 7 am.
Sure enough the first order popped at 7 on the nose. But I was ready and excited to start the day. It was a relatively slow day but for a Tuesday it was anything but. I would say that I did approximately 70 orders and along with Garde Manger that was probably double that number.
We operate as a team, if he is in the weeds and needs assistance, without being asked, like a real team member, I jump over and start helping him.
I had some prep to get done yesterday as well so that I didn’t leave anyone in the lurch. Prep included chopping stir fry vegetables (onions, celery, yellow and green zucchini, carrots as well as red and green peppers).
I think one of the things that I really enjoy at the end of my days is the sense of achievement. The feeling that I have accomplished something and done it with a smile. Which also leads me to the next point;
The small things in life are usually those which bring us the greatest joy. You’ll recall that a couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I had started writing on the take out containers of members. Usually something that is short and sweet but will definitely impact their day in a positive way (or at least that is the attempt). Yesterday I started writing on many of the boxes so that while I was on my days off they would still have some with writing on them. The messages I wrote yesterday were as follows;
Carpe Diem and I also wrote it in English on a few boxes Seize the Day
The Best Part of Wisdom is The Practice
Love is the Truest Wisdom
The Shadows in our lives are Usually caused by OUR standing in OUR OWN sunlight
Inspiration and Genius – One in the same
Knowledge of what is possible is the beginning of happiness
Each morning while I am rollerblading to work I think of little statements that have made me smile over time. Whether it is from Longfellow, Aristotle, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Doesn’t matter, the impact, is what matters. Apart from making a terrific meal that I am preparing for them to take away with them I am also trying to give a little ray of sunshine where there may have been none. As was the case the other day when a server came in and told me about a woman who was having a horrible day, nothing was going right, but when she got home and opened up the bag and saw the message she almost started crying. Coming back the next day she asked who had written it. They informed her (this is now the second time this has happened which only makes me want to do it more) that it was me and that I had gone home for the day. She asked them to relay the message that I had made not only her day or her month, but also her YEAR! A rewarding feeling to be certain.
So it is now 7:42 am. I have the whole day ahead of me. A couple more blog posts to come. I am also working on some writing for a friend of mine resident in NYC at the moment. Exciting times. I am also cleaning up my iTunes today. I started the day with 6000 songs amounting to almost nineteen days of continuous music. Today I am getting rid of some of the crap. Time consuming but necessary to make way for more great music to be added.
As I said at the beginning of this post. The Shiraz Helps. And it sure did last night. Today I am fresh, alive and filled with the wonder of where this day will lead. I hope the same is true for you.
T.E Lawrence once said; “All men dream but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes to make it possible.”
Are your eyes open? Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Monday, May 11, 2009
Day 13 of 14 straight (file under I LOVE IT!)
So I fired off an email on Friday to L’s acquaintance that had mentioned he was interested in becoming a Chef. As stated in the email I gave him a call when I got home this afternoon. When I did not get him I sent him another email asking him to get in contact with me when he is ready. I will definitely keep you posted on any updates.
So today was Day 13 of 14 before I get a day off. Such is the price of going to NYC and having so much damn fun. But unlike other times in the past when I pulled long stretches without a break I find that I have oodles of energy and am brimming with positivism as I know that every day I am one day closer to my goal.
Saturday was a very interesting day at work. As I may or may not have mentioned my morning partner was off all last week and I was alone. On Saturday my relief came in at 9 am and I pretty much left him to take care of prep and anything else that came up as I wanted to see just how well I could do the line dance. (Not to be confused with line dancing as in cowboy boots).
I have always been someone who looks challenges directly in the eye and then, to the best of my ability, knocked them out of the park. Saturday was no exception. It was a challenge that I needed to give myself in order to grow as a cook. So naturally I got there at my usual about 6:10 am and started about my daily tasks. I’ve taken on starting coffee for the servers and laying out the cutting boards for the Garde Manger as well. It is a little thing but I know that it is appreciated.
It felt great to challenge myself on Saturday. I mean really great. I managed to Tango, Salsa, Pirouette, Meringue and Waltz all at the same time. At one point I had four omelettes, eight or nine orders of eggs either over easy, over hard or Sunnyside up and about five orders of Eggs Benedict, Florentine or Benjamin all going at the same time. My body with attention to detail moved gracefully from one side of the line to the other, almost as if I was on skates, sliding down the line, dropping the plates, putting on the various components, turning around and tending to the eggs and then right back to the plates and their various presentations. It was the first time that I had intentionally put myself in the weeds to see if I could pull myself out. I could have at any point called for help and it would have been there in two seconds flat. But I refused to, I wanted to put pressure on myself, I wanted to see how fast I could turn around chits, I wanted to see if I could ensure that the food did not suffer and that I still got it out in a timely fashion. Feel good? DAMN RIGHT! It was a personal victory which revealed to me that I could handle the various stresses in a high paced environment without losing my head or my chits. I am extremely thrilled to report that I was able to turn around orders in as little as three minutes and my longest took twelve when I was getting severely slammed.
Of course because the club is all about making sure the members are always happy you can get breakfast any time of the day. This presents a certain set of challenges when you approach lunchtime. Again because you could get three or four orders on a chit, one for breakfast and the rest for lunch. Organization and timing becoming your paramount concern next to ensuring that the food tastes and LOOKS good. As 12:30 passed I was busy. I had about twelve chits up and I would say it was thirty percent breakfast and the rest lunch. Every time I got that many chits, M would ask if I was okay. I assured him I was and just continued doing what I was doing.
By the end of my shift I had worked about one hundred and forty chits which amounted to about four hundred different orders with (approximately) nine hundred different components. Did it feel good? DAMN RIGHT!
I thought back to Reservation and my experience on the grill and thought how I believe I could pull myself out now without much assistance. Yet I began to wonder why I was left to essentially hang. My relief never came as quickly as it could have and only now do I find myself wondering why in any substantial way. Was it part of the process? Was it some design that I still am unclear on? Or was it something else? I believe as I go forward I will be able to answer that question better. But nonetheless it felt pretty good to wonder about.
I am finding that I am not sleeping well. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I am currently alone in my place. No roommate and no C. That will change when C gets here in less than a month. However, I also think it is because I have so much on my brain. I am constantly thinking about food, about new concepts, new dishes, new techniques and all of it with an eye to making the best food I possibly can.
All in all I am thrilled. Absolutely thrilled with my decision. I have found a place that I can call home for a while and continue to test my dishes and techniques. All with an eye to the future but maintaining quality and consistency in the present.
This post caused me to think of two quotes. One from William Faulkner; “People need trouble -- a little frustration to sharpen the spirit on, toughen it. Artists do; I don't mean you need to live in a rat hole or gutter, but you have to learn fortitude, endurance. Only vegetables are happy.”
The other from John Heywood; “If you will call your troubles experiences, and remember that every experience develops some latent force within you, you will grow vigorous and happy, however adverse your circumstances may seem to be.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired? WHY NOT! I’m here for you anytime. Just let me know what I can do.
A la prochaine
SDM
So today was Day 13 of 14 before I get a day off. Such is the price of going to NYC and having so much damn fun. But unlike other times in the past when I pulled long stretches without a break I find that I have oodles of energy and am brimming with positivism as I know that every day I am one day closer to my goal.
