THE MOST IMPORTANT DAY
Two years and six months into my apprenticeship. My most important day of my apprenticeship was approaching fast. A apprenticeship as a Chef goes for 3 years. There was a lot to learn in that short time. When you finish the chef apprenticeship, you know only the basics. The final exams are though and they go for 2.5 days. The real learning begins after the apprenticeship.
How ever, this most important day was not the final test. The most important day was set 6 months prior to the final tests. This was the day we are going to find out what we learned and what we still need to learn or brush up on. We where 3 apprentices and we are going to be tested. Half a day, basic knife skills, working with meats, fish, vegetables and fruits. Setting up basic stocks, make a demi glaze or gravy from scratch. After we got 90 minutes of questioning, all aspects of cooking, safety, hygiene, calculating cost to retail price of a dish plus lots more. We had an hour break and in the afternoon we had to cook a 9 course menu given to us. Our parents and management of the Hotel and Testers where invited for Dinner we apprentices cooked.We had 4 hours, from scratch to the finished dish. Because our Test was conducted in the Function kitchen, we where given an extra 45 minutes to gather what we needed. Every whisk, seasoning and all the goods we needed to cook that 5 course menu. A classical soup, followed by a cold entree, main course, desserts, biscuits and ice chocolates with coffee.
You had to fulfill a number of tasks in basic preparation like boning, cutting meat, filleting fish, cut different classical vegetable and potatoes, make a bouillon, a stock for gravy, a fish fond or stock and chicken broth.
Part of the test was also your appearance. Uniform need and clean, apron, chefs hats, necktie, fingernails trimmed, hairnet or short hair, the male chefs shaved, the female chefs no perfume or excessive make up.
We were tested on all levels of the kitchen, from cold larder to pastry section. As a Chef you would be able to prepare entrees to desserts. A special dessert was used often for the final tests, called Charlotte royal. See photo below:
We where working as a team, us 3 apprentices when it came to the cooking in the afternoon. Our task was to cook for 12 people, parents and management.
The first course had to be served exactly at 6:30 pm and the last course at 9:00 pm. After we had to clean the kitchen and that was also a part of the test. Hygiene was a high priority to know as a chef.
From 8 am to 10 pm we run off our feet, a introduction to the real test 6 months later. Now we could find out where our weaknesses where and work on them for the next 6 months.
The highlight of the day was; When we finished we could get changed and sit together with our parents in the function room. The The Chef or Tester who took our exam, where also on the table. We could then listen first hand from the experts where we had to complement our learning to iron out the weaknesses in our cooking. This was a great help for us. First we knew what the test is going to be like and secondly we knew where we had to put more effort into the area we where lacking on skill.
By the way, the Charlotte Royal dessert was on our menu.
Next week I share with you certain unspoken rules of kitchen life. The same rules will always apply, no matter where you are or what you do. Don't miss that one.
Till then, enjoy life, eat well and lough a lot.
How ever, this most important day was not the final test. The most important day was set 6 months prior to the final tests. This was the day we are going to find out what we learned and what we still need to learn or brush up on. We where 3 apprentices and we are going to be tested. Half a day, basic knife skills, working with meats, fish, vegetables and fruits. Setting up basic stocks, make a demi glaze or gravy from scratch. After we got 90 minutes of questioning, all aspects of cooking, safety, hygiene, calculating cost to retail price of a dish plus lots more. We had an hour break and in the afternoon we had to cook a 9 course menu given to us. Our parents and management of the Hotel and Testers where invited for Dinner we apprentices cooked.We had 4 hours, from scratch to the finished dish. Because our Test was conducted in the Function kitchen, we where given an extra 45 minutes to gather what we needed. Every whisk, seasoning and all the goods we needed to cook that 5 course menu. A classical soup, followed by a cold entree, main course, desserts, biscuits and ice chocolates with coffee.
You had to fulfill a number of tasks in basic preparation like boning, cutting meat, filleting fish, cut different classical vegetable and potatoes, make a bouillon, a stock for gravy, a fish fond or stock and chicken broth.
Part of the test was also your appearance. Uniform need and clean, apron, chefs hats, necktie, fingernails trimmed, hairnet or short hair, the male chefs shaved, the female chefs no perfume or excessive make up.
We were tested on all levels of the kitchen, from cold larder to pastry section. As a Chef you would be able to prepare entrees to desserts. A special dessert was used often for the final tests, called Charlotte royal. See photo below:
We where working as a team, us 3 apprentices when it came to the cooking in the afternoon. Our task was to cook for 12 people, parents and management.
The first course had to be served exactly at 6:30 pm and the last course at 9:00 pm. After we had to clean the kitchen and that was also a part of the test. Hygiene was a high priority to know as a chef.
From 8 am to 10 pm we run off our feet, a introduction to the real test 6 months later. Now we could find out where our weaknesses where and work on them for the next 6 months.
The highlight of the day was; When we finished we could get changed and sit together with our parents in the function room. The The Chef or Tester who took our exam, where also on the table. We could then listen first hand from the experts where we had to complement our learning to iron out the weaknesses in our cooking. This was a great help for us. First we knew what the test is going to be like and secondly we knew where we had to put more effort into the area we where lacking on skill.
By the way, the Charlotte Royal dessert was on our menu.
Next week I share with you certain unspoken rules of kitchen life. The same rules will always apply, no matter where you are or what you do. Don't miss that one.
Till then, enjoy life, eat well and lough a lot.
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