Sharpen Your Knife Skills!
I went with much excitement, to attend the very first lesson of the Basic Cooking course at Palate Sensations. Today was on knife skills on veggies and poultry, stock and clear soups. Armed with our brand new Scanpan chef's knife and paring knife, chopping on a solid Scanpan chopping board, we set about learning some basics:
Out of a class of 16, we had 4 who ended up with cut fingers. Thank god I survived with 10 fingers intact, many a times a close shave, although I knew the very first layer of my skin had already been cut slightly. No wonder all chefs have to start from the very bottom of the hierarchy, beginning with knife skills first. Some even do nothing but peel potatoes for months and months before they are allowed to take on the next task!
It was very challenging, but I came to learn ways of dicing that would probably speed up my techniques on onions and garlic later on. The tourner was definitely the hardest. The chef said it's really just a waste of time, but it's the very basic of French cooking. Check out the difference between the chef's tourner and my tourner. No prizes for guessing which is who's.
Apart from that, we learnt how to de-bone the chicken. My "group mates" from Romania, Norway and Canada did well. Mine looked gross with skin dangling from the breast. Ahahahaha!
Chef Francois, who's Exec Chef at Flutes at the Fort (the Jemej's favourite restaurant), had the typical French humour that bears a striking resemblance to Michael Muller at Jaan, even in their looks. He was funny and easy to work with, no atas "chef's air" that I've come across many a times. By the way, while we were grilling the chicken, I was reminded that we don't have a grill pan at home, time to get one!
3 hours flew by quickly. Soon, we were all tucking into the Prawn and Vegetable Broth with Saffron and Pan-fried Spring Chicken with Sauteed Potatoes and Vegetables. The vegetable broth was made from a combination of fish and veggie stock - tasted great!
Ta-baoed some chicken back for The Boy. His first comment, "Wah! Bey, you can open restaurant already!"
8 comments:
hi there! i've been following your blog for a while, just wanted to say i enjoy your entries v much, they are always so full of hope and joy :)
i'm a fresh grad who's really keen on working in the hospitality industry too.. mind telling me more about what to expect? thanks so much in advance!
Tell me where your restaurant is, and I'll be your first customer.
anonymous > hihi thanks for dropping by, and for your kind comments. :)
The hospitality industry is one which I would say takes a lot of real passion and commitment (and hard work) - the commitment to want to provide genuine care for your guests. The desire to make your guests feel as comfortable and welcomed, as you would like to be if you were in their position.
Afterall, it's a people-industry, you would need to have the urge to provide your best while they are staying here, in "your home".
My GM is a perfect example - he checks out the swimming pool at 5am, to ensure that we are doing our job in maintaining the safety standards, even at that hour.
It's a job that's more than being about great pay (it doesn't pay as well, haha) and glam factor (hard work behind, heh). Oops! You need to have that people-passion. Good luck!! :)
lily ann > hahaha, thanks thanks! ;) But my cutting skills are bad - cannot make it for restaurant standards lor!!! I was supposed to cut potato cubes - the chef asked how come mine were oblongs! hahahaa! =p
thanks for your insights! really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. do the hotels usually advertise openings in recruit? or is it mainly through word of mouth? btw u look really familiar, do u remember entertaining 2 interns from Life, at Prego about 2 years back?
haha, yes, i do vaguely remember that lunch. :) why don't you drop me a note, at eejin.mms@meritus-hotels.com
wah, looks nice! :) did you guys make stock from scratch? i'm wondering where to get a good fish stock that i don't have to make myself...
Yeah, we made the fish stock from scratch. Just add olive oil and fish bones, and boil for 30 minutes. Then add the chopped leek, onions, etc for more sweetness.
Uh, how about the knoss fish cubes? Heheheheh
sounds fun!!
im sure the husband is in for a treat from your lessons! :D
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