Hi I know what you are thinking, so I will just get to the point. I decided back when I was in Toronto working at Le Select when I got treated like crap, that I would never let people walk all over me, my happiness wasnt worth it. I wouldnt let the chef at 398 do that either. NOBODY, in any situation deserves to be treated like crap, as human beings we must respect one another, no matter what position we hold at work or in society. Simple as that. I stayed on at work even though I was being walked on, out of the feel that I needed to help the sous chef since he pretty much did the kitchen alone. No matter what he did or others did I wanted to belive in teh good in people, and kept givign the benefit of the doubt. Well, im sorry but the rule of not being walked all over ever again trumps this time.
Two weeks ago I spoke with the sous chefm and said I was thinking of leaving at the end of May. He asked me to stay and that he didnt want to be left alone with teh owners again, it wasnt fun. So I told him I would stay a bit longer. I was awarded by being treated worse, having my recipe book stolen as well, as many other things, like working longer hours etc. The tensions have been running higher in the restaurant, which could explain the way I being treated, but I think people need to keep things in check. Dont make the situation worse, by taking out your anger on other people.
That is when I decided it wasnt worth the working the next two weeks of agony for a few extra hundred euros. The strees, and angst isnt worth it.
There is a saying fool me once shame on you fool me twice shame on me. Well they fooled me once, and when they went to fool me the second time, I wouldnt have it. I would rather quit my job then stoop to the levels that other people choose to stoop to.
I learned some extreamly valuable things like french pastry and the like, but I think I would rather work on my proposal, hopefully stage, then work ina extreamly hostile enviroment, where no one cares about the other...people talk differently from either side fo their mouth, and contradict themselves from one day to the next. Ill see what the next two weeks bring, and hope for the best.
yehuda
Monday, May 31, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
havetn written in a while
Work is otherwise the same ol same ol, Nothing has really changed , nothing really to talk about...just getting ready to move on..so I bought a new suitcase for my stuff thats a bit fragile, and since I cant lug around a box that weighs about 25 kilo, and a suitcase, i figured it better to buy another suitcase for not too much money so I can use the wheels and stuf...and yes I did look for a wheely thing for the box and couldnt find it, so I just wen t with the suitcase...oh my and my recipe book with all the recipes I got and learned here in france is gone, no one sems to know where it is...kind aodd..lucky for me i already typed them out, and backed them up ona USB key.
oh well
yehuda
oh well
yehuda
Monday, May 24, 2010
why is taking initiative a double edged sword?
Just to start off, I think this blog should turn into a article in a newspaper or a job website or something.
OK so here we go...
As an employer you would like your staff to take initiative at work to make things go better and such. But what do you do when your employee(s) take the initiviative but its not what you want, however it does make sense what they did! So I think there should be a compramise at work. I think employers have to realize, when you expect your staff to take initiative you ahve to realize that it wont always be what you wanted, even if they did a good job, but would you rather tehm come to you everytime before they did something, doesnt that curb productivity? If the product isnt ruined just doen differently why get upset? And for the employee, how can you take initiative and be guarenteed to be always taking the positive initiatives?
(any replies on the above paragraph are very welcome, so email or post a reply please.)
Heres my take, and the example. Last night I went downstairs to clean the walk in fridge, seeing that one of the shelves were almost entirely empty, I took the initiative to load it back up with the new product that was sitting in a box on the floor and rotate everything so the old was in front of the new. To me if a employee did that I would happy for them taking the initiative, hwoever I got screamed at..reasoning being? The chef wanted to do it on tuesday night and I did it two nights earlier. The product didnt get ruined, if anything the fridge looks cleaner, there is more room to walk around and retrieve things especially if you go down in middle of a busy service to get somethign you dont have to run around looking for stuff.
example two. I went home for break leaving all the prep for a certain dish that has to get portioned and vacuum packed, all ready to go. Thinkign it woudl get done, between services by the chef, who is supposed to work all day from open to close, it didnt get done. SO while waitign for dinner to get cooked for the staff, I started portioning soem of it into single portions. Well appearently takign the initiative and not asking was wrogn again. because he wanted it packaged differently.
