Taking stock
Posted on | May 26, 2009
Taking stock … get it? Perfect pun for the culinary student, don’t you think?
Well, let’s assume you said “yes!”
You know where I’ve been and what I’ve done at school; heaven knows, that’s what this blog is about. So what I want to talk about is what the future holds for me.
See, I spoke with the head of the school. And this is what we determined.
Term time
Right now, I am just past halfway through the second term. In the second half, I will change chef instructors (this is a great system; we get exposed to all different teachers and all different ways of doing things). I will also come to school an hour later, leaving an hour later. And my schedule will switch so I will start with a lecture and then go to the kitchen.
I prefer being in the kitchen first, but I can’t argue with the extra hour of sleep.
In this part of my second term, the cooking opportunity that interests me the most is fish and shellfish. Next best is a week spent baking. Which will make an excellent introduction to what will come up later.
Then, in June, I enter my third, and final, on-campus term. The big focus here is on working in the restaurant, both behind and in front of the house.
This is terrifying.
Then there is an externship stint which runs from August to October. I have utterly no idea where I want to go and what I want to do.
Baking and pastry program
Before I started the culinary program, I told the school that, once I was finished with the culinary program, I wanted to take the baking and pastry program. They said that was fine with them. But today, when I met with them, I confirmed the details.
The program runs on weekends from this fall to next spring. It will wreak havoc with my schedule (and my marriage!), but the school has promised me a spot in the program.
Which is exciting news, indeed.
The program looks great. Want to know how great? Here, then is a quick overview of some of the things I will learn:
- yeast breads, quick breads, sourdough, baguettes
- croissant, puff dough, and strudel
- pies, tarts, cookies, and Danish
- petit fours, candies, creme brulee
- cakes, icing, wedding cakes
- dessert sauces, ice creams, souffles
There is a Chinese saying: “May you live in interesting times.” It is meant to be a curse. But, for me, it is not. Because these are intersting times, indeed. And I am pleased to be living in them.
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4 Responses to “Taking stock”
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May 26th, 2009 @ 8:43 am
Ohhh, I so envy you. I LOVE to bake. I bake for my sweetie and I. We have a few slices, bites, servings and I take the rest to work. I work predominately with men; and I don’t think many women bake anymore. Because that food flies off the community table….
May 26th, 2009 @ 9:23 am
Congratulations on your journey; Very exciting to have peers in the business! check out my website.
I need a few chefs to start a very cool page on my website where you can post your resume and receive a name (myname@privatechef.com) if that is your direction.
Wishing you the best and love following you on twitter.
cheers chef Raphael
May 26th, 2009 @ 9:28 am
So, that’s exciting. You may have said at some point, but what is it you want to do after? Restaurant work? catering?
I guess I’ve always thought that being in the culinary / restaurant/food-service industry would pretty much take up your weekends. Which is part of what has kept me out. So maybe this will be some training in how to cope with that reality.
May 27th, 2009 @ 8:12 pm
congrats… looking forward to baking tips. I do great with quick breads and cakes. yeast breads have been a problem.