It Doesn’t Take Long

Something I appended to the previous post, but then decided to dangle out here alone. Click through…In recent news, I’m now a FOH manager for the restaurant, still expediting, occasionally working in the kitchen on prep, bar-tending for events upstairs, and generally being what our guys refer to as a chingon. But in a good way, the “can do everything” way. Which, I have no doubt, is going to be vastly useful when I do have to do everything, in a different way. The game’s afoot! Fueled by ~4lb of biltong (South African dried meat, heavy on the coriander(thanks, Dad)) and some good Indian cuisine, I prosper. What a convoluted sentence, and I haven’t read Faulkner in over a year.

I’m finding more and more that this experience is vital. Sure, I want to work BOH. I plan on culinary school (any day now). But the ins and outs of running this business tend toward the ludicrous. The all-art way seems nice and all, but will quickly flatten you and your wallet. The strictly business way makes a great grilled cheese sandwich, but that’s about it. I consider myself lucky to be learning from such a variety of sources: a South Asian Sikh, a Cordon Bleu trained dame (self-styled), a Cuban, salsa-all-night sound and bookkeeping guy, and countless others. As I learn more, I know how little I really know (sorry, I don’t know who to credit for that one. Adam, perhaps). I can only hope that what I learn now will help to prove and disprove things I learn in culinary.

Haven’t tried anything new for a while now, a symptom of being in the trenches. I’d like to make at home some of the things we prep at the restaurant, just to figure out on a small scale how and why we do things in the large. A few months ago I made some soda bread. Tasted good, but buoyant as a brick. I’m hoping that in the New Year I’ll have more resources and time to try some of the things I’ve been reading about. First step, guanciale.

Next Step, the Pretty Pictures.