In the end there wasa waste of the vacuum bags (about 10 cents each minimum), waste of time, as well is frustration. If I ask before I do everythign then I dont have a mind of my own, and I cant take initiative. If I take initiative and I am nto doing anythign wrong, because the product is still the same, why not just let it go?
again comments are very welcome on this topic. There has to be a way to be able to take initiative without getting it wrong, even if you know you are doing the right thing.
Ok next thing. I will be finished work on the 12th of June, although I might work an extra half day since sunday lunches are usually busy, and maybe Ill help them out, not sure yet, right now leaning against it because of the way I am being treated.
So here is the plan so far, I am goign to leave strasbourg on the 14th for paris where I will drop off my suitcase and box at a friend of my brothers house, then fly to manchester england to see my younger brother for a few days. I will be back in france on the 116th at night and probably stay over night there, and then catch a early train to normandy where I will start an intense two weeks of food and wine travelling normandy (cheese, juno beach), brittany(fish), loire valley (cheese and my favourite bubbly wine), and the dordogne (foie Gras) then head to madrid.
WELCOME BACK GARY AND PAULA
OK so here we go...
As an employer you would like your staff to take initiative at work to make things go better and such. But what do you do when your employee(s) take the initiviative but its not what you want, however it does make sense what they did! So I think there should be a compramise at work. I think employers have to realize, when you expect your staff to take initiative you ahve to realize that it wont always be what you wanted, even if they did a good job, but would you rather tehm come to you everytime before they did something, doesnt that curb productivity? If the product isnt ruined just doen differently why get upset? And for the employee, how can you take initiative and be guarenteed to be always taking the positive initiatives?
(any replies on the above paragraph are very welcome, so email or post a reply please.)
Heres my take, and the example. Last night I went downstairs to clean the walk in fridge, seeing that one of the shelves were almost entirely empty, I took the initiative to load it back up with the new product that was sitting in a box on the floor and rotate everything so the old was in front of the new. To me if a employee did that I would happy for them taking the initiative, hwoever I got screamed at..reasoning being? The chef wanted to do it on tuesday night and I did it two nights earlier. The product didnt get ruined, if anything the fridge looks cleaner, there is more room to walk around and retrieve things especially if you go down in middle of a busy service to get somethign you dont have to run around looking for stuff.
example two. I went home for break leaving all the prep for a certain dish that has to get portioned and vacuum packed, all ready to go. Thinkign it woudl get done, between services by the chef, who is supposed to work all day from open to close, it didnt get done. SO while waitign for dinner to get cooked for the staff, I started portioning soem of it into single portions. Well appearently takign the initiative and not asking was wrogn again. because he wanted it packaged differently.
In the end there wasa waste of the vacuum bags (about 10 cents each minimum), waste of time, as well is frustration. If I ask before I do everythign then I dont have a mind of my own, and I cant take initiative. If I take initiative and I am nto doing anythign wrong, because the product is still the same, why not just let it go?
again comments are very welcome on this topic. There has to be a way to be able to take initiative without getting it wrong, even if you know you are doing the right thing.
Ok next thing. I will be finished work on the 12th of June, although I might work an extra half day since sunday lunches are usually busy, and maybe Ill help them out, not sure yet, right now leaning against it because of the way I am being treated.
So here is the plan so far, I am goign to leave strasbourg on the 14th for paris where I will drop off my suitcase and box at a friend of my brothers house, then fly to manchester england to see my younger brother for a few days. I will be back in france on the 116th at night and probably stay over night there, and then catch a early train to normandy where I will start an intense two weeks of food and wine travelling normandy (cheese, juno beach), brittany(fish), loire valley (cheese and my favourite bubbly wine), and the dordogne (foie Gras) then head to madrid.
