Oh, you kid...

This week was the Gros Bonnet Culinary Academy Grand Buffet, bringing delicious fine dining to the masses.  Or at least to the masses that were willing to cough up $40 for a meal prepared by students.  That is not to say that the dishes offered weren't excellent, but in a city with over 100 highly rated restaurants it seems akin to paying full price for a haircut at the Barber College.  Still, the event went very well and provided a nice opportunity for most of us to see the process of professional food preparation for the first time.  The theme for the event was "The Roaring 20's" and gave us a chance to prepare dishes that were popular 90 years ago and haven't been heard from much since.  The customers got into the swing of things by wearing 20s-style garb and saying "Hubba Hubba" and "23-Skidoo" throughout the evening while listening to very old music. 

The work of preparing the food got much easier as the week progressed, as many of the staple items like salad dressings and crepes were prepared on the first two days.  That might explain why we had over a dozen students at various stages of the course helping the first day and then less and less until just three of us worked the cold kitchen for Friday evening's final service.  This struck me as odd, since this was supposed to be required class time.  Anyway, production from the Garde Manger included:
Waldorf and 21 Sunset salads
Pate` en croute (pate` baked inside a pastry crust)
Spinach and mushroom duxelle crepes
Escargots
Liver mousse truffles
Tropical fruit and melon tray

All of our dishes were tasty, beautiful, and well-received by the customers.  Yahoo.

At the end of the evening's service the students are offered an opportunity to have a meal of the remaining food, which I took full advantage of on Friday night.  I will say without being overly critical that either the Roaring 20's sort of sucked for main courses or our hot kitchen students need a little more work.  I was frankly not too impressed with some of the dishes prepared by the advanced students, nor with some of their knife skills, nor with what seemed like a very laid-back work ethic.  I would like to think that I'll be able to maintain my interest throughout the course and not fall prey to the same complacency.  That being said, most were helpful and fun to have in the kitchen.

Just a short note here about school policies.  There is a rule that NO FOOD is to leave the school building.  I understand this rule as it applies to normal class production, as any exception opens the door for potential abuse such as taking supplies, ingredients, or equipment, or intentionally making too much so that you can take it home.  What I don't get is that on the last day of Buffet week, when the remaining HUGE quantity of very good food is left with no customers to eat it, why would you not make an exception to allow the students to take containers of food home to let their families sample?  For two days of the year, when there are whole pans, plates, and bowls of untouched expensive food, why would you choose to just throw it in the dumpster instead of letting the people that PAY for the class and ingredients utilize it at home?  As usual, I'm just sayin.

Hoping for a fast and efficient recovery for the people of Japan.  The video of the tsunami that followed the earthquake was really frightening and we here on Oahu were on pins and needles for the night on Thursday.  Thankfully we were spared any real damage from the tsunami, and I'd like to thank all the friends and family that expressed their concern over the last few days.

This was our last week to work with Chef Otto until we come back in a few months for our second rotation in the Garde Manger.  He's an opinionated man, with a keen interest in world affairs and politics.  I've found him to be a great help to us in our first weeks in the kitchen, and a fun boss with a great, if occasionally inappropriate, sense of humor.  I'll close today with a few Chef Otto Classics.  Please try to imagine a German accent as you read them.

Things Chef Otto Said in Class:

Almost anything inappropriate, cut off with a wave of the hand and "oh, never mind!" 
example:  "If that's what he wants, he can kiss my...Oh, never mind!"

"Add more water!  Remember, ladies, men like everything moist!"

"That's not my kuliana!"  (Hawaiian for responsibility)

"Chop, chop, chop."

"Remember to save your bottles and cans for my elephants" - Chef Otto sends recycle money to Thailand to help support orphaned elephants.

"They are making a mockery of my Garde Manger."

"Blah, blah, blah..."  

And my all-time favorite:

"We will do this in the style of the French...and by that I don't mean taking it from behind."

Live et bien manger, tout le monde