In Over My Head

Week 5, Day 25

Finished up the Servesafe book and we broke up into groups to make Gazpacho. The group exercises are getting better. We have kind of found small groups that we can work with. Mine seems to consist of Jeremy, Jeremy, and Jarred. Funny that they are all Js and two of them are Jeremy. I haven't known a Jeremy since I was in high school. Anyway, we had a few extra peeps in the group and things seemed to go pretty well considering 3/4 of the group had never tasted gazpacho. This little fact makes things a bit more challenging. End result was not bad actually, it was "refreshing" said Chef Sara. We got points for our presentation but ended up second best overall.

Second place Gazpacho

After making this soup in a group, why would I be in over my head you ask? Well, in my search for a part time job in the industry I sent my resume to the St. Louis Club, on a whim. The St. Louis Club is a dining club in Clayton. It is considered a platinum dining club and is ranked among the top 5% of all city clubs nationally by the Club Leader’s Forum. The Executive Chef Pierre Chambrin was the White House Executive Chef During the first Bush administration and left the position shortly after the Clinton's took office, apparently they differed on the menu. Here is a brief description of the history of the White House position.


I emailed my resume on Tuesday and was very surprised to get a response by Tuesday evening. I set up an interview for Thursday afternoon. When I arrived, the kitchen was CRAZY! There were like 20 people jammed into a tiny space all prepping for a banquet and that nights dinner service. I was told to wonder around until the Chef was ready to see me. The kitchen was small in size, but spotless. There was a huge row of copper pots and pans lining the "line" area, where all the action happens. Beautiful desserts were laying on some prep tables, waiting to be stored. French was flying around the kitchen like  gusts of wind from a bluff. I was in awe. I was thinking, "What am I doing here!"


When Chef Pierre was ready for me. I sat in his little tiny office and  he asked me if I wanted an extern-ship, that's where we work for 6 weeks at a restaurant right before we graduate. There were two other Le Cordon Bleu students there this afternoon. I commented I was not ready to do that yet, as I had just started school. He in return asked if I wanted a paying job. I said I wanted to spend some time in his kitchen. He then said, "We have a part time job available, it will be evenings doing banquet prep and will be spotty at best. 30 hours one week, none the next type of thing". I said ok, I mean how could I pass up this opportunity, right? "Can you work Saturday at 3:00?" I said, "SURE!" Full well knowing, I'd have to drive to Springfield on Friday and drive back on Saturday with Rhys. But, hey- I'll figure it out right?


So here I am, I have NO kitchen experience. None, nadda, zip and I just got a paying  job at one of the best kitchens in town? He looked at my resume right? For once maybe my masters degree actually paid off. Maybe they think I'm smart and will pick up on stuff. Let's hope they are right!