Mid-flight Update
First semester is over… Prue Leith Restaurant here we come! Almost 5 months into the flight and the culinary journey is going smoothly. The destination still seems a bit far but the early turbulence has successfully been maneuvered through.
1st July 2009 seems so long ago as we sit in the now familiar student area comparing knife cut wounds. Three partners in cookery have left us since and the early jitters at touching a chef’s knife have disappeared. Now bleeds are treated with disdain and nonchalance, Tuesday morning tests are easier as our knowledge grows, 10pm on a Saturday has become early evening and a night with more than 7 hours of sleep is called a holiday.
We’ve journeyed over some rather treacherous terrain during our flight to chefdom. Sore feet and dirty looks at those stunning black shoes now a thing of the past, we slowly savour and appreciate each and every time we sign our names out at the end of the day. The months have also made philosophers of us, none of us will ever look at a quail the same again and none of us will underestimate the power of a good stock. It has been an overload of information and yet it hasn’t been overwhelming.
The journey so far has been a good one, one filled with many happy memories as well as interesting ones. Late night debates about the perfect way to mop the kitchen are followed by deeply intelligent conversations about bodily functions. Fights over blue clothes are common and the daily espionage between kitchens trying to get the most tablespoons before service is now a new chapter in the Art of War. Ahhh, the journey is in full swing.
Hollandaise to brioche to Foie Gras to Bavarian to Espagnol to terrines. If you had asked us what these things were 6 months ago most of us would have slapped you for swearing. The cabin crew have ensured we are well prepared for the long journey, serving us with inside info and industry details we would never get anywhere else. Although we have done our fair share of disturbing the in-flight plan we have added our own fair share of in-flight entertainment. The term “My Bad” has become persona non grata much to our lecturers irritation at it`s open endedness and dodging ownership for a mistake; but they will never give up because they know we will get it one day, 2nd commis now know we don’t bite and can actually cook; Karen has given up trying to talk some sense into us whilst discussions with Walter are as unpredictable as ever. We’ve come to learn the word “cheese” gets you into Chef Adele’s good books, mention Kobe and Chef Ryan gets teary-eyed, a visit from Chef Ewald in the dem room means no more food left for anyone and Chef Lorraine talks to all her pastry whilst Chef Stefan screams at you with a whisper, Chef Debby…well she just thinks every pastry recipe is “my favourite recipe”.
Storms may come and the pilot may have to take us on a detour now and then but what’s for sure is that this journey towards being top class chefs is still on track.
