On My First Day In A French Kitchen!

Yesterday was my very first day in a French kitchen, I don't know why I'm referring to it as a French kitchen.  Maybe, because it is.  It's in a, might I say, legendary French culinary institute.  But it was my first day in any commercial-type kitchen.  When Melinda, she is an awesome lady that works at the LeNotre Culinary Institute and truly there aren't enough word to express the magnitude of gifted staff there or their passion, approachability, and friendliness who really does want you to succeed.. Really!  I mean that and am not pitching them or the school, sorry if it sounds like I am but that's just me.  I tell you how I feel!  I write what I feel!  Getting back on track here, when she took me on the tour of the Institute I could see, sense, smell of the sweet, seductive confections wafting from baking kitchen, the savory scents of the cuisines that smelled so good I nearly passed out!

I had my first day in a large kitchen, my instructor is Chef Jean and yes he is French, with a heavy French accent.  And let me tell you, I am so happy I am in his class.  I don't know how many Level I instructors there are or if he is the only one and I am certain I'd be in good hands with any one of their Chefs but he is an older, well seasoned Chef.  From the old school.  To me, those are the best when you are first starting out.  But like I said, that's me.  I like the old world viniculture practices.  I prefer to learn the way things were meant to be.. from the beginning because that gives you the best base to work from.  It's why our grandmothers foods were so good, legendary throughout our families.  Your grandmothers probably taught your mothers whose cooking could win Michelin Awards.  I am an avid researcher, so as Chef Jean teaches me these most essential skills, techniques, basics, mother sauces, etc. I am going to add my own twist from my heritage.  That's how you learn to cook.  You glean what you need and you make it your own.

With all the above being said, my first day was a huge success.  It's where all my past struggles in my life since January of this year has carried me to.  I know that wasn't a long time ago, just a few months.  But this school carries you fast.  That's why you have to show up, for everything in life.  So that shouldn't be too hard huh!  You also have to be present.  Don't show up and not be present, you cannot absorb anything with an inattentive mind!  Then as we learned, Practice Practice Practice.  Taste Taste Taste.  You have to apply what you've learned.  Apply it everywhere, at school, home, someone else's home, work.  Everywhere.  It helps to know a little French.  It's all really simple.  You know it's said that for things to be retained by the mind it needs to be said 3 times.  Some people, it takes only once.  I'm like that sometimes.  But here, the recipes, the techniques are introduced to you in written form at least 3 times.  I noticed this as I was perusing through my class materials last night.  Chef Jean told us he does not want us to write down the recipes, he wants us to remember them in our hearts, and in our minds.  Which is all gravy, and I love gravy!  But I'm a writer, I learn by writing.  Maybe that's why I appreciate how the coursework is presented.  I'm not dumb, or weak-willed, I'm a writer.  My mind's light is always turn on!  Literature is it's beacon!  In my coursework, I can make all kinds of notes, and adjustments, and become inspired when I see the same recipe, with the same instructions written differently.  In one book it may just be all words, in another it may.have colorful pictures and illustrations, etc.  I can research on how to put my own cultural spin on it, even keeping it French at times.  All of this is giving me goosebumps.  Yes, writing to me is as close to sex as anything can get!  Writing is sexy.  It's an aphrodisiac.  I think, like in exercise it releases endorphins!  Have you ever eaten a lamb dish or anything that was so good it made your mind do somersaults?  Did y'all see my post about the Lamb dish I ordered at Kris Bistro?  Uuuugh!  So danged yummy!  Absolutely no gaminess!! And I can't wait until Friday, but I must.  Because it's the last day of the $20 deal and the only day me & Rich can go there together.  I think I'm going to get me a locker today, so I can go to class on Friday right from the Bistro and change my chef suit just before.

I didn't mean to keep you all so long.  But by now, y'all should probably know (if you're regular readers) that I get excited often!  Lol!

Today, I have class and am very nervous.  I don't like to be put under the radar, but I have to be.  It's my 2nd kitchen debut.  My "knife skills" test.  The test I didn't put in parenthesis because that's not what I'm worried about.  It doesn't need stressing.  I'm real good at taking tests.  It's the knife skills part that's nearly got me breaking out in hives!  I have no knife skills.  I know to curl your fingers when your slicing, dicing, chopping.  But seriously that takes too long.  And these knives are friggin' sharp!  Soooo as everyone is moving along like well oiled machines, I will be by the first aid station like every 5 minutes while trying to coordinate proper finger placement and chopping technique.  I'll tell y'all how it all actually turns out, and I do hope and will definitely pray to my Almighty Father in Heaven that it turns out much better than I envision.  I think I need a new vision.  A vision of success and not failure.  I'm 4.0 in academics and hopefully 4.0 in the kitchen.  Richard gets home from dialysis just before I leave to go to school.  I might be able to see him for 30 minutes.  I wish I could stuff him in my pocket and take him with me.  Oh listen to me!  I sound like a whimp!  I got this!  And if I don't perform so well, next time I'm certain I'll be much much better!  I'm gonna be Suma Cum Laude remember!

Tomorrow at school we will be prepping for presentation, critique in the dining room on Friday.

You know what, you guys are awesome listeners!  Lol!  Thank You for that and for tolerating my little panic attack.  Do you know what a panic adjustment is?  I just thought of that term, don't know yet if the term is even real or not.  But it would be when you adjust your panicking from one thing to another.  I'm going to do everything in my power to avoid that today!  Lol!