Friday, February 27, 2009
BYE-BYE CIA.....Done with my first year
IM DONE!! I have officially finished my first year of school here at CIA. It went sooo quickly. But the amount of stuff I have learned is overwhelming. I regret not taking pictures of what I did in class, but I guess I was just too busy having fun! I am excited to go home so I can practice what I have learned and maybe do some more experimentation. I am home until march 30th, then I go down to Newport, RI for my externship at the Mooring Restaurant and Seafood Bar.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
PASSING the PRACTICAL!!!
I PASSED!. Not only did I pass, I got a HIGH PASS!!! I got a 95!!!!!!!!! THE FIRST TIME!!! Chef said he was pissed cuz I am one of the few, very few, who get a high pass on their first time. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!! The second I sat down with my food, he asked how I feel I did. I said good, and he looked over at my station, which was in clear view for him the WHOLE time, and he saw my three pieces of paper with the recipes, timelines, etc, hanging up, and he said, "yea, I can tell you feel good, your timelines and preparation is exceptional!!"
I started cooking at 2:50, but I had from 2:10 until that time to gather everything including pots, pans, utensils, food. I could start measuring, but I could not cut anything. By the time 2:50 rolled around, I was ready to go. I had to present no later than 5:20, but I could give the chef food as early as 5:05.
The menu was this:
Grilled Swordfish with Sauce Bearnaise
Rice Pilaf
Tomato Duxelle
Buttered Green Beans
SOUP: Chicken Consomme
I drew this menu and I was very excited, because I had not heard much hype, so I was not worried. I was very comfortable with this choice. I got rolling on gathering everything.
As for how my station was set up, I was right next to where the Chef sat to grade, so everything I did, he saw. I made sure my station stayed clean and organize, that I washed my hands, did not cross contaminate anything. I washed my cutting board at least 5 times. I knew that he was watching my every move.
The first thing I started on was my consomme. I knew that would take at least an hour, if not longer, to develop both flavor and color. Once that was simmering, I spent a good 10 minutes on my garnish for the consomme because it had to be julienne, and I wanted it perfect. I blanched them off and had them ready to re-heat.
I then made my duxelle, making sure to season the tomatoes. Ahh waht I am talking about, I don't need to go through everything I did.
Anyways, I had my soup ready easily by 4:15, I just had to keep it hot, so by 5:05, I plated it up in hot soup cups and brought it to chef. I then went back to my station to plate everything else, so by 5:15, I was done.
I was very happy with my fish especially because the marks were flawless. I did not have the heat too high on the grill pan and there was not too much oil. I cross hatched it and flipped it, so that there were cross hatches on both sides. This did not cook the fish, I finished it in the oven. I knew that the marks would get too dark if I tried to cook it on the grill, even though it was not that thick of fillets. Around 4:10, everything started to come together. I had my tomatoes stuffed and ready to go in the oven, my consomme was strained and staying hot, my fish was marked, my rice was cooking, and my green beans were blanched off. The timing worked perfectly. Everything was piping hot, pefectly cooked, perfectly seasoned (but the duxelle had a bit too much roasted garlic and the consomme had one too many cloves (the spice, not garlic). Other than that, everytihng was perfect!! The plate looked really nice too, damn, I should have taken a picture. Chef loved everything and I just couldnt wipe the smile off my face! I knew I did well, but did not know how well because I would not know my grade till later that night.
After he sat down with me and my food, I went to wash dishes until everyone else was finished. After the kitchen was clean, we did the oral, which was where he asks us questions about cooking, all of which we learned during Skills 1 and 2. I was the third to go. The way he asks the questions was weird. He would ask a quesiton, then ask a question inside of the question. Example: tell me about stocks....(answer)...okay, now, what's the cooking time for that stock?. It just kept going. But I was getting everything right. The only question I was flustered on was the question about puree vs cream soups. He talked me through it and I surprisingly got it right. I got alll 10 of my questions right!!!! The whole time I could tell he was looking for a way to nail me and take points off. He wrote some numbers down after that, and asked me how I did on my costing practical. I said, I passed. He said, well, with what? I said, i got three wrong, so an 85? and He goes, thats too bad, cuz this is what you got tonight for your cooking practical and he had circled HIGH PASS!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHH. Before I started to cry, I asked if I could leave, and he goes yea, just dont scream. Then he says, "oh, by the way, I'm pretty pissed because very very few people do as well as you do their first time"
I am still in shock about tonight. I feel so good though that I did so well. I never freaked out, there were never any big mistakes, I worked efficiently, stayed calm, knew what I was going. I'm just, I don't know how to react. Maybe a glass of wine to celebrate will calm me down!
I started cooking at 2:50, but I had from 2:10 until that time to gather everything including pots, pans, utensils, food. I could start measuring, but I could not cut anything. By the time 2:50 rolled around, I was ready to go. I had to present no later than 5:20, but I could give the chef food as early as 5:05.
