These were the first words that I said to myself when our first tasks were assigned on Day 1. I rememebered Chef Michael D'Amore at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park... It was a Buffet Catering & Garde Manger class. He was a wild-eyed enthusiastic instructor and instilled in me a concept: Own it, Enjoy it, Relish it. Be it cleaning, peeling turnips or roasting the whole Foie Gras beast - these are all aspects, among one hundred-thousand or more, that need to be completed in order for the restauarnt to be complete, as well. OWN IT. ENJOY IT. RELISH IT. Thank you, Chef.
Work Clean.
A mantra. A mindset. A necessity. The French Laundry kitchen is the most completely clean and precise environment I have ever entered into. Form follows function. The manicured grounds outside are a breath of fresh air. From the racked gravel paths and pebbled lots that are reminesent of a Japanese rock garden, to the trimmed and coiffed bushes and small shrubs at the interior patio and flower beds, this is an establishment that cares about the senses. The congenial atmosphere that greets guests and the stylistic display of a multitude of courses on fine porcelin and china plates makes a diner feel special and taken care of. The development of an experience is a complete understanding of all that is good in our industry. It is the level of care and attention to detail that is a mind-blowing observation to those that are keyed into that, despite what the price on this meal will become. $240.00 before wine and beverages must be understood in the vein of the expense in time, ability and care that this theatre of dining brings forth. Just to be cognizant that the smallest of details in food preparation will eventually become synthicized into a larger perspective is challenging and requires complete commital. It starts with working clean.
The kitchen at TFL is completely cleaned three times each day. The prep area, where I was enconsed for 10 hours on Day 1 is cleaned 5 times each day. Everything. All stainless, brass and glass surfaces are kept immaculate. Cooks are issued three towels - keep track of them! The moment I put on my size 42 jacket with the azul-blue lettering of The French Laundry I was charged with attaining the attitude that all tasks mattered. There is little difference in the party of the whole experience between my efforts and those of the Sous Chef and the Patissiere. Gratitude from these cooks and chefs was never lacking. Thank you's abound. I entertained that what I did mattered and I was not disappointed with the response from the staff. Lesson #1 reiterated itself to me all day and I knew that what I had embraced years ago in my training, my apprenticeships and in my teaching philosophy was right on point. Work clean - and so I shall.
Shaking in and shaking out.
In many large Euro-inspired establishments, as well as in Culinary schools across the spectrum, the students/cooks shake hands with the Chef(s) as a way to connect on a new day - a new beginning. The sins of yesterday are absolved. All staff memebers shake hands with fellow mates as a bonding of like-minded teammates. Athletes high-five, low-five and chest bump each other before gladitorial football, basketball and Rugby Union matches so why shouldn't the gifted craftsman of the culinary playing fields do the same...? The edge of uncomfortableness was relived quickly this way. We are a team. In the kitchen Brigade (the hierarchial components of staff) the Chef/Patron is lord; the Chef de Cuisine is number one in line behind the supreme one; the continuation of status runs through the Pastry Chef, the Sous Chef(s), the Chefs de Partie (station or line-cooks, if you will), and down through the incredibly important dishwashing crew (whom I did introduce myself to very early upon my entrance to the kitchen) until - finally - one reaches the externs and stages. That's me, way down on the bottom... Haven't been in that situation for a loooooonggggg time. And, I might add, I love the learning aspect of that situation. I am surrounded by the youthful and talented future of American cuisine and I find it rewarding, and motivational as well. My fellow stagiers (four of them) represent the United States, Sweden and Mexico. Fine cuisine is multi-national and multi-cultural. We all speak that same mental and physical languages as well as the formal and technical language of the kitchen - culinary French. A shared bond is strong when all elements of technique, method and mental clarity are established. In spite of the unfamiliar landscape when I stepped into TFL kitchen (everything is new and different on anyone's first day) I felt an upwelling of "belonging" by the end of Day 1.
Note to all: Read Michael Ruhlman's literary trinity "Making of a Chef", "Soul of a Chef" and the fantastic piece de resistance "Reach of a Chef" (which when read, provided me with an ephinal moment on South Beach in Miami in December of 2006...). All cooks, young, old, entrenched or otherwise should read these tomes. Chef Keller also provided me with a phalanx of books on his "Oprah" list - more on that in another blog...