WELCOME BACK GARY AND PAULA
Friday, May 21, 2010
figured it out...now counting down
its been decided that the best course of action is that since I am anyways finishing work on the 24th of June, but I want to go visit other parts of the country as well, now I can probably push it into a week, but Id rather not be pressured into it, so I will leave an extra week earlier and instead leave on the 16th of june, hopefully take a few days adn maybe see my brother in manchester...and then go to normandy for the cheese and meat, also see Juno Beach where the Canadian soldiers landed on D-Day, then south to brittany, loire, and the dordogne for foie gras then directly to Spain to my jessica...
I spoke with the sous chef and told him of my plans since I deal with him on a daily basis, and he asked me to stay until the end, but realizing that I was going to leave at the end of may...i think its a good bargain for both of us... anyways otherwise things are going well..still getting micromanaged a bit, but its not too bad...it could be a lot worse...and thats about it...enjoy ur weekend everyone...so officially there 19 days left of work and 40 days until Jessica arrives in spain...yey..almost done
I spoke with the sous chef and told him of my plans since I deal with him on a daily basis, and he asked me to stay until the end, but realizing that I was going to leave at the end of may...i think its a good bargain for both of us... anyways otherwise things are going well..still getting micromanaged a bit, but its not too bad...it could be a lot worse...and thats about it...enjoy ur weekend everyone...so officially there 19 days left of work and 40 days until Jessica arrives in spain...yey..almost done
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Selestat and ribeauville....and ....
I was intending to only go to Ribeauville today, but got stuck in Selestat for a few hours, what do you do when your stuck in a remote town in the south of alsace in france?? You go sight seeing...or whatever you can see in a small town...so I went around and saw some cool churches, there was the market, the oldest running one in france they say at 600 years old, and still running. They also have a bread museum which I thought would be cool to see but they wouldnt let me in because they were closign soon. So I said can I at least give a quick look around, maybe take some pictures? they said sure at full pricve...im like, but your not giving me a tour im walking in and out..so you guessed it I just walked out...They have a witches tower there and also ironically a shul built in 1846, not sure if its still in use, but the nazis tried and couldnt destroy it in 1940 but the french government restored it in the 60's appearently but the golden plazque above teh door adn the ten commandment are still standing proud from teh original structure..
I then finally came to Ribeauville at about 1:40 in teh afternoon, went for a lunch that was delicious, wont say what I ate though. I then walked around and since this city is on teh wine route of Alsace, I drank....lots...and really enjyoed it. I got some attitude form teh german speaking winemakers and then just walked out, sinc eI dont take crap from noone..hahaha.
I went into a winery and tasted the wine and it was ok...and there was an older couple travelling with the guys mother and the mother paid for the entire trip for both of them as well, adn was buying wine and stuff as well..I was like cool...but they were giving attitude so i left.
I went into this small little winery almost like a closet in the wall, and there was this older woman who greeted me, and we talked as she helped other customers. When teh other people left she asked what kind of wine I liked and told her I usually drink gewertrameiner since its a sweet white wine, and she says if u like that, taste this one, and pours me a glass of riesling,a version of riesling I have never tasted before, and it was delicate, simple yes complex at the same time, so difficult to explain but I dont think I was ever so happy about drinking wine in my life...I said to her, can I see your cave (where they store the wine and process it). She told me that they were currently bottling a pinot gris, last years harvest. I said its ok, and seh took me out back, I met her husband whos the wine maker and couldnt help but say thank you and comment on how amazing the wine he was making tasted. She showed me the bottling process which jessica and I only saw the machine of in bordeaux but I got to see it in motion, extreamly cool.
Unfortunately for me that was the first place I went to of the day adn therefore compared the followign wines to that small winery. No one even came close to the product that I had tasted. I bought one bottle, but was talkign to jessica later on and she said if I liked it so much I should buy one more, so I did.
