Let them eat cake...

Friday, November 10

... And the icing too. So today we learned how to "torque" our cakes or split them and level them so we could put icing, jam, fruit and other items in the centre. Then we learned how to frost our cakes and decorate them using a variety of tips (the pastry bag kind) and techniques. It was certainly not a long enough period for us to learn and practice the techniques but a good intro. Some students have decorated a lot and it was easy for them. I found it fun but stressful when you start to run out of time and your icing becomes runny, or you run out of icing, or use the wrong tip and the design you wanted becomes not what you wanted. In this way, it's certainly different using tofu cream frosting vs. paint. So I torqued my nice lemon cake and decided to use someone else's chocolate icing for the centre and then frosted my cake twice, once with the initial "crumb"layer to cover, then into the freezer/fridge to set for awhile, and then the second and final layer is put on. Then came the decorating with limited time, which was fun at first then became stressful for me with limited time to practice and finish. That's the part I find hard with cooking, the creative opportunity is provided but there's always the rushing to someone else's schedule and directions, so I become a little less centred and focused when this happens. This is good practice in trying not to resist what is, just trying to go with the flow, and always trying to finish something that is good enough but not perfect and early vs. trying for perfection but being late and having the frustrating and stressful feelings that come with this. Good life lessons.

Love of shallots...

So, I haven't written for awhile about the shallots or in other words my internship. No news must be good news and this is certainly how it is in my case. I have completed about four shifts now and have always been in the upstairs kitchen since my first shift. I am helping the cold station chef with a variety of things from preparing salsas and guacomoles, to filling up the variety of items he needs for his station. I think he is gradually becoming familiar with me and trusting of me over time. I managed to get through to him during my last shift that I wasn't getting paid for my work and he asked why, and I said to learn, so I think he finally understands why I am there, well sort of, and that I am not a threat to him. Also it helps when the head chef is there sometimes and everyone seems more on guard. Funny what happens when the head guy/gal is there in any establishment, except the head guy in this case is a 25-26 year old head chef, who has been with them for six years and is now writing his second cook book, and the other senior chef and manager of the two restaurants (they own the original Candle Cafe that brought them fame and created the more gourmet upscale restaurant around the corner a few years ago) is 25-26 as well, and the rest of the crew in the kitchen is way below 26 years. The restaurant business and chefs in particular are so young, at least from my perspective, and my teachers say it's because that the kitchen industry is so tough... you have to work for very little pay in tiny cramped and heated kitchens with no windows and dark low basements, doing repetitive work on your feet for long 12 plus hour days 6 or 7 days a week, and starting at the bottom of the heap for a long time and rising only if you are good and lucky. Who is willing to do that? I was looking at the staff schedule last night and noticed that the cold prep guy works six nights a week and on Sundays works a double shift from the morning to the evening at 11 pm. He only has one day off. Last shift, I noticed that a lot of people were coming up to him and saying that they were glad that he was ok, how was his leg, etc. but he didn't say much to them and to me except just a shrug that he's ok and carried on. I tried several times to get more words from him but had no success. I think this is due to the macho nature of the culture and being part of the kitchen culture where you have to work no matter what, showing any signs of weakness makes you seem vulnerable, and you feel threatened that somone below you would want to take over your job quickly and easily without even a blink. That's how one of our teachers said she rose up in the kitchens in Paris, which was especially tough being a young woman. She would be on the line and be super attentive. As soon as someone was ill or quit suddenly (which apparently happens often on the line as there is high turnover in the industry) she would run in to take their place. The chef would be happy that the line was running without interruption and she moved up each time this happened.

So, after several shifts my chopping skills are definitely improving in consistency and speed, I'm learning more about the kitchen and restaurant, and my Spanish is improving as well, word by word. However, I still get no warm welcome when I arrive, which I'm getting used to though it takes awhile to motivate myself to start each shift and maintain this positive and upbeat attitude no matter what, and I just try to start helping the cold prep person and the kitchen how and where I can through careful observation shift after shift. I'm still peeling some shallots every shift and my hands start to shake with memories of my first shift but so far so good as the appearance of the shallot has been minimal to date and I get to peel them upstairs. You really begin to appreciate the small things...