My Kitchen Brigade -Back: Mira, Jude, Zane (2IC), Bronwyn (Chef de Partie)
Front: Charles
YES CHEF!!!
Alright so its over and done with...and Im not going to say Thank God - as I was loving this class and it sucks that its only 5 weeks long, it would be so much more rewarding if it was a full semester! I know we have to fit four papers into one semester and that both Kitchen Operations and Food and Beverage Operations are both semi practical but seriously its alot of information and stuff to cram into 5 weeks and expect to be memorised and learnt and understood in. Anyone who knows me well knows that I am one very hands on person and I dont do written stuff I dont do the whole theory work. Probably why I sit in exams almost pulling my hair out for the first five mins of reading time and then an hour later when Ive hit the hard parts and people have already started leaving!
Prawn Fritters
Me and Zane had spent two days working on our requisitions and time management and standardise receipies - never mind our group was made up of 5 people we were the only two who did work on the paperwork. Our lecturer was not impressed that the other 3 members didnt do any work...we hadnt really planned how our buffet would work or colours or anything, I just went ahead and created menus and buffet cards for the assessment which everyone liked which is great....I would have been pissed off if they didnt.
Spanish Flat Omelette
I handed out our time management and receipies making it clear who was doing what and when to be in the kitchen by - Jude let us down by being late after I drilled it into him to be there on time. We pulled into a tema huddle and Zane being the class clown he is, broke out singing the national anthem and Maori...with the two Chinese members going whats he seeing...and me explaining it to them - they were a bit confused and I laughed...we went in and got into things cleaning and sanitizing our benches...we were set back minorly with that the food wasnt brought up from downstairs yet - so we basically got all the equipment ready.
Pork Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Our lecturer was pulling our groups our slowly for a meeting while we got the ingrediants ready, my group was pulled out and it went down hill from there - three of my chefs had dirty uniforms one, one of which hadnt iron his, I know the iron was not working as I have been to the school reception and the school office about it - and was allowed to use the staff one under supervision with them having posession of my school ID card. I was told i have inteligency from my lecturer over that situtation the others clearly didnt...as Chef de Partie I had to decided what to do - i cant believe they had not washed their uniforms since monday!! One said he has but couldnt get stains out I ripped into him that he could have soaked it in nappy san, that he could have given it to me to wash at home. We were able to swap their jacket front over (isnt Auguste Escoffier amazing with this invention of the chef jacket and the rest of the uniform??) However they had to get aprons. I ripped into them further more saying what a let down they were, that it was unhygienic and that we were being tested in the practical componet for our food and hygiene certificate.
Breakfast Salad
Once we were sorted we got underway. We were working ahead of time and though we started late we were up and serviced first and before time. Alot of positive feedback given, with a couple of mark downs but over all it was great. We were so proud of ourselves and I was proud of my team.
Classic Club with Pommes Pallies
We had to do peer assessments and it was highly interesting seeing what marks everyone gave each other. I marked my team fairly, I gave low marks to those who didnt take part in full team participation, they may have done well at the practical but they didnt put in anything towards the paper work that both myseld and Zane had worked hard on. It was interesting seeing them giving themself top parks for team work - and for uniform - never mind their uniforms were dirty, they may have come with full uniform but it was dirty....we also had to give comments to justify our marks. It was just a bit of a giggle for me reading through them all, unfortunately Zane fell ill with the chicken pox so I didnt get to see his, I would have love to have read them over with him. All paper work is not in to be marked.
Apple and Date Cake with Coconut Topping and Caramel Sauce
Just hoping I get a good mark over all and that I get that certificate - even though Ive already done it two times before and have that certificate from another institute..!
I wouldnt know what I know with cooking had it been from not watching the chefs at my job over the past year, and from watching inspiring people like Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver - two highly known chefs who inspire me, and Ive said to people I don idolise them and Im not a bit fan, they are an inspiration to me...I have learnt great things about food through them. And if you havent done so alread I recommend watching Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food and Gordon Ramsay's F Word....many lessons I have learnt from watching those.
Final Buffet
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