Happy Shavuos everyone
Yehuda
I then finally came to Ribeauville at about 1:40 in teh afternoon, went for a lunch that was delicious, wont say what I ate though. I then walked around and since this city is on teh wine route of Alsace, I drank....lots...and really enjyoed it. I got some attitude form teh german speaking winemakers and then just walked out, sinc eI dont take crap from noone..hahaha.
I went into a winery and tasted the wine and it was ok...and there was an older couple travelling with the guys mother and the mother paid for the entire trip for both of them as well, adn was buying wine and stuff as well..I was like cool...but they were giving attitude so i left.
I went into this small little winery almost like a closet in the wall, and there was this older woman who greeted me, and we talked as she helped other customers. When teh other people left she asked what kind of wine I liked and told her I usually drink gewertrameiner since its a sweet white wine, and she says if u like that, taste this one, and pours me a glass of riesling,a version of riesling I have never tasted before, and it was delicate, simple yes complex at the same time, so difficult to explain but I dont think I was ever so happy about drinking wine in my life...I said to her, can I see your cave (where they store the wine and process it). She told me that they were currently bottling a pinot gris, last years harvest. I said its ok, and seh took me out back, I met her husband whos the wine maker and couldnt help but say thank you and comment on how amazing the wine he was making tasted. She showed me the bottling process which jessica and I only saw the machine of in bordeaux but I got to see it in motion, extreamly cool.
Unfortunately for me that was the first place I went to of the day adn therefore compared the followign wines to that small winery. No one even came close to the product that I had tasted. I bought one bottle, but was talkign to jessica later on and she said if I liked it so much I should buy one more, so I did.
Happy Shavuos everyone
Yehuda
Saturday, May 15, 2010
What to do?
The difficulties I am having with the language I think may be holding me back from fully enjoying myself here. That being said, I don't not speak the language, I dont speak it well enough, however I can make conversation, and can get by. SO I asked my sous chef what he would do in my situation. He says to me when he worked in the US, they said to him learn the language or leave. He said within one month he knew all the neglish cooking terms. Heres my issue, I already know the terms, its when people here speak exreamly quickly and use words that are fancy French words that I dont understand, since I speak simple french. Oh well. 5 weeks left. Ill figure things out thats forsure.
yehuda
yehuda
Thursday, May 13, 2010
buuuuuuuuuuusy..but a repeat?
It was extreamly busy tonight started at 6 and went right until 10, full restaurant, and the kitchen was not in chaos, but i think it could have been organized a lot better...just my opinion. Things went about 90%well, but there was a point when we were so backed up we needed an extra pair of hands, so the chef came in and helped out, and he organised the chit board.
My thoughts are that a smaller restaurant should work better since there arent as many people ordering at the same time...I would think so.. I also think each post should be kept seperate..the appatizers are one place, main course another and dessert naturally its own place...but things shouldnt come off half from one station and the other half from another, it confuses things, and if one person is ready first, most of the time the other person gets pissed off for the other guy going first..so I agree with the way it was in Lyon where everythign was seperate, and it worked like a well oiled machine.
Those are my thoughts, I got a lot to do this weekend and since its a long weekend..I think frances version of may24 weekend...people started their long weekend today and it felt like a friday night thats how busy it was
ok had to blog so there it is..sorry for it being so short...nighty o
yehuda
My thoughts are that a smaller restaurant should work better since there arent as many people ordering at the same time...I would think so.. I also think each post should be kept seperate..the appatizers are one place, main course another and dessert naturally its own place...but things shouldnt come off half from one station and the other half from another, it confuses things, and if one person is ready first, most of the time the other person gets pissed off for the other guy going first..so I agree with the way it was in Lyon where everythign was seperate, and it worked like a well oiled machine.
