Think about this typical story.
Shawn was 17 years old, an average student in school, no real direction, wanted to have fun, make a difference, do something important, and college was far from his thinking. Last summer he had a job as a dishwasher in a local diner. Too many of his friends took the wrong fork in the road. Dropouts from high school, a few juvenile offenders with eyes on prison in their future. Not this kid – he wanted a better life and was willing to do what it took.
Work in the diner was great. Washing dishes was just a start. When business was crazy, the cook (James) would pull him onto the line and show him how to drop fries, grill sandwiches, garnish plates, and read tickets. Before long this was his steady diet: get ahead on dishes, tie on an apron, and jump on the line during rush hour. By the end of the summer, Shawn was rarely in the dish pit; he came in for prep before lunch, learned how to hold a French knife, follow a recipe, identify ingredients, and go to town chopping, dicing, making salad dressings, cut potatoes for fries, and carefully work the slicer – setting up portions of cold cuts and cheese. When it came time for the lunch crowd, Shawn stepped into his station on the line – a proud lunch line cook. When the end of August drew near thoughts of returning to school for his senior year was depressing, but he knew he had to finish. At least he was convinced that the kitchen was where he belonged.
With a substantial savings from working all summer Shawn began to invest in a few choice cookbooks. On weekends there was still an opportunity to work in the diner, so he was able to stay fresh. All the time his focus was to learn as much as he could. Ironically, school seemed natural now. His grades improved because he had a goal, a mission to start the next phase of his life. Shawn wanted to become a chef!
Culinary school was a dream, but the funds to support it were just not there. The thought of being in debt for decades didn’t sit right, even though his dream was to learn in a formal way and take the time to go through the process step – by -step. Next week he would graduate from high school and James the cook at his diner invited him back for dinner and a chat.
“Shawn, it has been a pleasure working with you these past two years and watching how you have built your skills. You are a natural in the kitchen and I can see the joy in your eyes when we work together on the line. I think, this is what you were destined to do, and I know someday you will become a chef in a great restaurant. I never told you, but at the peak of my career I was the chef in a four-star hotel with a team of two dozen cooks. It was great, but my back didn’t agree, and I eventually had to step out of that role. I have been cooking at the diner now for a few years as a transition into retirement. I love what I do, and I can see you do as well. I want you to have the French knife that I started with. Take care of it and keep it sharp. Think about your start in the diner whenever you hold it. Starting after graduation you will no longer be working here. I called a friend of mine at my old hotel. They have an apprenticeship program that will allow you to work in every department and learn from serious professionals. His name is Pierre, and he is anxiously awaiting your arrival – his new student. Best of luck Shawn – be a sponge and soak it all up. Stop in to see me occasionally and keep your old friends up to date.”
Shawn fell into his role of apprentice with loads of enthusiasm. Chef Pierre was great; tough and exact – he took no prisoners when it came to professionalism, hard work, and proper cooking technique. Shawn started in garde manger where he learned about cheese, fruits he had only heard of the presentation of food for the eye, and how to let ingredients speak for themselves. After two months he moved to the butcher shop and became commis to “Frenchie” (never knew his real name) where he learned to be comfortable with the breakdown of veal legs, cutting steaks, breaking down chickens and ducks, and slowly but surely figuring out how to fillet round and flatfish. After ample cuts on his hands worthy of a few stitches he began to respect the knives that were held in hand and after a three-month stint with Frenchie he could hold his own with meat, poultry, and fish fabrication.
Chef Pierre called Shawn in the office after month six and said it was time to move up to the line.
“Shawn, you will spend a year on the line moving through the fry, sauté, and grill stations. You need to be strong in every position and be able to jump in with confidence by the end of that year. I would encourage you to pay close attention to teamwork, timing, plate presentation, consistency, and flavor. This is where you will learn to build your palate and your eye. And, by the way, it’s time to start your coursework as part of the apprenticeship. Here are your textbooks and starter knife kit. You won’t need to use the house knives anymore. Take care of them – they are your best friends in the kitchen. Each week I will give you assignments from your textbooks and you must find a way to fit them in and give them the same attention as your station cooking.”
Shawn was excited and ready. He had already learned so much and was barely 18 years old. He started to feel like a real pro. Shawn quickly learned about degree of doneness, the proper way to sauté and how it differed from pan frying, how to grill whole fish and lightly sauté a sole meuniere, how to master the pan when through the delicate sauté of shellfish so they remained tender, and controlling batter, tempura, and breaded items in the friolater. He was a quick learner and within a few months was very comfortable on every station, even jumping back to garde manger when it was needed. Chef Pierre referred to him as the house roundsman.
At the same time, his after-hours studies helped him to understand food safety and sanitation, the “why” behind cooking methods, and the history of the profession. Each day he knew that this was his path – the kitchen was his college.
Shawn became acutely aware of the interdependence of every person in the kitchen. It was a team effort, only as strong as the weakest link. He found understanding the dynamics of personalities and the ability to listen was as important as the technical skills he was becoming adept at. As a result of his first experience in the diner, occasionally, Shawn would jump in to help the dishwasher. Every position is important – an understanding that would serve him well throughout his career.
Shawn’s final year in the apprenticeship program was spent learning more about the inner workings of the kitchen. He would expedite the line a few nights a week, help the chef take inventories, place orders, schedule kitchen staff, test new recipes, learn about flavor pairing for menu development, work banquets, jump into every position in the operation and even sit in on wine tastings so that he could build an appreciation for wine/food combinations.
After nearly three years Shawn graduated from the apprenticeship program. Chef James from the diner was there along with Shawn’s parents – it was a proud moment, one that solidified his future. He moved over the next six years to different properties, learning from other chefs, finding that every property was unique, building his repertoire of dishes, and testing his hand at supervision as a sous chef until at the age of twenty-eight he received his first appointment as “chef” at a 120-seat restaurant. He did a remarkable job bringing the restaurant into prominence, making a few mistakes along the way, but developing his brand as a “chef to watch”.
For those with their eyes on the lead position in a restaurant – this is the path. You learn more every day, from every situation, from every team, and from each chef with whom you serve. When you reach that goal, it will be, should be, because you have paid your dues and built a portfolio of experiences that allow for good decision making, competence, confidence, and the trust of your staff.
One step at a time, grasshopper.
PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER
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