Downward Comparison

While this blog is intended to share my day-by-day adventures in culinary school, I will fill the space today with something besides Culinary Arts Level One Day Two… because Culinary Arts Level One Day Two focused on Sanitation and Food Safety, a rather unexciting topic. For more information, please visit: http://www.servsafe.com/foodsafety/. The ServSafe exam is the last day of Level Two, the same day as the Level Two exam and lab practical…. Wonderful.

Let’s revisit taillage, Culinary Arts Level One Day One, and my ongoing failure to cut straight tranches, or appropriate sized julienne or jardinière. I spent six hours this weekend studying and practicing taillage, or cutting uniformly for even cooking and attractive presentation. I cut several huge carrots practicing julienne and onions emincer and ciseler. By Saturday night Michael was sick of eating carrots and smelling onions. Sunday night they appeared on his dinner plate... carrots l'anglaise with swordfish and a caramelized onion, Gorgonzola, and basil pizza (my first ever real yeast pizza). My finger tips and nails turned orange.

Anyway, the truth is that I am a good study. I remember all of the names and lengths of the cuts – julienne (6-7 cm by 1-2 mm), jardinière (4-5 cm by 5 mm), etc– but producing the cuts I know to be right is something entirely different. Another hour during Day Two and things are improving, but I cannot say that it is getting easier or prettier. Chef asked “Great success, or horrible disaster?” I’d say half and half, but Chef says I don’t get to choose which julienne or jardinière to present…

On Googling “taillage” to ensure correct spelling and proper use, I find that I am not the only FCI student to have this experience (http://mykitchenstudio.wordpress.com/2010/11/05/lunch-bunch-pickled-veggies-and-bibimbap-style-rice-bowls/). It seems I am one of many. And my cut on Friday night? Nothing in comparison to the guy who sat down next to me on the 6 Train last night! A Level Four, has a kitchen job, and one nasty knife cut on his right hand… from cutting fruit. Is it awful that I felt much better after seeing him bleed all over the 6 Train and wrap his thumb in his apron? This is something that Professor Shaw, my Leadership professor at the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University taught.... he called it “downward comparison”. When you are feeling bad about yourself, check out the guy or gal who is far worse off and you’ll feel better. I always thought it was a terrible trick.

Who knew Culinary Arts Level One Day One would bring me to “downward comparison”?

Day One.. This is going to be the most difficult ten months of my life...

At 5:15 PM I signed away the next ten months of my salary.
I took time to rub my hands over each piece of the chef uniform, to feel, smell, observe, and admire each piece of my new uniform. I stepped back and observed it in full.


 This is it. This is what I signed up for. I couldn't help but smile as I observed the emblem that was being given to me. I couldn't help but imagine that this is what policemen, firefighters, or our military feel the first time they don their uniform. I took time to change, re-tying my neckerchief and apron three or four times to make sure they were perfect. I stored my belongings and made my way to the kitchen.

At 5:45 PM Chef Philip Burgess introduced himself as our instructor (http://www.frenchculinary.com/explore/bios/ny/culinary_chefs/philip_burgess). Chef Phil encouraged us to start at zero, and to open ourselves to learning and new experiences. He instructed us to pick up on the big picture, to pay attention to detail, to use common sense, to move with purpose, to focus, and to be in the moment. All of this sounded great to me ... after all I am starting at zero, and the rest of these characteristics? These are my core strengths (as we say in the consulting world)! I am a shoe-in.
Day One activity focused on cutting vegetables using several different methods. Onions, carrots, and turnips. As Chef Phil demonstrated the cutting techniques, I realized that I need to change my stance and posture in the kitchen. As I am right handed, right leg back. No bending over. Ok, so cut two onions three different ways. Start by removing the ends of the onion (I know that there is a technical name for these and I promise that by Sunday, after reading, studying, and practicing through Irene, I will remember) with the paring knife. I cut the inner knuckle of my left pointer finger. Blood! I didn't even touch myself with the blade! Seriously, somehow I just started bleeding. These knives are sharp! Nothing like in my kitchen drawer. Now I have to wear a plastic glove over a bleeding finger. This really screws up my beautiful chef uniform ... not to mention that a plastic glove does not make it any easier to cut vegetables. "Great Success?" Chef asks. I laugh a reply, "Not really, but the onions are cut!" He suggests that I be easier on myself, and that some of them are thin. Ok, but I am still going to purchase onions and practice!

Chef's cuts, demonstrated

Carrots julienne. Turnips jardiniere. Peeling turnips sucks. Cutting straight and evenly is a learned skill which I have not learned. Especially when the carrot is not straight! These are the things don't matter at home but matter very much in a professional kitchen where everything must cook evenly and look good. I need practice. I left the kitchen with a bag of vegetables to practice and to eat in the event that Irene prevents me from a successful grocery shop.

At 10:50 PM, I left the kitchen with one realization.... This is going to be the most difficult (and fun) ten months of my life....

My first "first day" of school in years....

I was committed to sleeping until 8 AM, to starting a workable sleep schedule for my upcoming late nights in the kitchen. Michael's alarm went off at 6:45. I tossed and turned for the next few minutes, trying to calm my mind to get back to sleep, but my mind continued to race.... "FCI charged five figures to my credit card yesterday"... 7:00... "I need a Hepatitis A test, a Tuberculosis test, a lock, black non-slip shoes.... oh, and I need to stock the kitchen for Hurricane Irene." 7:15. That was it for me. I have never been able to ease myself out of bed.
Today is the first day of my Culinary Arts program at FCI. I feel like I am starting the "rest of my life"... similar to how I felt preparing for my first day of college or my first day of my masters program. The difference this time? I am following my dream. Today I embrace that the 10 month journey is the reward.

The French Culinary Institute, New York, NY

I did it!

I didn't know if this day would ever come, but it has come so quickly that I feel like I am out of breath, trying to keep up with my life!
Early this morning I woke up, cleaned the bathroom (I even used a toothbrush on the shower walls), ate some cereal, and sat down to work. After finishing a bit of work, I logged onto the French Culinary Institute (FCI) website to longingly re-read the Culinary Arts course description. Summer has been a bit crazy so I haven't checked back with the FCI in a while, but as usual I moved on from the course descriptions to skim other informational materials including start dates and prices.
Since April when I moved to New York City, I imagined it would be great to start culinary school in September... though I don't really know that I ever actually decided to start, if that makes sense. Making these significant choices is as hard for me as for anyone.
Start dates? August 26. October 14. Nothing in September.
What to do? Start tomorrow!