Culinary Fashion

I've gotten some new kitchen fashion items. Luckily I work in a kitchen where the uniform code is not strict.

One is this cute pair of nonskid comfy sneakers. Here they are a little dirty from work. I try and clean them regularly to keep the toes bright and white. The plaid helps hide stains. They are a nice addition to my culinary closet.

I have several hats that I wear often. I wish someone would invent a hat that prevented hat head. There should also be one that holds a removable (and replaceable) gel pack underneath that can be chilled in the cooler. I bet that would assist greatly in staying cool in the kitchen.

It's hard being comfortable, utilitarian, unique and fashionable in the kitchen, but I try. It gets harder as I get older too. Sometimes I'm sure I look like a wannabe youthful cutie pasted atop an old hag, but this is the price for being devoted to the cause.

Unusual Food Items

This past week seemed to be about weird food items. Since these foods are organic, no one can claim the mutant results are chemically derived.

First, was a pair of conjoined (is it PC to say Siamese?) cherry tomatoes. Unfortunately I didn't take a picture of them. I don't think the picture would have really done it justice however.

Next was a three-legged carrot that looked like a squid. It's hard to tell here, but it's actually pretty tiny- about 3 inches long total.

On the other end of the spectrum was a super long zucchini. I don't recall the variety. I'll ask at work and post an update. This photo again doesn't seem to do it justice. I look like a mountain climber or the yodeler from The Price is Right's Cliffhanger game. You tell me. (Yeah- really do. No one ever comments on these write ups. I need some feedback here readers!! No comments on the crappy photo quality however. You might hurt someone's feelings at work.)

By the way, for those curious... this is my workspace at Cakes & Ale. (Look closely Luna; my sippy cup/pacifier is back there! I dropped my backup however and it shattered. I'll have to replace it.) Soon we're moving to a fancy new spot, on Decatur Square. I'll have to post a new pic once we move.

Work is progressing well. My timing I believe has improved, but I apparently sometimes get 'sassy'. I'll definitively have to work on that!

I also seem to occasionally run out of items mid-service, which is NOT good. It's difficult for me to assess the popularity of items which don't sell one night and are highly popular the next night, all without over prepping and wasting food. It's a delicate balance, this job!

I did get kudos on my gaspacho. Two influential guests both commented to Chef about their delicious soup which filtered back to me, the soup maker. Yeah!! Positive praise is nice!

Graduated and on to the Work Force

As reported on my newsletter, I graduated mid-June from culinary school and with an award. Hee hee! Towards the last few classes in school I realized I'd never missed a day while other students regularly missed at least one per class. (Over two absences is an automatic failure, but I believe one student got around this.) I inquired with the chef if there was any type of award for this. She laughed and said no.

Once graduation approached and I realized no one in my entire class had attended every single day of class, I decided to make my own award. Sure enough, I was presented with a nice certificate signed by the chef. How thoughtful.

Some students in lower classes were amazed this was actually possible. Wow! If getting to class two or four days a week is that difficult, I can't imagine what some of the job requirements will be like for you.

After graduation, I very quickly found employment. Almost too quickly, I had July 4th plans on which I had to bail. I suppose it was worth it. I feel like I hit the culinary-job-search jackpot.

I now work 5 days a week at Cakes & Ale as the Pantry/Garde Manger chef. I'm not sure what my official title is. I make all the soups, salads and flatbreads and some of the desserts for the restaurant. (I don't actually bake the flatbreads and desserts; we have a pastry staff that does this.) I'm 'part of the team' as the owner/executive chef told me- third person on the main line.

The first week was fairly busy- at least according to the staff there. After the first day or two I felt like I'd gotten my items down to where I didn't really need a cheat sheet. Then the menu changed. Back to square one. I'd leave out things like cilantro on a salad, etc. and it'd come back. It's not a good sign when the food comes back.

The second week I tried to work on timing my items to better align with the main kitchen staff. They make some hot appetizers that I need to send at the same time as a salad or flatbread. This is easier than it sounds. Trying to make 10 orders, pretty much from scratch, and time them to come out at a certain moment is tricky. I'm still working on this facet of my job, but making improvements.

The second week was more exciting in terms of weird kitchen happenings. I pulled a flatbread out of the oven right in front of the owner and it went flying off the peel and landed toppings down on my kitchen mat. Ick! That was a nice mess to clean in the middle of service- pureed eggplant and tomato slices.

Two days following that, I came in and the kitchen peel was burnt to a crisp. Meaning, the wooden handle was charred like a used piece of firewood. Since this was the only peel available I had to make it work. The charred wood was a little loose from the metal attachment that holds the handle. I thought for sure there'd be another flying flatbread. Instead I went to get a flatbread out of the oven and the handle snapped off. Now I had a peel with a searing hot metal nub for a handle and I couldn't reach the flatbread in the back of the top oven. My line buddy had to get it for me. With my normal luck, I'd get five or six more orders for flatbread after that, but that thankfully was the last one. My line buddy must have good luck and willed away the hassle of assisting me.

Unfortunately, I think I'm partially to blame for the peel's replacement. I can barely reach to the top of the oven where it's normally stored, so at service I rest it in an unused lower oven. My 5'2" stature doesn't afford me such luxuries as grabbing highly elevated items. I believe I left the peel in the oven at close. The pastry people came in the next morning and turned on all the ovens (note I said partially to blame) without checking first to make sure they were empty. Ooops! (them and me). Add that to the nuts I forgot about in the oven a few days earlier and I've likely cost the restaurant some dough (intentional play on words). The nuts looked like roasted coffee beans when they came out. Yikes! Luckily, the staff has been patient with me. I also have a replacement peel at home I will bring to work.

All the staff there seems very cordial. I found out one waitress is taking a knife skills class at Cooks Warehouse and her instructor mentioned this blog. I didn't think anyone read this stuff other than a few family members and friends. And that is likely only because I quiz them on the contents so they have to read it.

This is the beginning of a new week. So far it's a little slow. There was a leak in the dining room ceiling today so service was canceled. I'm fired up and ready to go for tomorrow- and thoroughly prepped I can add. It sure is refreshing to like going to work!