The menu was this:
Grilled Swordfish with Sauce Bearnaise
Rice Pilaf
Tomato Duxelle
Buttered Green Beans
SOUP: Chicken Consomme
I drew this menu and I was very excited, because I had not heard much hype, so I was not worried. I was very comfortable with this choice. I got rolling on gathering everything.
As for how my station was set up, I was right next to where the Chef sat to grade, so everything I did, he saw. I made sure my station stayed clean and organize, that I washed my hands, did not cross contaminate anything. I washed my cutting board at least 5 times. I knew that he was watching my every move.
The first thing I started on was my consomme. I knew that would take at least an hour, if not longer, to develop both flavor and color. Once that was simmering, I spent a good 10 minutes on my garnish for the consomme because it had to be julienne, and I wanted it perfect. I blanched them off and had them ready to re-heat.
I then made my duxelle, making sure to season the tomatoes. Ahh waht I am talking about, I don't need to go through everything I did.
Anyways, I had my soup ready easily by 4:15, I just had to keep it hot, so by 5:05, I plated it up in hot soup cups and brought it to chef. I then went back to my station to plate everything else, so by 5:15, I was done.
I was very happy with my fish especially because the marks were flawless. I did not have the heat too high on the grill pan and there was not too much oil. I cross hatched it and flipped it, so that there were cross hatches on both sides. This did not cook the fish, I finished it in the oven. I knew that the marks would get too dark if I tried to cook it on the grill, even though it was not that thick of fillets. Around 4:10, everything started to come together. I had my tomatoes stuffed and ready to go in the oven, my consomme was strained and staying hot, my fish was marked, my rice was cooking, and my green beans were blanched off. The timing worked perfectly. Everything was piping hot, pefectly cooked, perfectly seasoned (but the duxelle had a bit too much roasted garlic and the consomme had one too many cloves (the spice, not garlic). Other than that, everytihng was perfect!! The plate looked really nice too, damn, I should have taken a picture. Chef loved everything and I just couldnt wipe the smile off my face! I knew I did well, but did not know how well because I would not know my grade till later that night.
After he sat down with me and my food, I went to wash dishes until everyone else was finished. After the kitchen was clean, we did the oral, which was where he asks us questions about cooking, all of which we learned during Skills 1 and 2. I was the third to go. The way he asks the questions was weird. He would ask a quesiton, then ask a question inside of the question. Example: tell me about stocks....(answer)...okay, now, what's the cooking time for that stock?. It just kept going. But I was getting everything right. The only question I was flustered on was the question about puree vs cream soups. He talked me through it and I surprisingly got it right. I got alll 10 of my questions right!!!! The whole time I could tell he was looking for a way to nail me and take points off. He wrote some numbers down after that, and asked me how I did on my costing practical. I said, I passed. He said, well, with what? I said, i got three wrong, so an 85? and He goes, thats too bad, cuz this is what you got tonight for your cooking practical and he had circled HIGH PASS!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHH. Before I started to cry, I asked if I could leave, and he goes yea, just dont scream. Then he says, "oh, by the way, I'm pretty pissed because very very few people do as well as you do their first time"
I am still in shock about tonight. I feel so good though that I did so well. I never freaked out, there were never any big mistakes, I worked efficiently, stayed calm, knew what I was going. I'm just, I don't know how to react. Maybe a glass of wine to celebrate will calm me down!
The Dreaded Cooking Practical, Pass or Fail
Before we leave on externship, we have to take a cooking practical. We are given 6 different menus that we have to prepare for because we draw a menu that day of the practical. We have 2 1/2 hours to prepare a soup and an entree. We have cooked all of these items during Skills 1, 2, 3, so nothing is unfamiliar. I saved most of my recipes from those classes, so prepping the recipes was not hard. The hard part was the week leading up to my practical
As each day went by before my practical, more and more of my classmates were failing, and those that passed were just barely passing. I started to get worried. The chef was picking out the little things, according to the students. I listened to the tips and hints they could give me about how to not mess up, which was hard for this chef because he had specific ways of doing things that we are not taught in school. I mentally prepared myself to pick out every single detail and avoid failing. I made sure I understood my recipes, made detailed game plans and read over everything.
The thing that is occuring with most classmates is that they are failing the first time, and when they take it the second, they get a very high grade, which apparently is common with this chef. I don't want to go into the practical with the "second chance" mentality. I want to pass it my first time. I am mentally prepared and I know what I am doing, I just cannot get flustered.
As each day went by before my practical, more and more of my classmates were failing, and those that passed were just barely passing. I started to get worried. The chef was picking out the little things, according to the students. I listened to the tips and hints they could give me about how to not mess up, which was hard for this chef because he had specific ways of doing things that we are not taught in school. I mentally prepared myself to pick out every single detail and avoid failing. I made sure I understood my recipes, made detailed game plans and read over everything.
The thing that is occuring with most classmates is that they are failing the first time, and when they take it the second, they get a very high grade, which apparently is common with this chef. I don't want to go into the practical with the "second chance" mentality. I want to pass it my first time. I am mentally prepared and I know what I am doing, I just cannot get flustered.
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