Saturday was a very interesting day at work. As I may or may not have mentioned my morning partner was off all last week and I was alone. On Saturday my relief came in at 9 am and I pretty much left him to take care of prep and anything else that came up as I wanted to see just how well I could do the line dance. (Not to be confused with line dancing as in cowboy boots).
I have always been someone who looks challenges directly in the eye and then, to the best of my ability, knocked them out of the park. Saturday was no exception. It was a challenge that I needed to give myself in order to grow as a cook. So naturally I got there at my usual about 6:10 am and started about my daily tasks. I’ve taken on starting coffee for the servers and laying out the cutting boards for the Garde Manger as well. It is a little thing but I know that it is appreciated.
It felt great to challenge myself on Saturday. I mean really great. I managed to Tango, Salsa, Pirouette, Meringue and Waltz all at the same time. At one point I had four omelettes, eight or nine orders of eggs either over easy, over hard or Sunnyside up and about five orders of Eggs Benedict, Florentine or Benjamin all going at the same time. My body with attention to detail moved gracefully from one side of the line to the other, almost as if I was on skates, sliding down the line, dropping the plates, putting on the various components, turning around and tending to the eggs and then right back to the plates and their various presentations. It was the first time that I had intentionally put myself in the weeds to see if I could pull myself out. I could have at any point called for help and it would have been there in two seconds flat. But I refused to, I wanted to put pressure on myself, I wanted to see how fast I could turn around chits, I wanted to see if I could ensure that the food did not suffer and that I still got it out in a timely fashion. Feel good? DAMN RIGHT! It was a personal victory which revealed to me that I could handle the various stresses in a high paced environment without losing my head or my chits. I am extremely thrilled to report that I was able to turn around orders in as little as three minutes and my longest took twelve when I was getting severely slammed.
Of course because the club is all about making sure the members are always happy you can get breakfast any time of the day. This presents a certain set of challenges when you approach lunchtime. Again because you could get three or four orders on a chit, one for breakfast and the rest for lunch. Organization and timing becoming your paramount concern next to ensuring that the food tastes and LOOKS good. As 12:30 passed I was busy. I had about twelve chits up and I would say it was thirty percent breakfast and the rest lunch. Every time I got that many chits, M would ask if I was okay. I assured him I was and just continued doing what I was doing.
By the end of my shift I had worked about one hundred and forty chits which amounted to about four hundred different orders with (approximately) nine hundred different components. Did it feel good? DAMN RIGHT!
I thought back to Reservation and my experience on the grill and thought how I believe I could pull myself out now without much assistance. Yet I began to wonder why I was left to essentially hang. My relief never came as quickly as it could have and only now do I find myself wondering why in any substantial way. Was it part of the process? Was it some design that I still am unclear on? Or was it something else? I believe as I go forward I will be able to answer that question better. But nonetheless it felt pretty good to wonder about.
I am finding that I am not sleeping well. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I am currently alone in my place. No roommate and no C. That will change when C gets here in less than a month. However, I also think it is because I have so much on my brain. I am constantly thinking about food, about new concepts, new dishes, new techniques and all of it with an eye to making the best food I possibly can.
All in all I am thrilled. Absolutely thrilled with my decision. I have found a place that I can call home for a while and continue to test my dishes and techniques. All with an eye to the future but maintaining quality and consistency in the present.
This post caused me to think of two quotes. One from William Faulkner; “People need trouble -- a little frustration to sharpen the spirit on, toughen it. Artists do; I don't mean you need to live in a rat hole or gutter, but you have to learn fortitude, endurance. Only vegetables are happy.”
The other from John Heywood; “If you will call your troubles experiences, and remember that every experience develops some latent force within you, you will grow vigorous and happy, however adverse your circumstances may seem to be.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired? WHY NOT! I’m here for you anytime. Just let me know what I can do.
A la prochaine
SDM
Friday, April 24, 2009
Elusive Hudson Sturgeon (file under I'm Out)
Well my friends, it is time for a much needed break from reality. Where does one go to break from reality, well, naturally the hyper reality of New York City. It was C's birthday last week and I am coming down to cook dinner for between 20 and 30 people. And to show my old business partner L around the big city. I am beyond excited. I might even find one of the elusive Hudson Sturgeons. But seriously, I will have some great tales for you (and pictures) when I return. Look for it on Tuesday or Wednesday. And I know that I still owe you a post with pictures from work. That too will materialize on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Carrie once said (as in Sex and the City); “But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous.”
I guess my life is fabulous then.
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine, and one more thing....
LIVE FROM NEW YORK ITS....
SDM
Carrie once said (as in Sex and the City); “But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous.”
I guess my life is fabulous then.
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine, and one more thing....
LIVE FROM NEW YORK ITS....
SDM
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
And it just keeps getting better (file under Wowzer)
I truly hope that everyone knows even half as much joy as I do. I don’t say this to sound like a braggart, instead, I say this, because I made a conscious decision to awaken my own happiness by deciding what I truly wanted to do with my life and then went after it.
What have you done today to realize that long held dream? They say the longest step in a journey of a million miles is the first and I tend to believe them. Whoever they are?
I woke up real early this morning. Somewhere around 3:45am. My body just doesn’t want to let me sleep as I am so insanely excited each and every day to go to work. So I took my time getting ready. Spent some time working on the plan for New York City this weekend. Responded to some emails and got a great email from C about this weekend. It would appear that James Lipton and I (and a few hundred others) are going to get intimate with Seth Macfarlane of Family Guy and American Dad fame. It is an ever so happy accident which reveals, there are no accidents, merely opportunities. Needless to say I am thrilled.
I left the house around 5:40am and did not rollerblade today as the road was slick but I did bring them so I could run a few errands after work. Though still slick it was a great rollerblade home. Possibly because I knew that I now have thirty six hours to myself to get all the things I need to get done before going to NYC.
So I started when I got to work by taking care of the muffins, bacon and sausage. Set up the line and then on to the days prep which as you all know includes getting the specials ready for the day, conceiving of the specials for tomorrow, etc. Naturally my morning regulars were there and happy as could be to see me. Little did they know that I had specially prepared 6 carrot muffins for one of them and had the Health in a Glass ready to go. I got to meet two other regulars this morning who asked; “Well how come I don’t get this kind of service, I’ve been a member for thirty five years.” At this point Mr. S explained that I had just started and explained a bit about my story, where I come from and why I love my job. Bang on in his description by the way. I thanked him for his kind words which were, VERY kind and then found my way back to the kitchen to finish the H.I.A.G.
Today I had to prepare H.I.A.G. for six and the ingredients were; Banana (in case you haven’t noticed my favorite and has been since a child), Mango (another lifelong favourite), Raspberries, Orange Juice and Ice. I call this one Tropic Thunder. When I went out to refill my coffee (Peruvian sunrise and fair trade and organic) I could hear them all loving it. They thanked me profusely. It feels REAL GOOD to be appreciated.
Yesterdays specials went like hotcakes and they had no prep left which means that I sold all of them. The specials today were selling like hotcakes. I did about ten of the pasta and four of the pizza by the time I left.
The specials tomorrow are a Fusilli fagiole with shallots, red beans, red peppers and black olives. While the pizza is a Caprese; Boccini, Tomato and Basil.
