Last Day of Class

Today was our last day of class. I made a lot of macaroni and cheese today which surprised me as it was nice outside and I would think that people would order more sandwiches and salads. I guess that just shows you never know what people are going to be in the mood for and you better be prepared. Thankfully I was and I was able to complete all the orders.

Almost Done

This week was the saute station. I received a nice compliment from my academic adviser. He said that my macaroni and cheese was better than the fine dining restaurant that he had eaten at a couple days before. This restaurant is renowned for their macaroni and cheese, so I was very happy to receive this compliment.

The Grill Station

This week I had the grill station. It can get quite busy at times. On Wednesday we had a special, a marinated chicken breast that was grilled along with aparagus and then the chicken was placed on top of coconut rice and then topped with a peanut sauce. Very popular and delicious!

70 Covers

We did 70 covers at lunch today successfully!

Rosti Week

This week I made the potato rosti which was fun. I think this could be a very versatile item on a menu. It could be for vegetarians and meat eaters as well. I think some steamed broccoli would be really good with some cheddar cheese and sauteed onions and maybe even some mushrooms. Herbs would be nice as well.

Beautiful Croissants

This week I learned how to use the sheeting machine for the croissants. This machine makes life much easier. After proofing the dough, I baked off the croissants and I was pleased with how they came out; beautiful golden brown and flaky and tender inside.

Hollandaise Repair

I learned this week how to repair a broken hollandaise, a very useful thing to know. It is nice to be able to repair the hollandaise without having to completely remake it. I learned that heat is an important factor, either too much or not enough. Also, you have to watch it when it is sitting on the line and give it an occasional stir every 10 minutes or so.

Eggs

I am relieved that I was able to flip my eggs in the skillet without the spatula. It only took me three times! Looking forward to doing this some more and maybe even getting really good at it.

First Week

I found out that being a line cook is not as easy as it may seem. There is a lot of prep work and once you get on the line it is very hot. Teamwork is very important and it takes time to establish the communication. I'm looking forward to seeing how everyone will progress as we go along.