KEEPING US ON THE BALL
Our executive chef was one of the best chefs in the country. He held the Masters degree in cooking of Switzerland. To give you an idea; the Masters degree goes for 2 years. You must hold a position as a executive sous chef or executive chef in a big and well known hotel. Only 5% of candidates will pass the final exams. Extreme hard and demanding 2 years of training and holding a full time job as well while one goes through the hard training. We could ask anything cooking related and our executive chef would have an answer without checking books first. He was a walking cooking encyclopedia to say the least. To have a trainer like him was sheer bliss for us apprentices. But he was very strict but fair. We found out that he would wonder into the main kitchen on not so busy days and surprise us with a random task. Like a mini test for him to see where we at with our training. He would keep us on the ball all the time.
For example: The executive chef would call me or walk up to me and tell me to make a pot of fresh bouillon from scratch. He would then walk up to the next apprentice and ask him to take a chopping board and set it up on a work bench. Then he would tell that apprentice to prepare everything for a French Bouillabaisse soup. (A national French fish soup). He knew exactly on what level training we apprentices where and would not give us any tasks we did not know about. For us apprentices, the executive chef was like God. He knew everything and was everywhere. You could not fool him ever.
We apprentices were learning very quickly, that he would get us to do test like tasks at any time of the week. No announcement, be ready for a challenge any time. Later, we realised what our executive chef wanted to teach and prepare us for.
Flexibility: to be able to do anything anytime and anywhere. No matter of time or place.
To be ready for anything: no such thing like surprises. In a kitchen anything can happen.
Be an all rounder: to be able to work anywhere in the kitchen at any time.
Working exactly: have pride in the work and fulfil the tasks 100% all the time. No short cuts.
Mastering our skills: just like a sportsman/women; training and more training till perfection.
Ready for a challenge: there is no shortage of challenges. Making the impossible - possible. Wonders take a bit longer.
Show passion and love: only a true chef has passion and love to the work he or her conducts.
Team player: as a chef one works always as a part of a team.
I realised how to become a kitchen scout, ready for anything, anytime and never to be taken by surprise. Since that time, life in the kitchen became a lot easier. This would prove to be right throughout my career as a chef.
Our executive chef tested us 2 to 3 times a month, out of the blue. We knew to be ready all the time for a new challenge. I am grateful till this day for his style of training. He made us what we are today.
A big thank you to Mr. Norbert Fontana, Eigenössischer Küchenchef and the greatest Chef I had the pleasure to work with. I will never forget.
Next week I will talk about a in house Apprentice Chefs final test after 2 and a half years of training. Till then love life and everything with it. Cheers
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