Chef’s Diary

Cette semaine nous sommes tous rentrés à l’école pour reprendre le rythme scolaire - beaucoup plus doux, c’est clair, que mes 2 semaines de travail à La Fontaine et au Zephyr. Par contre, je commence à trouver une certaine calme au fourneau à l’école (….parce que soyons clair, je ne suis que très rarement au fourneau quand je suis au restaurant !) et au poste des entrées / desserts quand je suis en cuisine aux restos. Je n’ai tjrs pas la rapidité de geste autour du poisson (préparer le merlan à l’anglaise, désarrêter le saumon - avec un econome, que le chef m’a appris ce soir - et retirer sa peau me prendre bcp plus de temps que les chefs), mais je pense que je commence à enterriner le besoin de tjrs vouloir trouver les raccourcis, toute en respectant les étapes à suivre. A l’école, M. Charron (l’un de nos profs pour nos travaux pratiques - TPs) veut nous guider de moins en moins, qui va nous rendre de plus en plus autonome - une progression qui me plaît énormément. Du coup, nos TPs vont devenir de plus en plus intéressants (parce que parfois, il faut le dire, le référentiel du CAP Cuisine n’est pas passionnant !).

Ce soir nous avons fait 70 couverts et nous étions 2 (même si JB - qui vend les coquillages devant le resto le soir - est venu parfois pour me donner un coup de main, et le chef m’a pas mal aidé avec des remarques du style “le pain grillé pour le fois gras, mettre toute de suite les oeufs coquotte quand le bon de commande arrive….”) en cuisine - moi et le chef. Donc, j’ai dû assurer les entrées et les desserts (avec l’aide de JB), et je m’en suis sorti assez bien (l’équipe est bien gentile avec moi, il faut le dire).

Au final je découvre que je suis assez calme - ceci dit, je cours parfois parce que je n’arrive pas à garder en tête l’ordre de mes tâches…donc, je perds le fil parfois. Mais globalement, je ne panique pas, qui me rassure déja. Encore plus rassurant, c’est que j’aime bien la pression quand le service commence et les bons de commande arrivent sur l’imprimante…..il y a une énergie que je n’ai jamais eu quand j’étais consultant. Je me rappelle quand j’ai lu “Kitchen Confidential” (de Anthony Bourdain, cuisto américain avec un papa Français) l’écrivain parlait avec fièrté de la capacité de l’équipe en cuisine de sortir 200+ couverts le soir (si je me souviens bien). Il parlait bcp de l’énergie en cuisine - souvent la musique était un symbol de l’identité et de l’énergie de l’équipe / du chef. En tout cas, je découvre cette passion pour le moment quand il faut courir tout en restant calme et lucide.

Ca m’intéresserait de savoir comment c’est “l’heure de pointe” dans un resto étoilé…..moins de couverts, je suppose, plus de précision dans l’assiette, plus de rigueur peut-être….des gestes bcp plus techniques…..peut-être. En tout cas, avec La Fontaine et Le Zephyr, je vois pas mal de technicité, d’imagination et de qualité (d’équipe et de produit), et tout cela avec des chefs qui sont très humain.

Ma femme et ma famille continue à m’encourager et me montrer qu’ils sont avec moi 110%…..sans cela cette évolution ne serait pas possible. Je leur remercie pour cela.

Un petit souci pour mon financement par le FONGECIF - j’ai eu une lettre avec un nouveau contrat disant que mon niveau de financement a été ajusté…..on me propose 50% de ce que l’on me proposait il y a 2 mois. Cela me poserait un vrai problème. A voir lundi avec le FONGECIF.

Une dernière remarque concernant mes “posts” dans mon blog. En lisant les blogs d’autres passionnés de la cuisine, je me rends compte que “le coeur de métier” est la publication des recettes. C’est logique puisque, au final, la cuisine et la création et la découverte de recettes est au coeur de ce que nous aimons faire. Par contre, comme vous l’avez déjà constaté peut-être, je ne parle pas vraiment de recettes. Pour l’instant cela ne me passionne pas…..ce qui m’intéresse en ce moment c’est, d’un côté, le partage de ce que je vis, et de l’autre côté, ma découverte du métier, des produits….de la culture cuisine. A terme je vais naturellement passer vers les recettes, je suppose…..on verra bien.

Bonne nuit et à très bientôt.

So, I finally got my hands on my knives today….ok, it was only so that I could cut up some veg, but hey, I can honestly say that I was absolutely delighted at the end of the session (5 hrs)…..carrots maçédoine (biggish cubes), jardinère (batons), “ciseler” (cut in fine little cubes, whilst leaving the root on) the onions and shallots, “émincer” onions / carrots / peppers / shallots, “tourner” some potatoes….ohh, nothing much and yet everything !

Today was the first day of real action for me with regards to my project of changing career.

Started with a visit to a restaurant in the 6th arrondissement of Paris (not far from St Michel / Montparnasse) called “Le Timbre” which is run by an Englishman called Chris Wright. He didn’t seem in too much of a mood to chat, but it was good to see another Brit (without any formel qualification !) who has made a good go of it (10 yrs in Paris, 3 as a waiter, 1 as restaurant manager, 6 as manager/chef of the 24 seater restaurant “le Timbre”).

