The turning of the seasons means new ingredients and our busy season is upon us. It also means my intern is leaving. This is her account of the time she spent here; you might enjoy seeing how I run my kitchen through the eyes of an intern. Her account follows:
“Are you makin’ a career out of that?” says Chef Bedford to me as I’m preparing the sandwiches for tea service. I just started my shift and already getting reprimanded for working too slow. There’s a lot to get done before dinner service begins at 6pm, so I need to step up my game.
For the past 18 weeks – as part of my training at the Culinary Institute of America - I have been interning at Fearrington House. Specifically, I’ve assigned to work on ‘garde manger’, which means prepping the cold plates for first course. Oysters need to be shucked, chutneys need to be made, salad greens picked and washed, micro greens cut from the greenhouse, and so much more. All of this needs to be done in four hours.
On top of the regular prep list, I have been assigned to make staff meal. As soon as I see my name scribbled on the schedule, my heart pounds. Making a meal for 30 who work for a Five Diamond restaurant can be stressful for an intern. I quickly decide to do something super simple: pizza. I make my dough in the kitchen’s giant mixer and let it rise while I work on other things.
“Okay, what do you want me to work on first?” I ask my partner. I need to make salsify chips, compressed celery, candied walnuts, fennel salad…and “as fast as you can please,” he says.
Before I know it, it is 4:30pm. Staff meal needs to be ready at 5pm and I haven’t made a sauce, baked my crust, or figured out toppings! I kick it into high speed, running around the kitchen to get it all done. When it looks like I might not make it, I have to tell Chef Bedford that “staff meal will be five minutes late.” He sighs and looks at the clock. In his kitchen, everything needs to be on time and up to par. I’m learning, Chef!
Once everyone is fed and ready to take on the rest of the night, I focus on getting ‘garde manger’ ready for service. Gathering plates, spoons, paper towels, and a cutting board is all part of the final dash to the finishing line. As I stand there at 6pm, having made it through another prep day, I brace myself for the fast pace of service. Keeping up with these guys has been a challenge. The first ticket is handed to Chef Bedford and I grab a plate…
Despite all the stress and high standards, working at The Fearrington House has been AWESOME!! Sadly, my 18 weeks are over. Time for another newbie!