I also took pictures of work today and will post them tomorrow. All in all I am truly loving life. I feel honoured and privileged that other people recognize what I am and what I have to offer. In the pursuit of service I have realized my life mission.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Yousuf Karsh (Turkish born Canadian) once said; “I have found that great people do have in common an immense belief in themselves and in their mission. They also have great determination as well as an ability to work hard. At the crucial moment of decision, they draw on their accumulated wisdom. Above all, they have integrity.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
What have you done today to realize that long held dream? They say the longest step in a journey of a million miles is the first and I tend to believe them. Whoever they are?
I woke up real early this morning. Somewhere around 3:45am. My body just doesn’t want to let me sleep as I am so insanely excited each and every day to go to work. So I took my time getting ready. Spent some time working on the plan for New York City this weekend. Responded to some emails and got a great email from C about this weekend. It would appear that James Lipton and I (and a few hundred others) are going to get intimate with Seth Macfarlane of Family Guy and American Dad fame. It is an ever so happy accident which reveals, there are no accidents, merely opportunities. Needless to say I am thrilled.
I left the house around 5:40am and did not rollerblade today as the road was slick but I did bring them so I could run a few errands after work. Though still slick it was a great rollerblade home. Possibly because I knew that I now have thirty six hours to myself to get all the things I need to get done before going to NYC.
So I started when I got to work by taking care of the muffins, bacon and sausage. Set up the line and then on to the days prep which as you all know includes getting the specials ready for the day, conceiving of the specials for tomorrow, etc. Naturally my morning regulars were there and happy as could be to see me. Little did they know that I had specially prepared 6 carrot muffins for one of them and had the Health in a Glass ready to go. I got to meet two other regulars this morning who asked; “Well how come I don’t get this kind of service, I’ve been a member for thirty five years.” At this point Mr. S explained that I had just started and explained a bit about my story, where I come from and why I love my job. Bang on in his description by the way. I thanked him for his kind words which were, VERY kind and then found my way back to the kitchen to finish the H.I.A.G.
Today I had to prepare H.I.A.G. for six and the ingredients were; Banana (in case you haven’t noticed my favorite and has been since a child), Mango (another lifelong favourite), Raspberries, Orange Juice and Ice. I call this one Tropic Thunder. When I went out to refill my coffee (Peruvian sunrise and fair trade and organic) I could hear them all loving it. They thanked me profusely. It feels REAL GOOD to be appreciated.
Yesterdays specials went like hotcakes and they had no prep left which means that I sold all of them. The specials today were selling like hotcakes. I did about ten of the pasta and four of the pizza by the time I left.
The specials tomorrow are a Fusilli fagiole with shallots, red beans, red peppers and black olives. While the pizza is a Caprese; Boccini, Tomato and Basil.
I also took pictures of work today and will post them tomorrow. All in all I am truly loving life. I feel honoured and privileged that other people recognize what I am and what I have to offer. In the pursuit of service I have realized my life mission.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Yousuf Karsh (Turkish born Canadian) once said; “I have found that great people do have in common an immense belief in themselves and in their mission. They also have great determination as well as an ability to work hard. At the crucial moment of decision, they draw on their accumulated wisdom. Above all, they have integrity.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Monday, April 20, 2009
Rainy Monday (file under wet and tired… BUT LOVING IT)
I couldn’t really sleep last night. I woke up every hour on the hour. Yet, I find myself filled with all kind of energy, so it didn’t really affect me all that much. I think I am excited for my trip to NYC.
Today was a busy day. Beyond the usual I found myself with a massive amount of prep to do. I believe the old expression goes while the cats away the mouse will play. Due to Sous Chef R being away I think that some people are just on automatic pilot. Although my 8 am partner this morning told me that if I do their work once it will always be expected. I replied that while that may be true, I am here to do a job and regardless of who does it that job is going to get done. I prefer to let my work do the talking rather than my mouth. AND MY WORK IS BEYOND REPROACH! So I just went along my merry way banging one thing after another off of my list.
Health in a Glass (H.I.A.G.) this morning was absolutely awesome. I did two of them. The first was with an egg, grapefruit juice, grapefruit, raspberries, raspberry yoghurt, honeydew melon and ice. DELICIOUS.
The second was also fabulous. Two bananas, blackberries, raspberry yoghurt, an egg, pineapple juice and ice. AWESOME!
The specials that I created for yesterday flew off the line. When I came in there was none of the prep that I had done which means they sold it all. Good to know. Mental note to self.
By the time I had left today the specials that I created were doing quite well indeed. I would love to go two days in a row with all of what I prepared gone.
As for tomorrow the specials are as follows;
Hawaii 5 – 0 pizza (I had something in mind but by the time I left the ingredient hadn’t come in so I figured I would go with H50).
The pasta on the other hand is WOW. It is cavatappi in a crab rose sauce with mushrooms and shallots finished off with some truffle oil. YUMMY! I know that will go like gangbusters.
I also got to speak with two of the members today. My regulars. They both love what I am doing and gave me a big thumbs up. In fact one of them said that he wanted to make sure that I’d stay around so he would get me a membership. I assured him that I was going nowhere quickly. Murphy’s Law, today was the first day in a week that I had not made Carrot Muffins. They wanted one, which I offered to make, but sold them on a smoothie instead. However, tomorrow morning I am going to make some mini carrot muffins and give them to him.
I love this job. I love serving people. I love being an important part of peoples day. I love the way that food can transform not only lives but also the world. One stomach at a time. IT FEELS GREAT!
Napoleon once said; “An army marches on it's stomach”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Today was a busy day. Beyond the usual I found myself with a massive amount of prep to do. I believe the old expression goes while the cats away the mouse will play. Due to Sous Chef R being away I think that some people are just on automatic pilot. Although my 8 am partner this morning told me that if I do their work once it will always be expected. I replied that while that may be true, I am here to do a job and regardless of who does it that job is going to get done. I prefer to let my work do the talking rather than my mouth. AND MY WORK IS BEYOND REPROACH! So I just went along my merry way banging one thing after another off of my list.
Health in a Glass (H.I.A.G.) this morning was absolutely awesome. I did two of them. The first was with an egg, grapefruit juice, grapefruit, raspberries, raspberry yoghurt, honeydew melon and ice. DELICIOUS.
The second was also fabulous. Two bananas, blackberries, raspberry yoghurt, an egg, pineapple juice and ice. AWESOME!
The specials that I created for yesterday flew off the line. When I came in there was none of the prep that I had done which means they sold it all. Good to know. Mental note to self.
By the time I had left today the specials that I created were doing quite well indeed. I would love to go two days in a row with all of what I prepared gone.
As for tomorrow the specials are as follows;
Hawaii 5 – 0 pizza (I had something in mind but by the time I left the ingredient hadn’t come in so I figured I would go with H50).
The pasta on the other hand is WOW. It is cavatappi in a crab rose sauce with mushrooms and shallots finished off with some truffle oil. YUMMY! I know that will go like gangbusters.
I also got to speak with two of the members today. My regulars. They both love what I am doing and gave me a big thumbs up. In fact one of them said that he wanted to make sure that I’d stay around so he would get me a membership. I assured him that I was going nowhere quickly. Murphy’s Law, today was the first day in a week that I had not made Carrot Muffins. They wanted one, which I offered to make, but sold them on a smoothie instead. However, tomorrow morning I am going to make some mini carrot muffins and give them to him.
I love this job. I love serving people. I love being an important part of peoples day. I love the way that food can transform not only lives but also the world. One stomach at a time. IT FEELS GREAT!
