A mystery solved. As we finished our week last Thursday and were cleaning up the kitchen, in walked Chef Otto with a big grin on his face. Shouted greetings and big hugs from the girls (I opted for a firm handshake) welcomed him back to the Gros Bonnet kitchens where he's been an institution for many years. The concern and uncertainty of the last few weeks as to his whereabouts and possible return were dispelled as he told us about his successful trip to Thailand and Vietnam. Alas, we were also informed that he would be in Hawaii for only a few weeks and would not be returning to the school in a teaching capacity. This was a bummer, because even though we are all very fond of Chef Masa, we were really hoping that our third and final rotation in the Garde Manger would be with Chef Otto. But with things going well for him in Southeast Asia he's decided to make the move he's been waiting to make (and threatening management to make) for several years. Hopefully we'll see him again before he leaves Oahu.
Personalities can make or break a group of people working in a close environment and we are fortunate to have a small group that is mostly on the same page when it comes to attitude and humor. We try to divide the work equitably and allow everyone a chance to get involved in areas that they feel they need or want more work in. Chef Klaus keeps an eye on each of us and the projects that we are working on, allowing us to work more or less independently while focusing his personal instruction on the areas that need more expertise or instruction. It also allows for different interactions between Chef and each student, and he seems to have struck a nice balance of encouragement and criticism for each of us. I'm hoping this blend of Chef and students keeps on working well through next week, when we will once again develop and produce a practical exercise menu for our end-of-phase test.
The above paragraph should not be accepted as a statement that every day is peaches and cream in the kitchen. We each have our off days and sometimes we all have an off day on the same day. I personally believe that Chef Klaus relishes the days when things don't go so smoothly as this gives him a chance to come in and help when something isn't working, or fix mistakes with his knowledge and experience. In other words, he gets to show off. He also likes to foment controversy and gets a kick out of spirited discussion. This works well with Jessica, who absolutely hates to be mocked, and Sandy, whose impressive education in nutrition and health seems to draw Chef Klaus' fire in a "damn kids and your book-lernin" sort of way. Chef is a practiced button-pusher, and has a knack for framing comments or criticisms aimed at Jessica in ways that sound derogatory and which in turn spark a (usually deserved) snippy response from her. It's obvious he revels in these exchanges, and I'd bet that she does a little bit, too. Might be a little "tension" there. He just likes to razz Sandy about her healthy eating habits and nutritional knowledge, which boils down to her formal education versus his experience and opinions.
Enju is another story. I know Chef likes her, and he works with her extensively to help her...but she drives him a little crazy, so turnabout is fair play. This week she dumped out a pot of duck stock that he had made especially for an important recipe. He was PISSED, but after 10 minutes of anger and derision he relented, made a stock from a base, and we moved on. Enju promised to never make another mistake, and he had to laugh. He has limited her to 10 questions per day, but she hasn't been able to stay under that limit yet.
As for me, I think my being older and male has made things pretty easy for me. He told me yesterday that if I were his apprentice he'd have kicked me in the ass a few times, but since I'm a paying student he can't do that. He was smiling when he said it. We share a military background (he was in the German equivalent to the U.S. Special Forces) and we both have a lot of trivial knowledge. In fact, (and this may surprise some of you that know me well), I would be leery of taking him on in a game of JEOPARDY! I feel like I get along with him pretty well.
Sorry for the lack of blog last week, but Wendy and I made a trip to the far side of the Big Island for the long weekend. Kilauea Military Camp was our base (nice room, right in the middle of Volcanoes National Park, but CHILLY at night) and we visited craters, steam vents, lava tubes, a lava lake, and hiking trails. A great weekend.
Things we made these last two weeks:
Strawberry Bavarian Creme - EXCELLENT
Chicken Cordon Bleu - DELICIOUS
Butter-poached Salmon - First, you melt TWO FULL POUNDS of butter, infuse with lemon...
Rack of Lamb Rouladen - That poor little lamb...WAS SCRUMPTIOUS!
Rote Gruetzen (red fruit dessert) - Sandy said it tasted like "jam made from wine". I agree. It was delectable.
Flaugnarde - Like a Clafoutis, but without the cherries.
Vichyssoise - Tougher to spell than to make.
Two quotes this week:
"Jessica, watching you cook is like watching a movie." - Enju
"All great change in America begins at the dinner table."
Ronald Reagan
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