Hey Soupers!
As it turns out, time really does fly when you’re having fun! I have been so busy working and traveling (Geneva), that when I sat down to write, I couldn’t believe that three weeks had passed. I have so many things to talk about that it’s difficult to find a good place to start, but I think I will begin with life in the French kitchen.
Things have been going smoothly, but occasionally I still get confused due to the language barrier. Nevertheless, the chef has started to really trust me and schedules me to work on the line during service hours. He even scheduled me to work a shift on the line alone!
My first solo performance happened a few weeks ago during a Friday lunch-shift. It was one of the busiest lunches I have ever seen and, get this, the “plat du jour” was fish. For those of you who don’t spend a lot of time in the kitchen, fish is a delicate meat that can get overcooked very easily. With orders flying in left and right, there was plenty of room for mistakes, but for some reason that day, I was a fish-cooking machine and the plating was going smoothly. I don’t remember exactly how many meals we put out, but at one point we had to extend the plate-up area with an extra cart and a table! Despite the craziness, I was impressed with how well service was going…until…
An irregular order came in and my mind went blank as Chef started yelling out instructions about a duck dish. I didn’t even know duck was on the menu that day! Mind you, this was all happening as we were turning out orders for a party of 18. As I fumbled around trying to complete the dishes for the party, Chef and I bumped into each other and the fish that Chef was plating fell to the floor. Time seemed to freeze as Chef screamed something in French (probably expletives) and looked at me like I had just done the most horrible thing in the world. For a moment, I thought he was going to hit me with the spatula in his hand, but he thought better of it and took out his frustration on the table. Thank goodness for that, because I like my face.
That day, I really felt the pressure of the kitchen and how already-tense situations escalate when there is a language barrier. My co-workers, as much as I like most of them, are not quick to help me jump the barrier. I think they like me to learn from my mistakes, plus I get a sense that it’s kind of fun for them to watch the American squirm. In the end, I got the last laugh because not only did that experience not kill me, it made me stronger and inspired me to improve.
In fact, I have done so well that Chef offered me a job after I graduate! I was super shocked and excited. I have worked long hours and pushed myself to do the best that I possibly can for the two and a half months, and it finally paid off in a bigger way than I could have imagined.
As for my travels, my latest destination was Geneva. It was one of the most relaxing trips I have taken so far. Upon my arrival, I found a little hotel not too far from the lake called Hotel Geneva. I dropped my stuff off, and headed out to have lunch.
I found a little cottage restaurant called “The Cottage” (shocker) where I was seated outside on some antique-looking furniture. I learned from the waiter that the menu changes each day because the chef goes to the market to get fresh ingredients. This is a culinary student’s dream! I ended up getting the salmon tartare and finished up with delicious raspberry sorbet sprinkled with pistachios.
After lunch, I took a walk around the gorgeous lake and explored the botanical gardens. The next day I woke up early because I was leaving that evening, so I wanted to have plenty of time for exploring. I returned to the lake, took a short boat tour, and decided that it was perfect weather to take a swim. The water was clean, clear and exactly the energizer that I needed to get me going on my next mission: to find Stettler’s Chocolate.
I had heard that this was one of the best destinations for chocolate in the area and now I can confirm that. I had a milk chocolate and rosemary truffle, a 5-spice dark chocolate truffle, and a raspberry truffle. I recommend the 5-spice if you ever get the chance to visit!
In my truffle-trance, I headed to the train station because I had to be back for work at 9 AM the next morning. Well, as luck would have it, the French train workers decided that it was a good day to strike, so there was no way I was getting back to Lyon that night. I was freaking out! I didn’t know what to do. I ended up going back to my hotel where the manager took pity on me and gave me my room at a discount for one more night. Thankfully, the strike ended by the next morning and I got back to Lyon just in time for work.
So that’s the latest scoop from Lyon, France. I will be sure to keep you posted on my many adventures to come in this gorgeous country.
Au Revoir,
Coty
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