PART THIRTYSIX: STAFF CHRISTMAS PARTY -- A TIME TO REMEMBER

A BIG DAY FOR US APPRENTICES

Back in the late 70s, the World was a different place. Christmas was also very different to what it is today. Christmas was different back then. It was not so commercialised and it was a true family get together, have nice food and celebrate Christmas, plus catching up with each other. I use to love it. We abolished presents and we bought something for Christmas dinner, like Christmas cookies, a cake, chocolates for everybody to share. I still remember it like it was yesterday.

In my apprenticeship as a Chef, I was part of the team, mainly all the other apprentices, to prepare a big buffet for 200 people. The guests was all the hotel staff, with spouses. That one time a year, the hotel would treat all the hotel employees to a staff Christmas party. 

So we all started nice and early on that morning, preparing and cooking for the buffet. All had to be ready at 6pm. One of the Chefs would help us and watch us during our preparation and cooking time. 

We had a 3 course buffet, different salads, sea foods, smoked fish, pates and terrines, sliced continental meats, 2 different soups, bread rolls and butter for your entrees, then the next section of the buffet was the hot food and all main course dishes like: different steaks, fish, meat sauce dishes, vegetables, rice, pasta with a choice of 3 different sauces, stews and curries, roast potatoes and seafood.

Once all the guests had enough to eat, we had to clear the buffet, and get the dessert buffet set up. A tea and coffee station, cakes, tartlets, different creams, fruit salad, sliced exotic fruits, pastries, ice cream, whipped cream, cookies and chocolates, and not to forget, the traditional cheese platter, about 5 different cheeses, with nuts, dried fruits and savoury crackers.

Al beverages where also provided including red and white wine, spirits, beers, soft drinks, fruit juices hence some of us got badly drunk.. 

32 NATIONS, ALL RELIGIONS AND EVERYBODY WAS THERE

We had staff from 32 different countries around the World. Everybody came, no matter what religion backgrounds they had. We celebrated Christmas with Muslims, Buddhists, Hindu, Christians, Jewish and all other religions I did not mention. The Christmas party was also a great opportunity to get to know everyone and make new friends. I was fascinated about other cultures and religions and I made many great friends myself.

During the staff party, the General Manager had a speech thanking us for the great effort and support. After his speech, he called us apprentices, all by name to come to the front facing the audience. He then thanked us and praised us for the great job we did with the buffet. 

There are some moments missing in my mind about the staff parties. Been young and tough, i thought that I can drink a bottle of Gin by myself. So as you can imagine, I was so drunk, that when I got home, I carried my bicycle up to the first floor where we lived, and woke up next morning with half my clothing still on mixed in with my pyjamas. My bicycle was right next to me half in bed too. 

The next day we all had to go to the General Managers office. He gave us a present and a card and thanked us personally and wished us a happy new year. We apprentices had to work very hard, but it was appreciated and noted.

On that note I like to thank you all for reading and following my story and I like to take this opportunity to say a very happy Christmas, God bless and a very happy new year to you and your loved ones.

My next edition will come out around the 7th of January 2017. Remember to enjoy life and great foods.

GIVEN A RESPONSIBILITY - THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CAREER

GIVEN A DUTY TO PROOF OUR SELF'S

The first month of our apprenticeship was exciting, new, different to everything I never done before. In that first month I was given the opportunity to proof that cooking is going to be a trade that suits me. Vise versa, for the Hotel and the Executive Chef, that month was for them to get to know me and see if I fit in professionally and socially. Kind like a trail period. After that first month I was now officially a first year chef apprentice of the Hotel Holiday Inn, Zurich Airport.

The second month the initial training began. From that moment until 3 years later, I was going to be trained as a Chef. 

On of the first lessons would be a lesson I would use every day till the last day I work in a kitchen. In every trade, not just chefs, workers have duties, responsibilities and obligations. No matter which job, trade, qualification or skill, responsibilities and obligations are part of the package. Our own life has responsibilities, duties, obligations, no different to the work life.

My first duty as a new chef apprentice was to get the vegetable and fruit delivery signed off, checked for quality, weight and quantity matching the invoice. After that I had to bring the delivery into the kitchen and put everything away. The invoice I dropped off to the Executive Chefs office. Every day I was working in the production kitchen, my duty was to take care of the vegetable and fruit delivery every day.