Then off to WH Smith (the bastien of all things literary and, more importantly, ENGLISH in Paris) to buy the biography of Gordon Ramsay “Humble Pie”. Read the chapter on his time in France - fascinating stuff, at least for me…..I have to say that I’m a bit starry eyed at the moment when I read this stuff….I know that I’m caught up in a certain “romantic” view of the industry at the moment, but it’s an essential natural mechanism which allows me to get through the initial “integration” period…..maybe a bit like when a couple become Mum & Dad for the 1st time….it’s such a shock to the system that without the “lovey duvvey” feeling when they look at their new child they would be left feeling submerged by all of the shitty, difficult moments (of which there are quite a few during the first few months)…..so, I’m counting on my “romantic” view getting me through one or 2 sticky moments.

Then off to “Chez Léon” which is co-run by a person who “graduated” from our course 18 mths ago and has gone on to set up his own place (with his cousin). I wanted to see if I could work there during the days when I am at school - in other words, during the 3.5 months that I have of theory and practical lessons at school I am not meant to work (I spend the other 3.5 months working in a restaurant - my “stage” as they say here). However, I want to get as much experience as I can, and thus I am looking for a 2nd restaurant where I will be able to work Monday, Friday (8am-2pm) and all day Saturday. Anyway, “CHez Léon” not being open on Saturday’s, I’ve asked my teacher (Mr Charron) to ask at the Zephyr (which isn’t far from where I live) if they’d be interested by such an arrangement. We’ll see.

Then off to the Fongecif to thank Mr Gharbi who helped a great deal with my application for funding - chocolates bought by my wife, it has to be said !

Then off to my 5 hour class - pure veg cutting heaven !

I’ll take this opportunity to show you a picture of us all - me and my collegues who’ll be accompanying me over these next 8 months.

I finally feel as though my training is starting, and not before time !

alors, c’est parti !!!

My funding has been validated and I’ll be starting my course in just over 2 weeks time (8th Oct)…..elated, chuffed,….they will pay a total of 24000€, which ain’t bad.

Now the planning starts, going to top restaurant “Fontaine Gaillon” tomorrow to check it out with my future teacher from the course (M. Charron). Then need to check out a few others, before I decide which one to use for my “work experience” in a Parisian kitchen….this is the fun bit before the hard work.

today was the appeal committee and normally my “adviser” should have contacted me to let me know personally what the outcome was…..but I ain’t got an adviser….I’ve got a “gestionnaire”, a person who just follows the procedure ! Madame Radel…I won’t forget her name in a hurry….let’s just hope that the committee have seen through Radel’s lethargy and give me the funding…..I’m meant to do this, it’s my destiny….but a fu*king administrator might just bollox things up for me.

It’s just dragging on and on and on…..”so here’s to you Mrs Radel….”

Still in the throes of finalising our proposition for the Fongecif (funding of my project), but if this last week has taught me anything it’s that this training is something that I MUST do.

Simply facing the very real prospect of having no funding during 7 months has enabled me to answer my 1st basic question : am I ready to face the drop in income during the training ? Well, I can quite unequivocally say “YES, I am ready” ! I am so mentally geared up, ready and waiting for this training that the prospect of not doing it at all and continuing with my job is simply not possible / unthinkable…..

Stevie sent me “mate, sorry to hear about the funding.. I didn’t know whether to add this into the diary or just post my comments in a personalised message! Any latest?? see you soon.. you can cook for me if you like?! Seriously, though, hope it works out”…..basically my wife spent the day trying to find a way of reducing the length of the training…we’re on the way, but even then it’s not sure that the Appeal Committee will accept.

Whatever happens, I’m doing the training, but just means that I’ll be living off 30% of my salary and paying 5500€ for the pleasure.

But I really feel that this is where I want to go….talked today with my boss about the possibility of working part-time..could be a solution.

Watch this space.

New hope - if I shorten the length of the Cuisine course then there may be a chance….we’ve got to see how to manage to cut off 1 month….I may have to get one of my former restaurants to send me a letter saying that I spent 6 months working in their kitchen….even then it’s not sure that they accept my dossier.

Enfin bon, it ain’t dead, but….

Tuesday morning, Fongecif refuse my funding - “my application would cost too much and there were lots of other people whose need was greater”.

So, the first step and the first knock-back. Time to start negotiating with the Fongecif, and calculating the cost to us as a family if we have to pay for this ourselves……that’s really going to put the pressure on….ain’t what I needed for my project.

Calling the Fongecif at midday….we’ll see.

Finally the d-day is nearly here - tomorrow I’ll be getting the decision from the fongecif (the organisation to which all companies contribute which allows people like me to have their salary paid whilst they follow a long training course). Will they pay 90% of my salary and the training fees for the 7 months of my French Cuisine diploma course ? I’ll find out tomorrow.

For me, this is the start of a whole new chapter - am I cut out to be a chef and then a restaurant owner / chef ? I’m pretty sure that I could make it work….and I am absolutely positive that I will give it my all during the next 12 months.

I’ve been thinking about a restaurant for many years - ever since my ealry days as a waiter in Newcastle, up until a 3 day training course a couple of years ago at the Grégoire Ferrandi school here in Paris. Since then it’s been full on thinking / reading / meeting chefs / planning / preparing the letter of motivation / sorting things out with Capgemini &, of course, cooking.

Tomorrow is all about someone else showing that they believe in me. I believe in me, but this is already going to be a tough trip - I give myself 5 years to have a restaurant (I’ll be 43, Ant 45, the kids 9 & 10) - and I really feel that I need at this early stage a positive external sign.