My first round of classes are coming to an end at culinary school. And I have been reflecting on what I have been learning. First, in classic french cuisine you can use a SHOCKING amount of butter and cream. Second, my knife skills are definitely improving and I am getting better and better at the useless 7 sided tourne. Third, there is nothing like hanging out with a bunch of 19-22 year olds a couple hours a week to make you feel VERY VERY old.

I was standing in the library of the school on Friday listening to a student who is further in her students vent about the teachers. Chef P (one of my current teachers) is a wonderful man and is super kind and she loves him. Chef M (the other current teacher) is a creep who can't cook and hits on his students. It was an interesting because I would think that a lot of the students in my class would switch these characteristics around. (Except the hitting on students.)

Chef P is a task master. He wants these kids to be professional, clean, focused. He has very little tolerance for people who don't utilize their time well and don't clean up after themselves. In some ways he is also a bit apologetic about enforcing his rules though. When the students don't live up to his expectations, instead of just telling them to get back to it, he tends toward long rambling lectures trying to explain why they should do this. Some of the students don't appreciate being held to the school's uniform and attendance standards and therefore find him to be a bit annoying in his inflexibility. His food always turns out tasty, but I have heard him advocate some cooking techniques that I have read are super no-nos. (Mashing potatoes with a mixer for example.)

Chef M is a talker. He tells the same stories over and over again. When he cooks it looks like a little explosion over the kitchen. (Although it is always cleaned well when he is finished. In Le Cordon Bleu cleanliness is next to godliness.) He has turned a blind eye to some of the side conversations and goofing off in class. He has simply shook his head and walked away when some of the students were discussing the "hot" girl in the hallway. He is always fun for a discussion on something not food related and will pontificate for quite some time about ecological awareness (very important) and animal treatment (They are not pets!).

For most of the last 5 weeks there has been very low amounts of hands on work in our class room. We are allowed to cut up potatoes and carrots, and make mayonnaise. (Oh, the arm cramps!) We have watched the chef make stock, sauces and soups. The next 6 weeks will be nothing but desk classes for our class. Then we will be let loose in a kitchen where we will be required to replicate what we have seen demonstrated. My six weeks will be spent doing a lot of practicing these in advance in whatever open lab I can find since I am required to take only 1 of the 3 classes that the rest of my class is taking. (I have been allowed a pass on the math and software course based on my other college experience.) I probably could fight to get out of the other class (food science) but it sounds too interesting.