Week 1 First Term

My first week at culinary school was definitely a huge adjustment, getting into school mode and acclimatizing to an intense learning environment.  Thankfully the first week started on a Wednesday so it gave us some time to absorb and adapt to everything, and allowed us to come to the realization that this will be our life for the next 6 months.  It is sure to be quite an adventure.

September 21st Day 1 AM:  Introduction

Definitely had some first day of school jitters as its been quite some time since I was back in school.  The morning started with a brief introduction of the course and school.  Then we received all our supplies (recipe binder, chefs uniforms, knifes, keys, lockers), and then getting a tour of all the classrooms and kitchens.  It was a lot of information to digest in just a short time, but then we were able to relax a bit and enjoy a 3 course meal downstairs at the school's restaurant.

 

Day 1 PM: First demonstration

NO TIME WAS WASTED, WE WERE ALREADY WATCHING OUR FIRST DEMONSTRATION TAUGHT BY ONE OF OUR TEACHERS IN THE AFTERNOON.  ALTHOUGH THESE SEEM TO BE SIMPLE RECIPES, TO ABSORB ALL THE INFORMATION, TO FOLLOW THE RECIPES, TO LEARN AND KNOW WHAT SKILLS ARE NEEDED FOR EACH RECIPE, TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE COOK OR PREPARE FOOD IN A CERTAIN WAY, AND TO UNDERSTAND HOW IT ALL SHOULD TASTE AND HOW IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE ONCE ITS ALL DONE, IS DEFINITELY NOT AN EASY TASK.  HOWEVER AFTER EACH DEMONSTRATION, WE ARE ALLOWED TO TASTE THE FOOD SO WE KNOW WHAT EACH DISH IS SUPPOSED TO TASTE LIKE.  FIRST DAY DONE AND I AM OVERWHELMED AND INTIMIDATED, HOPE IT GETS BETTER.

• Knife sharpening, chop onion, slice onion, crush garlic, slice carrots, dice carrots

• Brown Stock and White Stock

• Tagliatelle al forno

• Omelette Arnold Bennett

• Fruit Salad

• Orange Wholewheat cake

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 22nd Day 2 AM: First day in the kitchen

SO TODAY WAS THE FIRST DAY I PUT ON MY CHEF'S UNIFORM, IT'S OFFICIAL NO TURNING BACK NOW.  THE FIRST FEW MOMENTS WERE LEARNING ABOUT WHAT OUR NORMAL DAY TO DAY SCHEDULE WILL BE LIKE,  PRACTICING SHARPENING OUR KNIFES, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY REVIEWING AND UNDERSTANDING KITCHEN SAFETY AND FOOD HYGIENE.  THEN IT WAS TO START COOKING AND TO GET FAMILIAR WITH THE KITCHEN AND WHERE EVERYTHING IS.  IT WAS A TOUGH FIRST MORNING OF COOKING, A LOT OF ADJUSTMENTS ON HOW YOU PREPARE AND COOK ALL THE FOOD IN A TIMELY MANNER.  MANY THINGS TO THINK ABOUT AS MANY THINGS CAN BE COOKING AND GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME, SO A SKILL TO BE LEARNED IS FIGURING OUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE FIRST OR WHAT CAN BE PREPPED OR COOKED NEXT WHILE SOMETHING IS IN THE OVEN OR SIMMERING.  SO IT IS QUITE AN ADJUSTMENT FOR SOMEONE WHO HASN'T WORKED IN A PROFESSIONAL KITCHEN OR WHO ONLY COOKS AT HOME, AS NOW YOU HAVE TO THINK IN A PROFESSIONAL AND SANITARY ENVIRONMENT (NO MORE LIKING FINGERS ;)  BUT HOPEFULLY WITH TIME AND PRACTICE, IT WILL ALL BECOME EASIER.

• Tagliatelle al forno

• Green salad (Salade verte)

• Simple French dressing (sauce vinaigrette)

• Fruit Salad

 

Day 2 PM: Demonstration

• French onion soup (soupe a l'oignon)

• Tomato soup ( Creme de tomates)

• Croutons

• Baked salmon with mustard sauce (Saumon cuit au four, sauce moutarde)

• Wilted baby spinach

• Little chocolate pots (Petits pots de chocolat au rhum)

• Basic white and brown bread

 

September 23rd Day 3 AM: Cooking

ALL MADE BY MY PARTNER AND I, NOT BAD FOR THE 2ND DAY OF COOKING.  TOMATO SOUP WAS QUITE TASTY, HOWEVER I DID OVERCOOK SOME OF MY CROUTONS AS MY OIL WAS A BIT TOO HIGH.  CHOCOLATE POTS WERE QUITE EASY TO MAKE BUT THEY SEEM ALMOST MORE MOUSSE LIKE OR A CHOCOLATE CREAM.

• Tomato soup

• Croutons

• Omelette Arnold Bennett

• Potato wedges

• Little chocolate pots

 

Day 3 PM: Cooking

• Basic white and brown bread

• Orange wholewheat cake

No pictures, but thought the bread was ok as it was a basic bread.  The cake I thought was a bit dry which could have been from the wholewheat, however the orange frosting was quite lovely.