Napoleon once said; “An army marches on it's stomach”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Monday, March 9, 2009
Action speaks louder… (File under Words are not enough)
For the past few weeks I have been bemoaning the fact that certain things in my life are causing me to feel as if I am treading water. I don’t like this feeling. Not one bit. I am someone who takes action when things are not necessarily going the right way. I have battled with myself as to whether I should go down to NYC (for various reasons) or whether I should find somewhere here that I can grow and expand.
As I said in a previous entry a few weeks back. I feel it would be premature to go to NYC. However, I do believe that I have isolated a few places here that would be ideal for me and I am going after them.
Today I found one that I was really interested in. I toiled with myself (fear causing me to second guess myself) but finally I picked up the phone and dialed the ten numbers. It is an interesting restaurant with some great food and a Chef that I feel can help me grow and develop.
I am meeting with that Chef on Wednesday after work. I am nervous. Excited. And ready to take on more in my life. Not only that but I know that I am a worthy and great, hard working addition to any kitchen.
However, resultant from this I have now started doing the same thing that I have done with NYC. That being, isolating then ten or twelve places that I would like to work. AND, as the entry title says, words are not enough. ACTION must be taken. So I have crafted my letter. Reworked my resume. And I am putting myself out there to the universe.
Actions do speak louder than words. And I am taking action to ensure my continued growth, success and ability to do more than just treat water. It was not easy to formulate all this in my mind. But, you know what they say; nothing ventured, nothing gained.
I have four or five more posts that I want to work on but I also am working on our wedding invitation as well as putting together my first recipe book. I touched on that in my last post. I owe you another post on this subject but first need to get the whole book together.
As well, I have been in touch with an old friend from high school, L, who has asked me to form an anniversary menu for her and her husband. It is a challenge I accepted and will deliver to her (and you) shortly.
Henry David Thoreau once wrote; “Behave so the aroma of your actions may enhance the general sweetness of the atmosphere.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
As I said in a previous entry a few weeks back. I feel it would be premature to go to NYC. However, I do believe that I have isolated a few places here that would be ideal for me and I am going after them.
Today I found one that I was really interested in. I toiled with myself (fear causing me to second guess myself) but finally I picked up the phone and dialed the ten numbers. It is an interesting restaurant with some great food and a Chef that I feel can help me grow and develop.
I am meeting with that Chef on Wednesday after work. I am nervous. Excited. And ready to take on more in my life. Not only that but I know that I am a worthy and great, hard working addition to any kitchen.
However, resultant from this I have now started doing the same thing that I have done with NYC. That being, isolating then ten or twelve places that I would like to work. AND, as the entry title says, words are not enough. ACTION must be taken. So I have crafted my letter. Reworked my resume. And I am putting myself out there to the universe.
Actions do speak louder than words. And I am taking action to ensure my continued growth, success and ability to do more than just treat water. It was not easy to formulate all this in my mind. But, you know what they say; nothing ventured, nothing gained.
I have four or five more posts that I want to work on but I also am working on our wedding invitation as well as putting together my first recipe book. I touched on that in my last post. I owe you another post on this subject but first need to get the whole book together.
As well, I have been in touch with an old friend from high school, L, who has asked me to form an anniversary menu for her and her husband. It is a challenge I accepted and will deliver to her (and you) shortly.
Henry David Thoreau once wrote; “Behave so the aroma of your actions may enhance the general sweetness of the atmosphere.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Options, Mistakes and Considerations (file under more?’s than answers)
We’ve all heard the expression the grass is always greener. Well rarely if ever have I found that the grass is actually greener. In my haste to achieve my desires and dreams I believe that I have given less consideration than was necessary to make some pretty important decisions. This is true both inside and outside of the kitchen.
I have waxed poetic here about going down to NYC and how great it would be. After much reflection I now know that it would be premature of me to go down to NYC for at least another year of development here. While it would be great to go down and be with C everyday and come home to a smiling and loving face, I know that if I were to go down, I would find myself in the same position I am now. Doing something merely as a means of survival.
Survival is important in the pursuit of dreams. There is no question about that. But survival (and ultimately talent) are not enough. You need much more in order to succeed. And I realize that now.
I left Reservation under the impression that I would be leaving something great but replacing it with something that was even greater. That I would have the opportunity to expand upon both my practical experience and my book knowledge. That the fundamentals that I had built would continue to grow and flourish. Unfortunately, in my departure, I have found that the fundamentals are suffering, as is my training. So I’m left considering; what do I do to address this?
Patience is something that keeps coming up for me. I can’t recall who said it but I believe it was Daniel Boulud that said you require patience as a good cook to succeed. I wonder whether or not I was impatient with Reservation or at the very least at Reservation.
Again the question begs; what do I do? I am actively looking to find a place where I belong and can further my fundamentals. I know of one place that I can do this. I know of one person that I can speak with to redress this issue. And I plan to.
It is difficult to admit our mistakes. It is even more difficult sometimes to correct them. But where there is good will and history there can be a redressing.
Ultimately, in the coming weeks, I am going to find myself an answer to where I belong, how I can improve and what I need to do in order to get back on track for my dreams and aspirations.
James Joyce once said; “A man's errors are his portals of discovery.” And Conrad Hilton once said; “Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
I have waxed poetic here about going down to NYC and how great it would be. After much reflection I now know that it would be premature of me to go down to NYC for at least another year of development here. While it would be great to go down and be with C everyday and come home to a smiling and loving face, I know that if I were to go down, I would find myself in the same position I am now. Doing something merely as a means of survival.
Survival is important in the pursuit of dreams. There is no question about that. But survival (and ultimately talent) are not enough. You need much more in order to succeed. And I realize that now.
I left Reservation under the impression that I would be leaving something great but replacing it with something that was even greater. That I would have the opportunity to expand upon both my practical experience and my book knowledge. That the fundamentals that I had built would continue to grow and flourish. Unfortunately, in my departure, I have found that the fundamentals are suffering, as is my training. So I’m left considering; what do I do to address this?
Patience is something that keeps coming up for me. I can’t recall who said it but I believe it was Daniel Boulud that said you require patience as a good cook to succeed. I wonder whether or not I was impatient with Reservation or at the very least at Reservation.
Again the question begs; what do I do? I am actively looking to find a place where I belong and can further my fundamentals. I know of one place that I can do this. I know of one person that I can speak with to redress this issue. And I plan to.
It is difficult to admit our mistakes. It is even more difficult sometimes to correct them. But where there is good will and history there can be a redressing.
Ultimately, in the coming weeks, I am going to find myself an answer to where I belong, how I can improve and what I need to do in order to get back on track for my dreams and aspirations.
James Joyce once said; “A man's errors are his portals of discovery.” And Conrad Hilton once said; “Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Monday, December 22, 2008
To be Perfectly Frank (file under ARE YOU SERIOUS)
I understand that as an owner of a restaurant right now you might be a little bit concerned. Moreover I understand that there are things that you need to consider when you are an owner. But when you are TOO hands on it is damaging not just to the restaurant but also to the people that work in it. ESPECIALLY when you are wrong.
Today, after a relatively slow lunch I made myself my lunch and went out to the restaurant to eat it. The owner (who is taking off for Las Vegas tomorrow) came up to me and made a comment about hours, labour cost and something else. He then proceeded to start having an EXTREMELY inappropriate conversation with me while Chef was absent (because he could, after all he is an owner).
