Restaurant Etiquette

Should apply in the Culinary/Pastry School environment as well. WTF could I be talking about?

It's truly rude to criticize someone's work in their own turf in the most humiliating manner possible, aka laugh to their face.

Today at lunch, the Culinary students prepared multiple pizzas for the entire school. They also baked off HUMONGOUS chocolate chip cookies a la White House recipe. The platter at the table I sat at had some cookies with what looked like crystal sugar sprinkled on top. Turns out it was sea salt. The guy at my table learned the hard way when he took a bite out of the cookie and found out how salty it was. The other girls at the table, as loud as they could have been, laughed out so loud, they were drawing attention in our direction. They continued to poke fun at the cookies saying that Culinary students can't tell the difference between crystal sugar and kosher salt. One of the girls even went as far as picking out the ones with kosher salt on them and showing them to Chef Sumchet, further humiliating the person that prepared the cookies, whoever that may be.

I looked around at the Culinary students and they all were looking our way with embarrassed, upset, and angry eyes.

"How unprofessional and immature these bitches can be," I thought. I was so embarrassed to be associated with these people at that very moment.

We, as students, are told to provide constructive criticism and have a critical eye of each other's work, but this was so rude, amateur, and was taken too far. "Maybe they wanted the sweet and salty effect," I said. My preference for cookies isn't so much salty, but I give a benefit of a doubt whenever I feel there should be.

It made me pretty upset at my classmates. Whoever prepared them must've been so embarrassed; I felt their pain. It's not fun to put out something that looks and tastes bad. Or maybe they were really proud until these bitches tore into these cookies. It takes so much work and energy just to make a quality cookie. We're all human and mistakes are expected!

Another girl said to me, "They should know better." But really, in theory, none of us do, which is why we're in school. It's like saying "All Pastry students should know how to build a cake and fine pipe," but I've seen a lot of shit in class, most of which the Culinary students have been very cordial about as far as criticism goes.

Also, what the eff are my classmates expecting from the Culinary students anyways? I never expect a five-star lunch. When I get a really great meal, I'm polite about it. And when I get a shit meal, I'm STILL polite about it. I eat it all and I thank them for lunch. They feed me everyday and I'm thankful for it.

Ugh. Some people just have no tact!

Did I mention I work two jobs and go to school full time?

No, I'm not a single mom trying to raise five kids by myself.

I'm just a bit insane.

It's been really fun though. I love going to school suffice waking up at 5:40 every morning. School ends around 2:30 everyday. I head to Silver Spring to bake cookies at Alchemy for Carla Hall from 3:30 - 8 pm. If I get there early, I take a quick nap in the car before I go in. On school nights, I don't get home until about 8:30. I have dinner, shower, and attempt to do homework. But once I open that computer screen, I want to PASS THE EFF OUT. And I do. It usually happens around 10:30/11 pm. This is my Monday through Thursday schedule.

Now, one would think I would want to rest my mind, body, and soul from Friday through Sunday. But I'm working my 6 am - 2 pm shift at Atwater's on those days. Did I already mention I'm crazy? Even though I'm working on those days, though, I still feel like I'm having my "weekend". Work is usually a breeze and I enjoy doing it. Making pies, baking poundcakes, glazing tiny bites, icing cupcakes, packing cookies.

It was taking a toll on my body at first, but I think it's getting used to it, weird enough. It's funny to step back and think about it sometimes. I don't think I'm a workaholic. It's this weird drive and anxiety I have. Like I would be missing out on something if I didn't work. I wouldn't even know what to do with my free time.

The more I think about it, it's an even more incredible feat that I am able to fit in my (extremely extensive) homework in my off time. Although, my secret isn't so much a secret: I do my homework during lecture, and I can't quite figure out why my classmates haven't jumped on the bandwagon. My typing is probably three times faster than my writing. I already have 3/4 of my work done at school, so when I get home, I simply just have to review and look over my notes.

But man, I really do love taking naps!

The Walking Dead

If there is one show you need to watch, it is "The Walking Dead". New episodes air on AMC on Sundays at 9 pm with the previous week's ep airing at 8.

I'm two eps behind of the new season, but really because I don't like watching during the broadcast. I hate commercials. Just in one sitting, I watched all six eps of the first season on DVD. That being said, I don't mind watching three eps in a row. I am OBSESSED.

The show follows a group of people amidst a zombie apocalypse. Sounds like a storyline of a comic book? You guessed right! There's drama, fear, horror, and the best looking zombies ever. I have zombies on my mind all the time: are they outside my house? Would I shoot Steve if he turned into a zombie? What do zombie babies look like? The story translates so well on screen thanks to the cast and their great acting. Otherwise, it'd be super cheesy.

WATCH WATCH WATCH. You won't regret it!