Beyond the Pass

I can’t believe I have the energy to write anything at all tonight, but I have had a lot of fun in the last two days.

In Basic and Intermediate Cuisine students are required to spend a certain number of hours helping out in the basement production kitchen and as demonstration assistants in classes.  In Superior, we’re assigned hours to work in the Signatures bistro.  Last week I did my first turn in the front of the house, and tonight had a chance to see dinner service from the other side of the pass – that is, from the kitchen.

As “new” folks, we didn’t get a whole lot of complicated things to do.  I vacuum bagged some smoked halibut with red pepper achiote sauce, poached some pears in simple syrup, helped plate a few appetizers and cleaned and blanched a shit ton of spinach.

Everything in the kitchen is about the mise en place.  Mise en place is what allows a restaurant to deliver high quality product in a timely fashion, even on a busy night.  No one in the kitchen starts peeling a potato when you order your fries – it’s been done already.  Sauces are already made and proteins often at least partly cooked well before you’re enjoying your pre-dinner cocktail.

It got me thinking though – many people would appreciate fine dining more if they knew the work that went into making their meal and their dining experience (and no, watching the Food Network does not count!).  It is not about opening cans and bags.  It’s creative, skilled, and labour-intensive work, right from the Chef who painstakingly created the menu to the lowliest commis plating salads. And if you have food allergies or real dietary restrictions, please for the love of all that’s holy, tell the staff when you make your reservation – a good kitchen is more than equipped to accommodate you and will do a very good job given the right notice.  But if you’re just the precious type or “don’t like” certain things, find something on the menu you can eat and don’t try to rearrange the menu to your own tastes.  Or just learn to cook for yourself and stay home. And unless you want the kitchen staff and your fellow diners to hate you, never ever be like these people.

I also spent a bit of time yesterday and today working in the basement production kitchen.  As I mentioned above it’s not mandatory for Superior students to work there, but it’s a good way (especially for someone like me, who doesn’t have restaurant experience) to learn a little more in a pretty relaxed atmosphere.  I was up early yesterday and had part of the day to kill, so I decided to go in and see what I could do.  I helped put together some baskets for the Chefs’ demos and practical classes, made some veal stock, helped make the staff lunch, and lucky me, even got to play with some foie gras!

I think I have mentioned before that I adore foie gras.  In class we get to use it more than a few times, but we never work with it right from its raw state.  So when one of the guys in the kitchen offered to show me how to devein it and make torchons, I was thrilled.  I could not have picked a better day to wander in.

I came back this afternoon before my bistro shift and learned a little bit more about cooking and wrapping them.

I guess the common thread of the last couple of days is that life is about your experiences, and that experiences are what you make them.  When you eat in a great restaurant, you’re getting to experience of the vision of the Chef, and the accumulated efforts of the staff.  If you make it all about having something exactly the way you want it, you’re missing out on a great experience.  And when you’re like me, in the mode of learning new things, the “extras” that you are willing to do are where you’ll learn the most.  I said before that assisting with the “Tour de France” short course with Chef 3 was one of the best experiences I’ve had at Le Cordon Bleu, and in large part that was because I didn’t have to do it.  And the last couple of days I’ve learned so much just because I was willing to show up and do a little more.

When I got home tonight I was grubby and tired, but happy as I’ve ever been.  And no rest for the weary, because I’m going back to school in the morning for a little more “extra” – I’m going to learn a  bit about chocolate!