He spoke about the way the kitchen was run today from a labour perspective and then started bitching about labour last week. At first I tried to disengage myself from the conversation as it certainly was not one to be had without Chef. So I put down my food (my appetite now suitably ruined) and tried to speak with him about his concerns as he would not let go. He then proceeded to ask me a question and upon hearing my answer, in as much, called me a liar. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Now we have stepped outside the realm of professional conversation and lodged a personal attack. When I tried to assuage his concerns he proceeded to start flaring at me and refused to listen to what I had to say. In fact it would not have mattered whether it was Chef or I, the response would have been the same.
He then proceeded to diminish not just my character but also my professionalism. At this point I ended the conversation as I had any number of choice words to express my absolute DISGUST with his lack of professionalism and his personal attacks on me. To be perfectly frank I do not need to be called a liar by anyone OR have my professionalism attacked.
I spent most of this year studying under two great Canadian Chefs. One who was one of the youngest Executive Chefs in Canadian Chef History and the other who has worked with the likes of Heston Blumenthal. As I write this I am still seething and if the conversation was happening now would register my disgust in any number of choice ways. As it is, if my character and professionalism are in question, perhaps I should go back to the level that I started at instead of working for basically amounts to a steakhouse.
I am actively going to have conversations in the coming weeks with Chef and other Chefs and friends I have in the industry AS I AM CERTAIN that my character and my professionalism are in HIGH DEMAND and would be appreciated just about anywhere I walk through the door.
In an odd twist of fate I had to go to Reservation today to drop of some things for the Pastry Chef and another colleague. I happened to run into Director of Operations and we spoke briefly about the new job and what is going on. He asked about C and after I mentioned that I might go down to NYC for work to which he said; “You will have no problem finding work down there.”
I am reminded of a quote from Bob Marley; “The stone that the builder refuse is most often the stone he should use.” I AM SEETHING WITH ANGER but as I write am becoming more composed.
Voltaire once said; “Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well”
Mother Teresa once said; “There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Today, after a relatively slow lunch I made myself my lunch and went out to the restaurant to eat it. The owner (who is taking off for Las Vegas tomorrow) came up to me and made a comment about hours, labour cost and something else. He then proceeded to start having an EXTREMELY inappropriate conversation with me while Chef was absent (because he could, after all he is an owner).
He spoke about the way the kitchen was run today from a labour perspective and then started bitching about labour last week. At first I tried to disengage myself from the conversation as it certainly was not one to be had without Chef. So I put down my food (my appetite now suitably ruined) and tried to speak with him about his concerns as he would not let go. He then proceeded to ask me a question and upon hearing my answer, in as much, called me a liar. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Now we have stepped outside the realm of professional conversation and lodged a personal attack. When I tried to assuage his concerns he proceeded to start flaring at me and refused to listen to what I had to say. In fact it would not have mattered whether it was Chef or I, the response would have been the same.
He then proceeded to diminish not just my character but also my professionalism. At this point I ended the conversation as I had any number of choice words to express my absolute DISGUST with his lack of professionalism and his personal attacks on me. To be perfectly frank I do not need to be called a liar by anyone OR have my professionalism attacked.
I spent most of this year studying under two great Canadian Chefs. One who was one of the youngest Executive Chefs in Canadian Chef History and the other who has worked with the likes of Heston Blumenthal. As I write this I am still seething and if the conversation was happening now would register my disgust in any number of choice ways. As it is, if my character and professionalism are in question, perhaps I should go back to the level that I started at instead of working for basically amounts to a steakhouse.
I am actively going to have conversations in the coming weeks with Chef and other Chefs and friends I have in the industry AS I AM CERTAIN that my character and my professionalism are in HIGH DEMAND and would be appreciated just about anywhere I walk through the door.
In an odd twist of fate I had to go to Reservation today to drop of some things for the Pastry Chef and another colleague. I happened to run into Director of Operations and we spoke briefly about the new job and what is going on. He asked about C and after I mentioned that I might go down to NYC for work to which he said; “You will have no problem finding work down there.”
I am reminded of a quote from Bob Marley; “The stone that the builder refuse is most often the stone he should use.” I AM SEETHING WITH ANGER but as I write am becoming more composed.
Voltaire once said; “Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well”
Mother Teresa once said; “There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Considerations (file under Life… A work in Progress)
I realize now that I have revealed very little of myself in a historical context. I have given little snippets here and there, but not much else. That is something I will remedy when I get a chance. Probably when I am doing my year in review around the end of January. But I bring this up because I beseech all of you, at the end of each post, asking, are you dreaming big and inspired. Look back and you will see that with the exception of three or four posts I absolutely beseech you to find you. Moreover I also say A la prochaine. This too is something that is indicative of who I am. I mention this because I wanted to share a poem with you that has been running through my mind a lot lately;
Dylan Thomas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dylan_Thomas ) wrote “ Do not go Gentle into that Good Night” ;
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
I have hit numerous obstacles in my life. And since I was a boy I remember thinking to myself, even as young as thirteen or fourteen, that Thomas was absolutely right when he wrote this piece. I’m sure to each and every one of you reading this the meaning is personal and varied. For me it is a great jumping off point to look at my own personal life considerations, truly a work in progress, and what it is I want to achieve AND I assure you I HAVE NEVER GONE GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT, NOR WILL I.
I am almost thirty four years old. I long for stability and work towards it every day. Mindful that life will almost always certainly throw a curve ball at you here and there. It is not the curve that is important but rather how you deal with it that defines who you are. But I digress.
Currently, I am looking at marriage (January 2010), a potential move to NYC to further my culinary career (and possibly be closer to the love of my life), how I want to get to where I want to go and the list goes on and on. I am considering, as an adult (loath though I may be to find myself becoming one at the tender age of 33) the things that adults consider. I am looking at the past, the opportunities that I have had, have made use of and have screwed up either through my own faults or none at all and what does it all mean. My culinary journey is the result of figuring out for myself that there is much more to life than the pursuit of money, comfort, status and the like. Things I have never been motivated by at all. Instead I find myself defining my meaning through a personal purpose, my own desire, to be honest, to work a hard day and come home fulfilled. I live each day as if I am raging against the dying of the light and to my good fortune the light always seems to return.
So where am I going with all this? What do I do? Do I screw off to Europe for six months next year while C is in NYC? Do I stay on the course that I am on? Continue working the line until I find the next place? How do I create meaningful relationships in a professional sense that are based on mutual respect and esteem (something which has always dogged me)? How do I fulfill my own timeline with respect to where I want to be? This is just a few of the life considerations that I am looking at right now. I guess a part of me is going through the exercise of putting this on paper so that you can ALL see that answers only come to those that ask the questions. Dreams are only realized by those that dare to dream them and have the audacity to work toward their fulfillment. It is not merely enough to state the dream. YOU MUST WORK AT IT!
Anyway, just wanted to get that off my chest for the moment. Back shortly with another post.
Charles F. Kettering once said; “Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Dylan Thomas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dylan_Thomas ) wrote “ Do not go Gentle into that Good Night” ;
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
I have hit numerous obstacles in my life. And since I was a boy I remember thinking to myself, even as young as thirteen or fourteen, that Thomas was absolutely right when he wrote this piece. I’m sure to each and every one of you reading this the meaning is personal and varied. For me it is a great jumping off point to look at my own personal life considerations, truly a work in progress, and what it is I want to achieve AND I assure you I HAVE NEVER GONE GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT, NOR WILL I.