Those are my thoughts, I got a lot to do this weekend and since its a long weekend..I think frances version of may24 weekend...people started their long weekend today and it felt like a friday night thats how busy it was
ok had to blog so there it is..sorry for it being so short...nighty o
yehuda
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
bored out of my mind
Yesterday and today I only work half days (at night only) which lets me sleep in i guess and be able to speak to jessica on her way to work m but other than that there isnt really anything else I can do since I have to work at night so I cant go anywhere. Oh well I looked up providors for foie gras in canada on google and finally found the right wording for it and was able to find a list of some sort.
Although I think before I open up I want to drive to montreal for a few days and visit farms that produce a lot of the french delicasies that we are lucky to have in Canada....ROAD TRIP...lol I want to at least.
Otherwise I read the top 100 best restaurants of toronto this morning as published by Joanne yates I think her name is of the National Post, part of my market research to see where to open up, what the competition is like etc. and to be honest I am more determined than ever, more happy to be coming home and more looking forward to hopefully opening a restaurant when I get back home.
Anyways its a bit wierd of weather here..as the days start out nice but as they progress every day we have had rain, spotty showers etc...nothing great but an inconvinience.
Thats about it.
Otherwise things are getting a bit better at work as far as I can think of.
yehuda
Although I think before I open up I want to drive to montreal for a few days and visit farms that produce a lot of the french delicasies that we are lucky to have in Canada....ROAD TRIP...lol I want to at least.
Otherwise I read the top 100 best restaurants of toronto this morning as published by Joanne yates I think her name is of the National Post, part of my market research to see where to open up, what the competition is like etc. and to be honest I am more determined than ever, more happy to be coming home and more looking forward to hopefully opening a restaurant when I get back home.
Anyways its a bit wierd of weather here..as the days start out nice but as they progress every day we have had rain, spotty showers etc...nothing great but an inconvinience.
Thats about it.
Otherwise things are getting a bit better at work as far as I can think of.
yehuda
Saturday, May 8, 2010
glad to bring laughter back to the kitchen
Unfortunately today started off like any other day this past week where the mood was somber and not very exciting but work was getting done..However I was determined to start turning everything around because it was getting frustrating to see a once happy kitchen change suddenly because of the sale. So I tried to lighten the mood up a bit, by smiling trying to laugh a bit, but all it did was make things a bit less serious but no smiles.
AT dinner service though, I stepped it up a notch. Work was going extreamly well between the sous chef and I, and food was going out, I handled the banquet he gave me his usal tips here and there, which will help me a lot in the future. But I laughed a bit doing some silly things to lighten the mood, when I got asked a question by the sous chef which finally turned the tide for the good. He says to me why are you laughing? did you drink? take drugs? I answered a wise man once told me (him) that its better to be foolish then hold grudges and be mad at each other. He smiled and suddenly his old self came out and we were joking again..getting work doen but with a smile, speaking french adn eglish making up english words so I can understand his french...dont ask... and once again things were going well and happy in the kitchen.
I also know there was some annymosity towards the owners for selling so I decided I wanted to change that as well. Whenever I ring the bell durign service for a waiter to come pick up the food, the owners wife who is also the manager of the dining room screams at me arret la cloche (Stop ringing the bell!) so for no reason she starts ringing the bell at the kitchen so I screamed back...Arret la Cloche and started to laugh, becuase it was funny. I knew I either stepped over the line or broke the ice... I broke the ice, and she got a look on her face that I knew was going to change thigns at least for today. I tried to hide from her because she was hiding behind the door with the hose ready to spray me next time I walked towards the dish pit. The sous chef walks out of the kitchen for a second, comes back in and grabs me and hodl me tightly in the middle of the kitchen...Sabrine (the manager) comes in with the hose and starts spraying me mid body area with freazing cold water for a good minute. I was litterally covered and soaking wet waist down. Everyone was laughing and it was good to hear a good ambiance in the restaurant again.
after she finished hosing me down she comes around to the pass and asks me if i still think she should stop ringing the bell..I said you can do what you want...but next time you plan on hosing me down at least give me some laundry detergan adn bleach for my chef jacket. The sous chef heard that and poured dish soap on my jacket, adn with a spounge rubbed it in...it was funny, so I said you know now I dont need a shower...so he takes the sponge and washes my head...All in good fun, and all for a good cause because at the end of the day, everyone was talking to eachother with a smile on their faces.