Here is the mise en place for the day and list to be completed (for the culinary-minded this is tactically important - for the layman it is linguistically challenging...). Note: I was trained and indoctrinated by a CIA (Culinary Institute of America) extern ("Y.J.") in her first month of an 18-week externship at TFL. She was amazed that I was a CIA alumnus - of 22 years ago which is about the time she was born in South Korea. :)
- Clean (see above diatribe...).
- Molded and shaped 36 g squares of plugras butter rounds in cheesecloth (for bread service).
- Prepped egg shells (with the tops removed using an egg topper), blanched in vinegar water and the interior skill peeled away from the shells.
- Fine Brunoise (1/16" x 1/16' x 1/16") of carrot, leek, and turnip blanched, refreshed, dried and stored in deli containers with green tape alluding to the contents within (all lableing is done in green painter's tape with precise ends cut at 90 degree angles...).
- Clean.
- Stocks strained, cooled, strained again, and loaded into 12" x 20" cry-o-vac bags and then vacuum-packed for easier storage and long-term sustainability.
- Clean.
- Maintain the Sous Vide of various rabbit forcemeats, Jus de Veau and the cleaning of thermal immersion circulators.
- Support the Chefs de Partie with product from the prep reach-ins, cooking oils, ice and sundry aformentioned white plates, platters and silver serving vessels.
- The ware washing staff delivers the 180 degree cleaned white plates to the prep room where they are layed out to cool to room temperature before they are ultimately delivered to the appropriate stations. Yes, the plates matter; really cool futuristic and classy investments...
- Clean.
- Maintain the locker room, dry goods, baskets of shallots, garlic and onions (for good ventilation), the crates of newly dug farm-fresh potatoes, and the "Red Room" (with a newly black-painted but formerly red awning which spawned it's name, apparently). Keep every item on shelves in perfect order and neatness. Roll-up and clean under the black carpets and replace... Neatness abounds. If you take care of the place...the place will take care of you. One must take OWNERSHIP of duties, surroundings and philosophy. Without that, there is anarchy.
- Oh yes, clean (again).
- Watch the service. The menus are taped onto white linen station covers at each station with perfectly framed green painter's tape borders (trivets keep pans and other potential grease carrying implements from touching and ruining the aestitics of the pass). Admire, observe and understand the hand-delivered plates and the artistic plating and perfect placement of even the seemingly-innocuous micro-greens, oils, sauces or powders. The pass and all production stations work upon the coarse linen table coverings, taped down to the cold stainless steel benches ubiquitous green painter's tape. Perfect quenelles of sorbets and ice creams utilizing hot water-dipped spoons and hand warmed before a flash of grace places the glossy egg-shaped cream upon it's resting spot...beautiful (and it's wickedly good to eat, too!).
- Cut, peel and remove the white pith from floral-aromatic oranges to be dehydrated overnight and used for orange powder and orange oil at next service.
- Protective wrap everything, lable, date and initialize. Mise en place is arranged on shelves in plastic cambros, lexans and deli containers - lables out.
- Ask who needs help. Avail yourself to any and all tasks. Listen. Absorb. Learn. Write notes to self (I wrote nearly 20 pages in a small pocket-sized notebook).
- Wipe down all oil jars, condiments and sauces. Everything is labled.
- Take out trash, wash and sanitize the trash container, wipe down and replace with new trash bags...
- Buff the tops of the stainless steel benches and stations and wipe down with wet cloth and finish with a dry cloth. Clean with enthusiasm.
- Sharpen knives and secure all perishable food.
- Now wait (clean while we waiting, of course...) to be released.
- But, first we wait for the Chef and staff to finish their meeting which focuses on the next days menu and service. Two bottles of champagne adorn the table at the Chef's pass where the inner circle theorizes and listens to Chef Lee guide them through specific aspects of his creations. Garlic confit. Hache the mirepoix. Farm-fresh mini-turnips. Caramelized baby cabbage. Sturgeon confit. I am mezmorized with the nature of what we do...
- Clean.
So, ends this chapter. Chapter One (thanks Simon...).
~R