I am almost thirty four years old. I long for stability and work towards it every day. Mindful that life will almost always certainly throw a curve ball at you here and there. It is not the curve that is important but rather how you deal with it that defines who you are. But I digress.
Currently, I am looking at marriage (January 2010), a potential move to NYC to further my culinary career (and possibly be closer to the love of my life), how I want to get to where I want to go and the list goes on and on. I am considering, as an adult (loath though I may be to find myself becoming one at the tender age of 33) the things that adults consider. I am looking at the past, the opportunities that I have had, have made use of and have screwed up either through my own faults or none at all and what does it all mean. My culinary journey is the result of figuring out for myself that there is much more to life than the pursuit of money, comfort, status and the like. Things I have never been motivated by at all. Instead I find myself defining my meaning through a personal purpose, my own desire, to be honest, to work a hard day and come home fulfilled. I live each day as if I am raging against the dying of the light and to my good fortune the light always seems to return.
So where am I going with all this? What do I do? Do I screw off to Europe for six months next year while C is in NYC? Do I stay on the course that I am on? Continue working the line until I find the next place? How do I create meaningful relationships in a professional sense that are based on mutual respect and esteem (something which has always dogged me)? How do I fulfill my own timeline with respect to where I want to be? This is just a few of the life considerations that I am looking at right now. I guess a part of me is going through the exercise of putting this on paper so that you can ALL see that answers only come to those that ask the questions. Dreams are only realized by those that dare to dream them and have the audacity to work toward their fulfillment. It is not merely enough to state the dream. YOU MUST WORK AT IT!
Anyway, just wanted to get that off my chest for the moment. Back shortly with another post.
Charles F. Kettering once said; “Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Love’s Return (file under I’m in Love)
As many of you may or may not know, the love of my life is currently doing a program at Stella Adler in NYC. Since September she and I have only been in the same place at the same time for five days. It’s been quite a semester for her. I am so proud of C for living her dream. Having the courage, in spite of great difficulty, to spread her wings and soar, in the pursuit of something more. Something that is hers and hers alone. So I just wanted to say congratulations to her and to all of you that have the courage, drive and determination to stick with it even in the face of great obstacles. Her reward, tonight, is a brilliant home cooked meal, by none other than myself of course.
Tonight she is getting a potato leek soup and a goat cheese and leek stuffed chicken in a chive white wine butter sauce. There will of course be wine, laughing and loving. Congrats babe and welcome home, even if only for a while. And, moreover, I could not be more proud of what you have achieved and more abundantly proud for what I have watched you become. Keep growing, keep shining and keep being the you I know you to be.
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
Jiddu Krishnamurti once said, “Freedom and love go together. Love is not a reaction. If I love you because you love me, that is mere trade, a thing to be bought in the market; it is not love. To love is not to ask anything in return, not even to feel that you are giving something- and it is only such love that can know freedom.”
A la prochaine
SDM
Tonight she is getting a potato leek soup and a goat cheese and leek stuffed chicken in a chive white wine butter sauce. There will of course be wine, laughing and loving. Congrats babe and welcome home, even if only for a while. And, moreover, I could not be more proud of what you have achieved and more abundantly proud for what I have watched you become. Keep growing, keep shining and keep being the you I know you to be.
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
Jiddu Krishnamurti once said, “Freedom and love go together. Love is not a reaction. If I love you because you love me, that is mere trade, a thing to be bought in the market; it is not love. To love is not to ask anything in return, not even to feel that you are giving something- and it is only such love that can know freedom.”
A la prochaine
SDM
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Catching Up (on Reservation happenings and my career)
I know. I know. But you can hardly blame me after three months and a few days of being without my one true love that I fell off the blog wagon. I do have several of them ready to go but they are going to have to wait until I have a day off as they are educationally intensive and SUPER interesting. But I did want to take this time because I was home at a reasonable hour to let you in on what has happened in the last few days both in my own kitchen and at work.
So the love of my life as you all know came home on Friday. I worked a long day and then went to pick her up at the train station. I spent most of the day thinking about what I would make. How I would make it. Where I would get flowers. Whether or not I would have enough time to do everything in the half an hour I had after work until she arrived. Luckily because of the border crossing I found myself with just enough time to get everything done. As usual (C and I are extremely in synch and the universe constantly lets us know this) just as I was turning the corner on Front Street to Union Station my phone rings and it was C letting me know that she was there. Literally at the precise moment that I arrived. She is my universe, my rain, my sun and my stars. She is my everything and it was great to see her. That first glance. Butterflies racing in my stomach and the sheer joy of a child at play with a new toy.
So naturally I helped her get all of her things into the car. Handed her some flowers and started the short drive home so that we could start chatting in earnest and having a great meal. I was going to make Tuna for Iron Chef Charmaine but unfortunately the tuna that night was not that great so of course I immediately shifted my focus and moved to Black Cod.
Naturally we had a bottle of nice white wine and I had also got us a bottle of champagne as a celebratory thing. We really like champagne. WHO DOESN’T? At any rate I had forgotten to pick up potatoes (the only thing I remembered everything else) so I dropped her off so should could shower and acclimatize.
When I returned I started getting dinner ready right away. The menu included scallops, black cod and a delicious dessert that the pastry chef had given me. So there we were, lovers reunited and beaming to be in the presence of our love again (not that it wasn’t there just she was there in NYC and I was here). I started to prepare the vegetables showing off all of my new cuts (both figuratively and literally). I roasted some beets first for the first course as we milled about and spoke about her travels, how good it was to be home and about the future. She was clearly excited to be home and of course the she got accepted to the program at Stella Adler. I assured her that no matter what we would find a way to make it happen, easily, gracefully and beautifully. I am super excited for her and though it is difficult to be apart from your lover for that long, I too am on a journey that is my own and that enriches our love as well.
So the first course (pictures included below) was a scallop tartare with caraway and mustard seed, shallot sandwiched between beautifully roasted beets. It was a truly spectacular dish though next time I would try a different spice compliment. IT LOOKED AMAZING! But I will let you be the judge.
We sat there lovingly gazing at each other. Speaking about our various successes and were truly enjoying the full splendour of the slow food movement. I am a big proponent of it and believe that food should be cooked with great care and utmost love. If not it will show.
I then prepared a Black Cod with a Champagne and Sage Beurre Blanc with some beautifully mashed potatoes. Again, as I said above, great food takes time and she and I just enjoyed each other’s company and the tales that we were regaling each other with.
Dessert was as I had mentioned courtesy of the Pastry Chef J, and man was it incredible. It was a chocolate cake with a hole centered out of it then filled with the most delightful caramel sauce that just oozed out of it in the most perfect way. Thank you J I really appreciate it.
It was nice to speak until the wee hours of the morning though it would have been nice to stay in bed I had to unfortunately go to bed ( I only say unfortunately because she just got home I LOVE TO WORK!).
The next day at work flew by and I found myself thinking about all the great things that I could cook for her for dinner on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday as I had the days off. Sunday I ended up making Prime Rib Fajitas. Monday she got treated to two meals. A breakfast to die which included a reduction of sherry wine vinegar with a blackberry compote, portabello mushroom and maple bacon over baked eggs on Irish Sour Dough bread for and I made a fabulous tofu curry with cauliflower and lentils. Tuesday I made a mishmash of Veal Parm and Schnitzel with a gorgeous fresh tomato sauce and basil topped with buffalo mozzarella and an aged balsamic reduction. I LOVE PLAYING WITH FOOD.