I had to do a load of laundry anyways tonight so I didnt mind at all...and that was my day. Probably one of my better ones so far.
AT dinner service though, I stepped it up a notch. Work was going extreamly well between the sous chef and I, and food was going out, I handled the banquet he gave me his usal tips here and there, which will help me a lot in the future. But I laughed a bit doing some silly things to lighten the mood, when I got asked a question by the sous chef which finally turned the tide for the good. He says to me why are you laughing? did you drink? take drugs? I answered a wise man once told me (him) that its better to be foolish then hold grudges and be mad at each other. He smiled and suddenly his old self came out and we were joking again..getting work doen but with a smile, speaking french adn eglish making up english words so I can understand his french...dont ask... and once again things were going well and happy in the kitchen.
I also know there was some annymosity towards the owners for selling so I decided I wanted to change that as well. Whenever I ring the bell durign service for a waiter to come pick up the food, the owners wife who is also the manager of the dining room screams at me arret la cloche (Stop ringing the bell!) so for no reason she starts ringing the bell at the kitchen so I screamed back...Arret la Cloche and started to laugh, becuase it was funny. I knew I either stepped over the line or broke the ice... I broke the ice, and she got a look on her face that I knew was going to change thigns at least for today. I tried to hide from her because she was hiding behind the door with the hose ready to spray me next time I walked towards the dish pit. The sous chef walks out of the kitchen for a second, comes back in and grabs me and hodl me tightly in the middle of the kitchen...Sabrine (the manager) comes in with the hose and starts spraying me mid body area with freazing cold water for a good minute. I was litterally covered and soaking wet waist down. Everyone was laughing and it was good to hear a good ambiance in the restaurant again.
after she finished hosing me down she comes around to the pass and asks me if i still think she should stop ringing the bell..I said you can do what you want...but next time you plan on hosing me down at least give me some laundry detergan adn bleach for my chef jacket. The sous chef heard that and poured dish soap on my jacket, adn with a spounge rubbed it in...it was funny, so I said you know now I dont need a shower...so he takes the sponge and washes my head...All in good fun, and all for a good cause because at the end of the day, everyone was talking to eachother with a smile on their faces.
I had to do a load of laundry anyways tonight so I didnt mind at all...and that was my day. Probably one of my better ones so far.
Friday, May 7, 2010
dijon
I left off at the las blog when I arrived in dijon.
So in the morning I woke up early since the hostel gave free breakfast with my room, but served it only between 7 -8:30..so I went at 7 since the hostel was fully booked, and I wanted to make sure i got food.
SO I checked out early, and wentinto the center of town. While I waited for teh tourism office to open I did some sightseeign of my own just following the signs to various locations in the city, nothing amazing , just churches and antiquity quarter.
Finally when the tourism office opened I went into get information but they weren't very forthcoming. so I walked around the city center looking for mustard shops...now youd think that in the mustar capital of the world there would be tons of mustard shops, youd think that in the capital of the most expensive wine region in france there would be loads of wine stores...but no there are two mustard shops and 1 wine store. I went to one mustardshop and the prices were exuberant, and the bottles were glass unlike the french mustard bottles, so I went to the other one, tasted 7 different kinds of mustard, bought 4 one of them being regular dijon mustard using the old dijon recipe ( the original one) in a real dijon bottle thats closed witha cork...really cool since i wanted one like that. I then bought some heavy liqour made here in alsace not famous because its similar to cognac which is 95% consumed outside france so the Burgandy version is mostly for french consumption. I also bought Creme de Cassis, which is a specialty of burgandy as well.
