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!

So. Much. Homework.

So much that I haven't even put a dent into it.

I started Pastry School last week and any free time I found for myself I have slept, which is the reason for the lack of posts.

I have taken plenty of pictures (because Chef Theresa has encouraged it), so I will post later.

Our first day was simply an orientation day. The founder/owner of the school, Francois, spoke to us for what seemed like an eternity about how to be a successful student during our time there. Kerri kept telling me he doesn't think his shit smells, which is probably true. The French are very egotistical and love their French culture.

Everyone in both Culinary and Pastry program introduced themselves. I was actually very surprised there's people coming from everywhere, from as far as West Virginia! I don't even want to know what their commute is like. There's a chick coming from Baltimore City everyday, which I can't imagine doing either, and I always have that opportunity. I just hope the people commuting from so far make it worth it for themselves.

Now that I'm almost in the groove of my routine, I've found myself waking up everyday at 5:45 am and leaving by 6:20. You'd be surprised the amount of traffic at that time. If I leave a minute later, I'd be late, which is a very crucial part in our attendance. Even 30 seconds after that 7:00 mark would be considered late. I arrive between 6:45 and 6:50 to change into my hideous chef's whites (literally, ALL FRICKIN' WHITE!). My day is so long, I don't even realize it until I get home.

Aside from that, there's so many notable alumni that people don't realize went to l'Academie. But there also very talented chefs teaching at the school. In Pastry Phase 1, there's Chef Theresa and Ms. Lydia, as I like to call her. Chef Theresa is so great - patient, soft-spoken, and will gladly answer any questions. She has the patience of a mother of small children (which she is, btw). Ms. Lydia is her teaching assistant - very much like a Jewish mother who will do everything for you because she doesn't think you can do it properly yourself. In Culinary Phase 1, there's Chef Brian, Chef Somchet, and Ms. Ashley (the teaching assistant). Sometimes I wish I could sit in that class because Chef Brian is really handsome and Chef Somchet would make me laugh all the time. Both very laid back from the encounters I've had with them. And a new friend of mine, Rabia (pronounced like Maria), insists Ms. Ashley always has a stick up here snooty butt.

It's been really exciting and fun. Although it's only been about a week and a half, I'm so happy I'm finally going to school. I already feel more confident in my skills and knowledge. We've done cream puffs and other choux pastries, pastry cream, creme anglaise (aka awesome French style ice cream), sweet and savory tarts (lemon meringue and quiche Lorraine, respectively), and a variety of traditional French cookies. A lot, right? I'm only in week 2.

I always get extremely anxious when I'm laying in bed the night before. All this excitement that's in me and I can't contain it sometimes. I look around and see that some other students are not as skilled or efficient as I am (which is totally fine. We're all there to learn, I hope!). And then I think back to my experience at Patisserie. I'm so thankful for my experience there, although it was only 3 1/2 months. I'm able to connect the skills I picked up there with the science and knowledge I'm learning at l'Academie.

1 1/2 weeks down, 23 more to go!

One last deep breath

I'm currently in West Virginia with just less than a week before I start the Pastry Arts Program at L'Academie de Cuisine. I will be attending school four days a week, while I work EVERYDAY of the week.

Hey, I'm still young. I can do this, right? I may have to take a lot of speed, but it's do-able!

I'm nervous, but confident. What will my instructors expect of me? Better yet, what can I expect of me?

I've been working in professional kitchens for the past three years with at least eight hours each of those days. There's that fear that I will let myself down if I don't get it 'right' the first time, or I'll feel dumb and inadequate. It's embarassing. People watch you and criticize you. Not that I can't take the criticism... I just expect more of myself most of the time. When you do the same recipe over and over, you get used to how it's supposed to be and you become a perfectionist and control freak. And when I'm my own worst critic all of the time, it's so hard to not stress over the little things.

However, I've been there before. Every budding chef has. The point where you don't have any idea how to read a recipe or how to roll the brioche or how soft to whip the whites. It just takes some time and plenty of patience.

But for now, I'll enjoy the fresh air in West Virginia.