PASTRY COOK ON THE ROAD
Strangely enough, females have dominated the kitchens I’ve worked in so far on this trip—an anomaly, considering the profession. And it’s been a refreshing environment to be in because I can let a certain guard down. Strength in sisterhood.
But as I walked through the back door of Tippling Club on my first day, I stepped right back into the boys club—though not necessarily a bad thing. It feels familiar which puts me at ease. Welcome back into the fold.
Turns out my English name literally translated into Chinese is “水晶” or “shui jing.” The Chinese speakers in the kitchen had an easier time remembering my name that way and now I’m responding to it. How’s that for cultural sensitivity?
When I was instructed to arrive at 37 MacTaggart Road at 7am on my first day, I realized that I wasn’t going to 2am:dessertbar, Chef Janice Wong’s restaurant. Through her Instagram account, I knew that she had to be doing a lot of production for her speciality chocolate candies and catering items, but I assumed that it was all being done at the restaurant. A production facility? Was that where I was headed?
Several thoughts raced through my head. Was I going to be sitting on a production line, slapping stickers on boxes of chocolate? Was I going to be wearing one of those catch-all hairnets? Was I going to learn anything? Wtf, man.
I wrap up my Aberdeen Street Social stage this week and I’m reflecting on my time here to determine what I’m gaining in experience as I leave. What did I learn?
To be honest, Continue reading “Add oil”
Out of the ten or so restaurants I have worked or staged in, only one (Per Se) had deck ovens and a proofing box for bread-making and it was technically not the restaurant’s, but Bouchon Bakery’s, which operated in the same space.
I did not see deck ovens or proofing boxes when I worked at Restaurant Daniel, though admittedly they did exist in the pastry kitchen before I arrived but had since been moved to the commissary Chef Daniel Boulud opened to bake the bread for all his New York City restaurants.
What is a deck oven and proofing box? Continue reading “I make potatoes”
CHEWYFOODLIFE 