I then went to the only wine store I found on a side street and bought a nice red wine from burgondy, (my opinion best red wine in france) and a champagne wine from burgandy. However since its not inteh champagne region of france its call Cremant, and I bought a rose version since I dont like the chardonnay kind.
I then went to have lunch at a restaurant that specialized in burgundy food, and had the Menu Bourgogne. TO be honest it was one of the best meals I have had in France yet. I had Eggs poached in red wine, then beef bourgingon, and too top it off I had Creme brulee with cassis. When I was done I went to the chef to thank him, and that I really enjoyed the food. He was happy.
I then went back with a full backpack, and a heavy bag to the train staiton to await my train back to Strasbourg.
I got back in late since there were train delays coming from marseilles, but it was ok.
I then went to a party and met a girl that is coming to live in toronto for the year, where shes going to university at Glenden, and interning at the french embassy in toronto. So I was helping her out with info and hopefully help her find a place to rent when she gets to toronto.
thats about it..back to work today, it went very well...i really do enjoy working with the chef. It was busy but it wasnt quiet he let me do the bankquet by myself which was good, as I enjoyed it.
Enjoy your weekend everyone
So in the morning I woke up early since the hostel gave free breakfast with my room, but served it only between 7 -8:30..so I went at 7 since the hostel was fully booked, and I wanted to make sure i got food.
SO I checked out early, and wentinto the center of town. While I waited for teh tourism office to open I did some sightseeign of my own just following the signs to various locations in the city, nothing amazing , just churches and antiquity quarter.
Finally when the tourism office opened I went into get information but they weren't very forthcoming. so I walked around the city center looking for mustard shops...now youd think that in the mustar capital of the world there would be tons of mustard shops, youd think that in the capital of the most expensive wine region in france there would be loads of wine stores...but no there are two mustard shops and 1 wine store. I went to one mustardshop and the prices were exuberant, and the bottles were glass unlike the french mustard bottles, so I went to the other one, tasted 7 different kinds of mustard, bought 4 one of them being regular dijon mustard using the old dijon recipe ( the original one) in a real dijon bottle thats closed witha cork...really cool since i wanted one like that. I then bought some heavy liqour made here in alsace not famous because its similar to cognac which is 95% consumed outside france so the Burgandy version is mostly for french consumption. I also bought Creme de Cassis, which is a specialty of burgandy as well.
I then went to the only wine store I found on a side street and bought a nice red wine from burgondy, (my opinion best red wine in france) and a champagne wine from burgandy. However since its not inteh champagne region of france its call Cremant, and I bought a rose version since I dont like the chardonnay kind.
I then went to have lunch at a restaurant that specialized in burgundy food, and had the Menu Bourgogne. TO be honest it was one of the best meals I have had in France yet. I had Eggs poached in red wine, then beef bourgingon, and too top it off I had Creme brulee with cassis. When I was done I went to the chef to thank him, and that I really enjoyed the food. He was happy.
I then went back with a full backpack, and a heavy bag to the train staiton to await my train back to Strasbourg.
I got back in late since there were train delays coming from marseilles, but it was ok.
I then went to a party and met a girl that is coming to live in toronto for the year, where shes going to university at Glenden, and interning at the french embassy in toronto. So I was helping her out with info and hopefully help her find a place to rent when she gets to toronto.
thats about it..back to work today, it went very well...i really do enjoy working with the chef. It was busy but it wasnt quiet he let me do the bankquet by myself which was good, as I enjoyed it.
Enjoy your weekend everyone
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
troyes..and now dijon
With today and tomorrow off I decided to not push it off anymore and travel to Troyes its a four hour train ride from strasbourg, so I left at 620 am. I rested on the train a bit as I went to troyes. Originally I as going to just see the city of troyes for the rashi stuff, but when I visited the tourism office, they told me about the outlet malls which arent really outlet malls btw its the same high prices. I found a deal though at adidas.