I also got to see prices of the vegetables and fruits. The Executive Chef would walk up to me and ask me how much a 10 kilo gram brown onions was. On a different day he would ask me the price of the strawberries and how many where delivered this morning. These are all questions he could check on the invoice, but the whole idea was to make us getting use to numbers and to remember what was delivered that day. Also product knowledge, I had to learn every single food item in existence, especially in our hotel.

The next month I had to take over the fish and seafood delivery as well. We had a fish and seafood delivery every second day.

As time progressed, we where given different duties and responsibility's and harder challenges.

Every month, the stock take was part of a monthly check list of how much stock we hold. This is done to have a starting and finishing date on all stock (your meats, vegetables, fish, seafood, fruits, sweets, dry goods, oils and all cooked and precooked foods. Every satellite kitchen had to do a stock take as well. Every single food item is placed on scales and the weight is written down. Other food items are counted and the amounts written down. The stock take is a control mechanism to see where the food cost is and how much money we spend and how much money we take.

When the stock take took place, we apprentices where always involved. One of the chefs would have a reprinted list and he would then call out for example, potatoes. We would then get all the peeled potatoes and whole potatoes, including the one we cut up before and place them on the scale. Then we would reply with the weight of the potatoes, like 56 kilo grams. That same process would happen with every single food item in that kitchen. Everything counted to the last bunch of parsley.

I knew, that having duties and responsibilities is part of a successful teamwork. That will never change.

Next week you will read about our Staff Party before Christmas. Have a fantastic week and enjoy fine food.

PART THIRTYFOUR: THE ARTISTIC PART OF BEEN A CHEF: FOOD PRESENTATION

THE ARTISTIC TOUCH

Food presentation, the art of presenting food on a plate, platter, basket, bowl or anywhere you place food to be consumed. 

As a Chef, you know the art of presenting food. When I was an apprentice, I had to learn the art of presenting. 

EATING WITH YOUR EYES

PICTURES TALK A THOUSAND WORDS. In Trades school we learnt the theoretical part of food presentation. There are some guidelines for a good dish presentation on a plate. At work, we learnt the practical part.

THE PLATE has two parts. The rim of your plate has the purpose for you to hold, turn or carry the full plate. The inner circle area is where your food will be placed.

When we plated up a function (large number catering) menu, we had to either wear gloves to avoid finger prints on the rim of the plate or move the plates by holding them below the rim. No garnishes what so ever on the rim of a plate. The picture below has grounded peppercorns on the rim of the plate. Today, in 2016, this is accepted throughout the World. When I was an apprentice, that would be an absolute no no. 

THE TEMPERATURE  is also a very important. Cold dishes and desserts (except Ice Cream) are placed on a cold plate. Ice Cream would be placed on a frozen temperature plate. A hot dish is always served on a warm to hot plate or bowl, to keep the food warmer for longer.

The picture below was a typical function menu served while I was an apprentice 1978-81.

Nothing on the rim of the plate and the garnish was the vegetable sticks wrapped in bacon and fine cut chives.

When I did my apprenticeship, I learn to serve food to a guest well presented and clean plate rims. Even a bread roll was placed on a paper napkin on the bread plate with a butter portion. Everything had to look very nice, showing our guest that we care in what we do. 

The picture above is a Pork Schnitzel with Vegetables and Chips, garnished with a lemon wedge and a Chicory leaf. Personally, I would choose a bigger size plate as the food presentation on this plate looks overloaded. 

The picture above is one of my salad creations, a chicken and vegetable salad on a bed of tomatoes and garnished with sweet basil. Having a dish with lots of different colours will just about garnish itself. Also with this dish, the rim of the plate is clean. 

Over the years of me becoming a Chef, working in different Hotels and Restaurants, I would see and learn more styles of food presentation.

The look of a dish is the trade mark of a Chef, the taste of the dish comes second but just as important as the presentation. A guest eats with the eyes before the taste buts. First impressions always count.

Next week I share with you the duties we had as Chef Apprentices. You have a great week, enjoy life and fine foods. 

Chef Marc