Epicurean Encounters: My Culinary Family

Next week concludes the first block (6 weeks) of the culinary arts program called Culinary Foundations. We will have a final practical where we produce an entire meal on our own in 2 hours. The menu will include a tossed salad with a basic vinaigrette, sautéed chicken breast with Veloute sauce, pommes de terre puree, and carrots Vichy. There is also a final written exam covering the last 6 weeks of information. After that, we advance to the next block called Culinary Arts where we'll be learning breakfast cookery and baking.
After 5 weeks with my classmates, with 4 dropping out, we have become a close knit family. I have become fond of a few of the younger ones in particular. And they have bestowed upon me the moniker of "mom". I am touched. It's much better than "pit bull" as one poor gal has been referred to. With two hours of production time to execute a meal, we must really cooperate and work as a team. There are many moving parts and all it takes is one weak link to throw us off.
Some of us are definitely more zen under pressure and others could use more time on the yoga mat. I tend to be calmer as things get more hectic. I mean we're just cooking for ourselves. It's not like removing a foreign body from a five year old's eye with a 20 minute appointment slot. Then there are others who do not have any sense of urgency what so ever. They are on one speed, not realizing the rest of us cannot proceed until their component is complete.
I have learned a lot from my younger classmates who have been cooking in the industry. I am impressed with their ease in the kitchen and work ethic. The youngest student is 18 years old and has been cooking for three years. He goes to school M-F from 7am to 1pm, then works from 7pm to 4 am! With the aid of Monster and coffee, he is able to be alert for class and is one of the most praised students. I would like to adopt him, but he has a mom.
Below are some photos of what we cooked this week: beef on Monday & Tuesday, veal on Wednesday, lamb on Thursday, and pork on Friday. In bold are the menu component I was responsible for each day.