Hello Soupers!

So, the good news! I am super excited that I finally got my internship! I now work at Restaurant Les Tournesols at The Best Western Saphir Lyon Hotel. It was the most intense interview I have ever been in, and it all happened in one day.

It started with the woman who got me the interview. We met at her office and went to the interview together. I knew that I would need to know a bit of French for the interview even though the hotel maangement knew I was American. On our walk to the metro, she started speaking to me in French. I drew a blank. She was talking so fast, I could not understand her. When I told her this, she repeated her words. All I could do was respond, “I am sorry, I still don’t understand.”

She switched to English and said, “Coty, you have to understand! What are you going to do? You have to use your head and think about what I am saying to you. Listed for the words you do know and put two-and-two together. You have no choice but to understand at this interview. You must use your ears.” I knew that she was just trying to help. Still, I was concerned that I would not know enough French and would make a fool of myself.

We met with the Food and Beverage manager and spoke with him for 10 minutes and then he brought in the Chef. Chef took my resume, looked it over, spoke with me for a moment, and then returned to the kitchen. Finally, we went into the restaurant and met with the Director of the hotel. This seemed pretty intense for a internship interview, and it was all in French. I thought I was going to flip out.

While we ate, the Chef came out during each course and and talked with me. Luckily, my friend played interference for me, repeated what they asked slowly in French and sometimes translated. I did my best to respond in French.

The meal was nice. Our first course was gazpacho soup with tomato sorbet. Next came the buffet which included representative foods from different regions of France. There were three or four different types of terrines, some salami and other meats, plenty of cheese, brie and escargot tarte, a few different types of salads and some vegetables. The third course was beef tartare with steamed veggies. It was some of the best food I have had since arriving in Lyon.

The Director asked if I liked the food, and I replied that I did very much. That seemed to surprise them because, they said, that few Americans do. The dessert was decadent tasting plate including chocolate mousse, strawberry sorbet, a cream puff and espresso. I was in heaven.

After the dessert, we talked for a bit more, and then I went back into the kitchen with Chef. We then went into the bar and there were the internship papers ready to sign!

Chef appreciated the fact that I was working so hard to speak French, that I had come all the way to Lyon for my internship when I could have taken an easier path in the States, and that I had come to him. The fact that I am knowledgeable in more than just one type of cuisine and that I had received instruction previously from some great Chefs at school impressed him as well.

Then he told me, “You start tomorrow.”

That hit me…

I am no longer dreaming of going to France. I now am living here. I am no longer dreaming of working in a kitchen in France. I am an intern in a French kitchen in France! I can’t believe I have made this dream come true and have accomplished my goal of working in a kitchen here!

I will let you know how it goes…

Au Revoir

Coty

To read more of my experience in Lyon, click here