I Would Do Anything For Love, But…

I’ve known about this since last week but I forgot to mention it here.

Koren wants me to start training on 2 under Elliot this week or next.

KITCHEN GODS HELP ME.

Taking It On The Run

Whoa!!! Just heard the confirmation that our sous chef, John, will be leaving us May 1.
I’d heard the rumor about 2 days ago from our butcher Jorge, but I didn’t really think much of it since John’s always taking time off for something. Once it was a trip to China. Another time, it was Iowa State University’s Meat School (a meat class where you learn about sausage making). Other times: a farm dinner in Michigan, the SXSW music fest in Austin, a collaborative chef dinner in Ohio… you get the picture. He’s out and about so hearing news of “leaving” meant little to me.

Though I did wonder if it meant what I thought it meant.

I doubt anyone at work knows this (unless they’re reading this blog, then secret’s out) but I have an inner love/hate for John. I respect him and (sort of) admire him because he’s my senpai (bordering on sensei) and he’s worked a very long time to get to his current position. He can be funny and disarmingly charming. He has tons of food ideas that end up on the menu (way more than my current zero). He’s got pretty good taste in music. (If you’re wondering how music figures into my kitchen admiration, it does a little. If I’m working next to you and your iPod is blasting shitty music that does not fit the situation; for imaginary example, drone metal while I’m peeling carrots; I won’t tell you to turn it off, but I will dislike you for playing it in the first place.)

But you can take those same reasons and look at the flip side: he became sous chef when his predecessor stepped down to take the chef de cuisine position at Big Star. (At the time I wondered if he had what it takes, but I guess now I have no choice but to grudgingly concede.) That same charm can sometimes border on douchery; once one of our servers mentioned she couldn’t drive and he said laughingly, “That’s okay, because you’re a woman.” Sure, he as lots of food ideas, but sometimes it leads to larger food cost for the restaurant (toward which I sometimes wonder if he occasionally turns a blind eye). Well, despite all this, at least he still has pretty good taste in music! (Even if he does pay for it all on iTunes, and I’m just a pirate >_>)

Anyway, I heard it from his lips that he will indeed be leaving to help open a place in Logan Square. And with that piece of news, I wonder: who will be the new sous chef?
I’d imagined Elliot, since he’s worked here next longest, and has a good head on his shoulders to boot, but there’s unconfirmed speculation that he’s leaving to follow Johnny. I don’t know what to think about that, but I’ll definitely be blogging my 90 cents about it when news of it hits my ears.

Katie, my sister-in-arms, will also be leaving sometime in the week before Easter. Hers will be a temporary leave, as she will be participating in Outstanding In The Field, a cross-country event dinner that honors its farmers and local artisans…yeah I’m not going to copy the description word for word from the site itself. Anyway, Katie will be gone til December, whoopin’ it up outdoors preparing farm dinners and being all badass and cool, while I will be slaving away at Avec, trying my damnedest to be a line cook with even a tenth of her capabilities. Not that I’m lesser or nuthin’, but when all you’ve known for most of your professional culinary life is the equivalent of a military desk job and you suddenly get stationed on the front lines (in part cos you asked for that position), you’d be a little insecure from time to time, too.

My fellow blogger, Ms. Nao, kindly let me know that Avec will be participating in Chef Week. Hmm… not only will we probably be hella busy, I’ll probably see line time during that week.

Flew That Cuckoo’s Nest!

Breakthrough!!!!
I flew solo on the line tonight and I think I did okay! Everyone was really nice and said I did great and that my food looked awesome, which means they weren’t looking at the right time haha. But seriously, I just tried my hardest to work as quickly as possible, as efficiently as possible (trying to build muscle memory), while putting out food that was appealing to the eye and tasty to boot. Not tooting my horn or nuthin’ but I think I did alright!

It was quite the surprise to find out when I got into work that I would be working the line alone. John was all casual about it, “By the way you’re working the line by yourself tonight” as he walked upstairs. I was mincing shallots when I felt my heart drop into my stomach. But it’s not like I could refuse, so I accepted it. I started setting up my station, getting stocks and ice. I learned where they keep the wood next door that we use for our oven. I approached my seniors/senpais and thinking back to all the manga I’ve read I humbly asked them to “please take care of me” and bowed low. Then I started a pan of dates and learned to work the flow. It was pretty busy and stayed like that until about 10pm. There were still people eating a little after midnight!

Working the oven is going to have to take some getting used to, as well as some adapting. For one thing, it’s not easy reaching into a 700°F oven and while I wasn’t burnt (well, except for one mysterious burn on the back of my right hand and a slight burn blisters on the tips of my fingers from handling hot loaves of bread), my skin was getting red and toasty. Fun!! >_>;;; Another thing, that same searing heat is really irritating the skin on my face. Since I’m super short (standing at a towering 5’1″) that oven fire is directly in front of me. It makes turning dates uber awesome (>_>;;;) as well as puts my eye RIGHT in the path of spitting oil when I’m flipping chicken. In fact, I got a tiny one in my left eye that, if it had been bigger, my contact and eye would’ve probably been pretty effed up. *SHUDDER*
Anyway, I need to hydrate even more than ever and find some solution for my irritated skin or else I’ll look like I’m hitting puberty again. (NOOOO! >_<)

Koren wasn't around tonight which was probably a good thing. Not that she'd make me nervous, but I don't want someone I admire to see me floundering around. Not that I really was, but it could've happened and that would've been a little mortifying.

I'm back to "observation" tomorrow and Saturday. I'm not complaining, as I doubt I could keep up with the weekend rush. Woohoo! What a milestone in my humble life!

Clocking In

After a very long “apprenticeship” I have decided to start a blog to record my perilous journey to chefdom… or something like that. The point is, I can’t be a kitchen slave forever. And so, with much trepidation, I will be learning the line tomorrow (I mean, later today). Therefore, to be continued….!