Anyways I saw the old shul, rashis shul, built the second time, the first time being torn down to build a church. the cemetary where rashi is buried got demolished in the 15th century, so its no more. However there is a monument and europes only hebrew university, the university institute of rashi.
When I was talking with Jessica I looked at the map and saw I wasnt that far from Dijon the capital of Bourgogne, so knowing I had another day off I decided to go on a whim. Booked a hostel adn headed to the train station, and boarded the next train to dijon.
I am here now and tomorrow I plan on seeing the city as best as possible, (its a tiny city) drinking wine, tasting mustard etc...the stuff dijon is known for. and then take a 4 hour train ride back to strasbourg.
I posted all my pictures to date on my facebook page including my route de vin pictures.
yehuda
Anyways I saw the old shul, rashis shul, built the second time, the first time being torn down to build a church. the cemetary where rashi is buried got demolished in the 15th century, so its no more. However there is a monument and europes only hebrew university, the university institute of rashi.
When I was talking with Jessica I looked at the map and saw I wasnt that far from Dijon the capital of Bourgogne, so knowing I had another day off I decided to go on a whim. Booked a hostel adn headed to the train station, and boarded the next train to dijon.
I am here now and tomorrow I plan on seeing the city as best as possible, (its a tiny city) drinking wine, tasting mustard etc...the stuff dijon is known for. and then take a 4 hour train ride back to strasbourg.
I posted all my pictures to date on my facebook page including my route de vin pictures.
yehuda
Sunday, May 2, 2010
I dont know what to call this blog
I really don't. And here's why. How is it that I can respect someone for their knowledge of cooking, yet they contradict themselves in so many ways that it makes me loose my respect for them. Now that being said, I looked at myself today and thought, do I really want to learn new things, or am I just saying that because that is whats the right thing to say. And at first I figured it was the right thing to say and therefore am saying and I i believe those words now, but don't really want to learn...and then it happened again where I got pissed off and realized that no, I do want to learn, there are things to be learned from my sous chef, but there are a lot of things like running a kitchen and planning things that are bizarre and don't make a bit of sense, if anything contradict both health and safety laws as well as mentally it doesn't make sense.
For example, he enjoys telling me every day what I need to do and in what order, most of the time pushing off the little things. Well I am taught by EVERY chef I ever worked for, to multi task, you work quicker and more efficiently. So I went at it this morning arguing that doing one thing when you can for example bring something to a boil at the same time as opposed to doing one thing and waiting and waitign for it to drain...is stupid and pointless...so I got the line of every other chef is doing it wrong...and thats when I realized that, its not in my head that Im just sayign i want to learn..I actually do want to learn, however when someone who has a michelin star to his credit, has a health and safety certificate, adn doesnt flip his station or leaves meat out for 6 hours sometimes even more...then I know in this case I am right. I will take what I can and learn what I can, and just go with the flow for the next two months and take the crap in stride knowing, that I know what I am doing and if I get it wrong here, its because its a different way..and the way ive been taught is a lot better, for everyone.
yehuda
For example, he enjoys telling me every day what I need to do and in what order, most of the time pushing off the little things. Well I am taught by EVERY chef I ever worked for, to multi task, you work quicker and more efficiently. So I went at it this morning arguing that doing one thing when you can for example bring something to a boil at the same time as opposed to doing one thing and waiting and waitign for it to drain...is stupid and pointless...so I got the line of every other chef is doing it wrong...and thats when I realized that, its not in my head that Im just sayign i want to learn..I actually do want to learn, however when someone who has a michelin star to his credit, has a health and safety certificate, adn doesnt flip his station or leaves meat out for 6 hours sometimes even more...then I know in this case I am right. I will take what I can and learn what I can, and just go with the flow for the next two months and take the crap in stride knowing, that I know what I am doing and if I get it wrong here, its because its a different way..and the way ive been taught is a lot better, for everyone.
yehuda
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