So this basically catches you up on the personal stuff.
At work yesterday I experienced some great success. My Aioli making skills have improved and I haven’t split one in about three weeks. Minor victory for me but victory nonetheless. Moreover, I had been scheduled until around five but I noticed early in the day that there was a party and nobody was there to assist L. I had said that I was more than willing to stay and that I felt it was an oversight in the first place (which it was). The last three parties that L and I have worked we have done alone. Between the two of us (with a little help) we are capable of prepping, making and plating meals for up to forty people on our own and up to four courses. I was amazed at the system that we developed and it worked. It felt amazing to know that my speed improved, my errors were slipping away as I stopped allowing my nerves to get the better of me and just did my job. I have now improved with my speed, economy of motion and my consistency. Though I still need improvement (and always will) I do take great pride in the fact that I am getting it and running with it.
Today was a fabulous day. I arrived early and started working right away on my stock, remi and demi as well as putting everything away. By the time I arrived Chef was already there and I just went about my business.
After we were sure that everything was in shape for the party tonight Head Chef asked me to brunoise three quarters of a litre of shallots. He said to me; “Think of the most perfect thing, the most perfect place, bring that into your being and then eat it. Now cut me the shallots and if they are perfect you can help me for the rest of the day or if they are not you can wash dishes for a week.” Ummm hello, I just shook my nerves and Head Chef is going to throw them right back at me. Geez. Here I am celebrating my minor victory and then I get this challenge. I was scared, excited, nervous and ready to cut the best damn shallots he had ever seen. It took me a while but I did produce some pretty good shallots. After I approached him (having removed all the big lumps I could find) he looked at them. Thought for a moment, looked at me and said; “DECENT!” I’ll take decent, I’ll run with decent. I won’t be decent much longer. I WILL BE THE BEST! But for now I’ll take it. He said alright here we go… he gave me a list of things to do for the party that he was going off sits with Executive Chef for.
All day I was filled with a massive smile, knowing that I had been challenged and lived up to at least the minimum expectation which in a demanding kitchen is something that for now I will take. I enjoy working with Chef, he had me Rosti some sweet potato and Yukon golds together. Prep various things and then get him out to the car. IT FELT AWESOME.
At any rate I will be giving you all a more in depth explanation of all the happenings soon. But I have been writing for about an hour and I am a little tired. I do want to mention that life is easy once you’ve figured it out (easy in the sense that purpose and direction lead to action which brings joy and success).
I truly hope that you all are finding your purpose. Reaching out to the universe and discovering who you are. I have and look at the ridiculous levels of joy in my life. DREAM INSPIRED and BIG. The only thing stopping you is you.
With that in mind, Srimad Bhagavatam once said; “What is the value of a prolonged life if one has wasted it, not having benefited from years of experience in this world? Better a moment full of consciousness, because that gives one a start in searching after his supreme interest.”
A la prochaine
SDM
So the love of my life as you all know came home on Friday. I worked a long day and then went to pick her up at the train station. I spent most of the day thinking about what I would make. How I would make it. Where I would get flowers. Whether or not I would have enough time to do everything in the half an hour I had after work until she arrived. Luckily because of the border crossing I found myself with just enough time to get everything done. As usual (C and I are extremely in synch and the universe constantly lets us know this) just as I was turning the corner on Front Street to Union Station my phone rings and it was C letting me know that she was there. Literally at the precise moment that I arrived. She is my universe, my rain, my sun and my stars. She is my everything and it was great to see her. That first glance. Butterflies racing in my stomach and the sheer joy of a child at play with a new toy.
So naturally I helped her get all of her things into the car. Handed her some flowers and started the short drive home so that we could start chatting in earnest and having a great meal. I was going to make Tuna for Iron Chef Charmaine but unfortunately the tuna that night was not that great so of course I immediately shifted my focus and moved to Black Cod.
Naturally we had a bottle of nice white wine and I had also got us a bottle of champagne as a celebratory thing. We really like champagne. WHO DOESN’T? At any rate I had forgotten to pick up potatoes (the only thing I remembered everything else) so I dropped her off so should could shower and acclimatize.
When I returned I started getting dinner ready right away. The menu included scallops, black cod and a delicious dessert that the pastry chef had given me. So there we were, lovers reunited and beaming to be in the presence of our love again (not that it wasn’t there just she was there in NYC and I was here). I started to prepare the vegetables showing off all of my new cuts (both figuratively and literally). I roasted some beets first for the first course as we milled about and spoke about her travels, how good it was to be home and about the future. She was clearly excited to be home and of course the she got accepted to the program at Stella Adler. I assured her that no matter what we would find a way to make it happen, easily, gracefully and beautifully. I am super excited for her and though it is difficult to be apart from your lover for that long, I too am on a journey that is my own and that enriches our love as well.
So the first course (pictures included below) was a scallop tartare with caraway and mustard seed, shallot sandwiched between beautifully roasted beets. It was a truly spectacular dish though next time I would try a different spice compliment. IT LOOKED AMAZING! But I will let you be the judge.
We sat there lovingly gazing at each other. Speaking about our various successes and were truly enjoying the full splendour of the slow food movement. I am a big proponent of it and believe that food should be cooked with great care and utmost love. If not it will show.
I then prepared a Black Cod with a Champagne and Sage Beurre Blanc with some beautifully mashed potatoes. Again, as I said above, great food takes time and she and I just enjoyed each other’s company and the tales that we were regaling each other with.
Dessert was as I had mentioned courtesy of the Pastry Chef J, and man was it incredible. It was a chocolate cake with a hole centered out of it then filled with the most delightful caramel sauce that just oozed out of it in the most perfect way. Thank you J I really appreciate it.
It was nice to speak until the wee hours of the morning though it would have been nice to stay in bed I had to unfortunately go to bed ( I only say unfortunately because she just got home I LOVE TO WORK!).
The next day at work flew by and I found myself thinking about all the great things that I could cook for her for dinner on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday as I had the days off. Sunday I ended up making Prime Rib Fajitas. Monday she got treated to two meals. A breakfast to die which included a reduction of sherry wine vinegar with a blackberry compote, portabello mushroom and maple bacon over baked eggs on Irish Sour Dough bread for and I made a fabulous tofu curry with cauliflower and lentils. Tuesday I made a mishmash of Veal Parm and Schnitzel with a gorgeous fresh tomato sauce and basil topped with buffalo mozzarella and an aged balsamic reduction. I LOVE PLAYING WITH FOOD.
So this basically catches you up on the personal stuff.
At work yesterday I experienced some great success. My Aioli making skills have improved and I haven’t split one in about three weeks. Minor victory for me but victory nonetheless. Moreover, I had been scheduled until around five but I noticed early in the day that there was a party and nobody was there to assist L. I had said that I was more than willing to stay and that I felt it was an oversight in the first place (which it was). The last three parties that L and I have worked we have done alone. Between the two of us (with a little help) we are capable of prepping, making and plating meals for up to forty people on our own and up to four courses. I was amazed at the system that we developed and it worked. It felt amazing to know that my speed improved, my errors were slipping away as I stopped allowing my nerves to get the better of me and just did my job. I have now improved with my speed, economy of motion and my consistency. Though I still need improvement (and always will) I do take great pride in the fact that I am getting it and running with it.
Today was a fabulous day. I arrived early and started working right away on my stock, remi and demi as well as putting everything away. By the time I arrived Chef was already there and I just went about my business.
