culinary school flashback: not all about food
Being in culinary school is fun because you get to learn so many new recipes, and try lots of new types of food.
It is, however, A LOT of hard work. And not just while your cooking. Learning to be a great cook is so much more than just being able to cook! It’s about learning the ins and outs and respecting the whole system of the kitchen.
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it’s not all about the food
Each day we get divided into 8 teams before heading into the kitchen (I briefly mentioned this in the week three in review post). We not only cook in these teams, but are also assigned and take care of our daily chores in these teams. Each group has a different set responsibilities to take care off before our afternoon lectures can take place or before we can go home for the day.
What kind of chores could we possible have?
Team 1 assists our dishwashers, Carlos and Alex, with washing, drying and putting away the dishes. On an average day a single team can go through about 5-10 pots, 3-5 sauté pans, 15-20 utensils (wooden spoons, whisks, tongs, ladles, serving spoons – you get the picture), a number of sheet pans and trays, as well as what seems like a million plates, forks, knives and cups. It’s almost impossible to imagine the piles and piles of dishes we produce!
Team 2 is responsible for the Commissary. That means all surfaces need to be cleaned and wiped down, ingredients that we use on a daily basis (such as the salts, peppers, sugars, vinegars, oils etc.) are properly labeled and organized, and any incoming deliveries are put away. I enjoy this chore because I get the opportunity to learn all the nooks and crannies of the commissary, see what kind of ingredients the entire school uses and get a better understanding why the space is organized the way it is. And let’s face it, I like to organize and have things put in its proper place .
Teams 3, 4 & 5 are in charge of the kitchen, aka a deep clean! All tables and countertops have to be cleaned and sanitized, the stoves need to be wiped down and scrubbed, the floors need to be swept and mopped, and the sinks need to be sanitized, as well as replenished with paper towels and soap.
Team 6 responsibilities are the exact same ones as teams 3, 4 & 5. They however, have to clean the classroom, in which we have our daily demo. We often have prospective students tour the school or chefs from around town drop in to give guest lectures, so it is important the space always looks presentable and most of all clean.
Team 7 & 8 are in charge of putting away any ingredients we did not use that day. Additionally the teams need to gather all ingredients we will need the next day from the commissary and bring it to the kitchen to helps us stay organized while cooking.
One of the most important lessons we are taught on a daily basis is to MISE EN PLACE. MISE EN PLACE means having “everything in its place” (ingredients and tools) before we start on a particular dish. This is important because it helps prevent us from realizing we forgot something halfway through the cooking process, having to stop to go grab that item before we are able to complete the task. It all boils down to thinking through the whole process before we ever start cooking so that we work efficiently.
Becoming a great cook is not all about the food. A great cook understands all aspects of a kitchen and restaurant, from what it takes to clean it to jumping in and helping the dishwashers. While it is hard work, I love that LAC puts a big emphasis on that aspect of the industry, ensuring we are well rounded cooks by the end of the program.
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What I love most about this post is that before attending school, I never realized all the work that goes into running a kitchen. These chores really opened my eyes about the nooks and crannies of the culinary kitchen world and truly made me appreciate the kitchen.
What do you think would have been your favorite chore?!