It seems like a foggy mist of an idea that I was actually living in Paris 3 months ago. It's been interesting to see how the experience at Le Cordon Bleu has impacted my life. I have been cooking almost daily experimenting with my new found techniques and melding the French techniques with more modern methods and recipes. I tend to view food in a whole new way since my return.
I have made an attempt to keep ties with some of my classmates. The ones who remained are now almost finished with the Intermediate Cuisine and must be light years ahead of the rest of us with their kitchen skills. How I wish I could have stayed! The classmates who left LCB have scattered back around the globe to their respective lives. I have kept up with a few...Pablo is safe in Santiago after the Earthquake, I have met Julia and Steve a couple of time in NY and San Francisco, Alan is tearing up the slopes in Jackson Hole, Allis is back in her role as a corporate executive, Greg is leaving CA for New Zealand, and Manuel is playing lots of golf.
Potato wrapped orange ruffy with white lemon
sauce and Tabouli
Since my return I have gorged myself on books, blogs, and anything I can find related to cooking and being a Chef. One of my greatest discoveries has been a clarity of the big picture that I didn't quite see while I was a student. I see the method behind the madness of some of the tasks I considered silly or senseless while I was a student. Things were not always perfect at school, and I tended to "whine" a bit about them. I now realize that this is truly a reflection of the real world kitchen where cooks are continuously working around challenges to create the end product. The ability to adapt is KEY.
Mini wild mushroom quiche
Normal size quiche
I have discovered that I now view food from such a different perspective. I seek out higher quality products, I am more reverent toward animal products, and I "attack" my kitchen in a much different manner.
Rainbow trout stuffed with squash and carrot "spagetti"
I am wasting less food by always searching for ways to use the scraps for other recipes or other uses. It's been a nice transformation. I have begun to establish a rapport with my butcher and seafood source, canned chicken or beef broth are no longer acceptable, and I have had a general awakening of my senses with the selection of produce. I have abandoned large supermarkets and am making an effort to support anything locally grown and the local farmers.
Upon my return I was gung-ho to seek an internship with The French Laundry, a 3 star Michellin rated restaurant in nearby Napa Valley. Unfortunately, I was recently denied my request as the competition is fierce. So, where does that leave me? I am truly enjoying my "own" kitchen. I don't know if a professional path is the way to go for me at this age and with me career as an airline pilot, although the challenge would be fun. I may still seek an internship at a "lesser" more relaxed restaurant just to see how it's done in a professional kitchen. As for taking Intermediates? The next opportunity will be November 2010. I'll have to think about that one.
Well, after lots of tormented thought, envy, and the desire to complete the program, I signed up for Intermediate Cuisine for the Intensive session in November. I think talking to my friend Sjoerd who just began Superior and reading my old classmate Will's latest blog entry put me over the hump of making this decision. Unfortunately, all of my friends will be long gone from LCB by then, but there will be new people to meet and maybe some of the old classmates will remain with jobs in Paris. Additionally, I will try to talk a few of my Basic Cuisine classmates (who did not continue) to consider coming as well...if you're reading this Alan! The focus of Intermediates is regional cuisine and a continuation of building on the skills learned in Basic Cuisine. This was a big decision mostly because Intermediates on its own is not the goal. The goal would be to continue on with Superior Cuisine and earn the Diplome de Cuisine. Recently LCB Paris began offering Superior in an intensive format which makes all the difference for me with my full time job. The 5 weeks intensive format works much better for me than the normal 11 week duration.