After we were sure that everything was in shape for the party tonight Head Chef asked me to brunoise three quarters of a litre of shallots. He said to me; “Think of the most perfect thing, the most perfect place, bring that into your being and then eat it. Now cut me the shallots and if they are perfect you can help me for the rest of the day or if they are not you can wash dishes for a week.” Ummm hello, I just shook my nerves and Head Chef is going to throw them right back at me. Geez. Here I am celebrating my minor victory and then I get this challenge. I was scared, excited, nervous and ready to cut the best damn shallots he had ever seen. It took me a while but I did produce some pretty good shallots. After I approached him (having removed all the big lumps I could find) he looked at them. Thought for a moment, looked at me and said; “DECENT!” I’ll take decent, I’ll run with decent. I won’t be decent much longer. I WILL BE THE BEST! But for now I’ll take it. He said alright here we go… he gave me a list of things to do for the party that he was going off sits with Executive Chef for.
All day I was filled with a massive smile, knowing that I had been challenged and lived up to at least the minimum expectation which in a demanding kitchen is something that for now I will take. I enjoy working with Chef, he had me Rosti some sweet potato and Yukon golds together. Prep various things and then get him out to the car. IT FELT AWESOME.
At any rate I will be giving you all a more in depth explanation of all the happenings soon. But I have been writing for about an hour and I am a little tired. I do want to mention that life is easy once you’ve figured it out (easy in the sense that purpose and direction lead to action which brings joy and success).
I truly hope that you all are finding your purpose. Reaching out to the universe and discovering who you are. I have and look at the ridiculous levels of joy in my life. DREAM INSPIRED and BIG. The only thing stopping you is you.
With that in mind, Srimad Bhagavatam once said; “What is the value of a prolonged life if one has wasted it, not having benefited from years of experience in this world? Better a moment full of consciousness, because that gives one a start in searching after his supreme interest.”
A la prochaine
SDM
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
We’re All Just Sensitive People (file under With So Much To Give)
I want to start this post by saying that I’m so proud of the love of my life, my future wife and the mother of our children for the great success she has had in NYC. Babe, I’m so proud of you. I knew that you would kick ass and you did, have and will continue to. You are a true rarified and unique gem and I’m grateful to know you, to be with you and to share love with you. You are amazing. That said…
What does it mean to feel? To taste? Smell? Hear? What does it mean when one person likes one thing and another something else? I know that these questions might seem like a reductum ad absurdum but I assure you they are not. In the kitchen I now find myself wondering why what is crunchy to one is not to another. How the sound is heard, analyzed and internalized. Flavour is an easy one because every one has a different palate and different taste sensations. Is everything that I am doing now subjective? Or is there objectivity? Is there a way to create a universally appealing dish? Anyone? These are questions that I have running through my head at least eighteen hours a day.
Another question I have running through my head right now is; if you could have any meal what would it be? I’ve now come to expand it to any meal at any time. Before expanding it my answer was the Emperor’s Banquet inside the Forbidden City. I know that at this particular moment given the fact that China has the Olympics and that there are all kinds of geo political forces at work that it may not be the politically correct answer but really. The Emperor’s feast. For those of you who are unaware of what the Emperor’s Feast is just go here; http://www.flavorandfortune.com/dataaccess/article.php?ID=234 . Now obviously the feast has changed a bit. But still can you imagine being a party to something like that even today.
In terms of the historical context it is hard for me to decide which meal I would want and in what time period. There are so many people that I would love to have dinner with from history that the question could literally take ten lifetimes for me to answer. What about you? What meal would you want?
So in the past week I have read about four hundred and fifty very dense pages on the culinary arts. I didn’t write yesterday because I was trying to figure out how best to present it to you. I decided to give a salient top down view of what I’ve learned.
Obviously I wrote last week about the culinary journey I took around the world. That journey now complete I have started trying to figure out if there is a way to mix, as example) traditional Polish food with French? Or Japanese with Southern? Or you get the idea. Food is meant to be played with, experimented with and enjoyed. If you enjoy something from one culture and another, why not find a way to marry the two. Harmony of course being the goal. I believe that the answer to harmony will come from being true to the ingredient, exposing its strength as well as its weakness and letting the palate work it all out. But we’ll see as time goes by how that changes for me.
I learned all proteins as well. The various cuts, what they are used for and some of their flavour profiles. On my next day off I will spend some time explaining further. As it is right now, I’m going to study.
I hope you all are doing well. I trust that you are all working on isolating your dream and taking the first steps to get there.
The Dalai Lama once said; “I believe that the very purpose of life is to be happy. From the very core of our being, we desire contentment. In my own limited experience I have found that the more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well being. Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the principal source of success in life. Since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. The key is to develop inner peace.”
I hope you all find inner peace. I have and am grateful to those both outside and inside the kitchen that have helped me find it.
Dream inspired.
A la prochaine
SDM
What does it mean to feel? To taste? Smell? Hear? What does it mean when one person likes one thing and another something else? I know that these questions might seem like a reductum ad absurdum but I assure you they are not. In the kitchen I now find myself wondering why what is crunchy to one is not to another. How the sound is heard, analyzed and internalized. Flavour is an easy one because every one has a different palate and different taste sensations. Is everything that I am doing now subjective? Or is there objectivity? Is there a way to create a universally appealing dish? Anyone? These are questions that I have running through my head at least eighteen hours a day.
Another question I have running through my head right now is; if you could have any meal what would it be? I’ve now come to expand it to any meal at any time. Before expanding it my answer was the Emperor’s Banquet inside the Forbidden City. I know that at this particular moment given the fact that China has the Olympics and that there are all kinds of geo political forces at work that it may not be the politically correct answer but really. The Emperor’s feast. For those of you who are unaware of what the Emperor’s Feast is just go here; http://www.flavorandfortune.com/dataaccess/article.php?ID=234 . Now obviously the feast has changed a bit. But still can you imagine being a party to something like that even today.
In terms of the historical context it is hard for me to decide which meal I would want and in what time period. There are so many people that I would love to have dinner with from history that the question could literally take ten lifetimes for me to answer. What about you? What meal would you want?
So in the past week I have read about four hundred and fifty very dense pages on the culinary arts. I didn’t write yesterday because I was trying to figure out how best to present it to you. I decided to give a salient top down view of what I’ve learned.
Obviously I wrote last week about the culinary journey I took around the world. That journey now complete I have started trying to figure out if there is a way to mix, as example) traditional Polish food with French? Or Japanese with Southern? Or you get the idea. Food is meant to be played with, experimented with and enjoyed. If you enjoy something from one culture and another, why not find a way to marry the two. Harmony of course being the goal. I believe that the answer to harmony will come from being true to the ingredient, exposing its strength as well as its weakness and letting the palate work it all out. But we’ll see as time goes by how that changes for me.
I learned all proteins as well. The various cuts, what they are used for and some of their flavour profiles. On my next day off I will spend some time explaining further. As it is right now, I’m going to study.
I hope you all are doing well. I trust that you are all working on isolating your dream and taking the first steps to get there.
The Dalai Lama once said; “I believe that the very purpose of life is to be happy. From the very core of our being, we desire contentment. In my own limited experience I have found that the more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well being. Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the principal source of success in life. Since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. The key is to develop inner peace.”
I hope you all find inner peace. I have and am grateful to those both outside and inside the kitchen that have helped me find it.
Dream inspired.
A la prochaine
SDM
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