where's our student , Steve6969...............................

Steve !!!
oh steve !!!!
where are ya buddy ?
Manny, you heard from Steve 6969 ?

By Snuffaluff (Snuffaluff) on Saturday, October 19, 2002 - 01:19 pm: Edit

definatly, you scared him off w/ all those questions!
I'm going to try and get my friend to stop by here and post. He's in Oregon right now in his 1st semester. I'd love to see him answer your questions.

By Steve9389 (Steve9389) on Wednesday, October 30, 2002 - 11:17 am: Edit

It'll take more than you guys to scare me off. I just came off a weekend with three practicals (rich doughs and baguettes (Breads class), salads (garde manger), and soup midterm (Soups and Sauces); two papers and three written tests. My brain's just been a little jumbled of late, but at least I aced them all.

Question for you guys. My biggest concern with the education I'm receiving is that it's light in the production area. Unless I grab the bull by the horns and do it by myself, I won't work in a production kitchen until my externship my last semester, and I really want more real-world time than that before I graduate. What do you think the best environments are for me to get what I'm looking for (big hotel, smaller independent, catering, etc.), and what's the best way to approach the chef? BTW, as of now, I want to work in restaurants and eventually have my own (just in case you temporarily thought I wasn't nuts).

Thanks,
-Steve

P.S. If my name really was Steve6969 I'd be a much happier guy.

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Wednesday, October 30, 2002 - 11:34 am: Edit

You are correct in expressing concern for lack of production in most schools; J & W in particular makes me laugh when the students spend 9 days in the kitchen in each section in the kitchen and the students think they will be Chefs after 9 days of soups, 9 days of meat fabrication and so on...!
Get a job, even if it's not paying much but, go to the best places and work with the best people available in your area. If you have to work for free so they see your interest, do it!!!! They may wind up hiring you if you are descent.
Go work in different types of establishments, such as French, country clubs, hotels, Italian, Contemporary American, In-flight kitchens, R & D, always get NEW knowledge, as soon as everything becomes routine in one place, it's time to move on!!!!!
This will also help you decide what end of the business you like best.
That's how you really learn the practical aspect of the kitchen, in class you will learn theory and, as many of the Chefs here will tell you, alot of the stuff in the books has to be adjusted, corrected or avoided at times.
The basics are the basics and you will always use that everywhere you go.
Good Luck

By Steve9389 (Steve9389) on Wednesday, October 30, 2002 - 12:15 pm: Edit

Thanks, Manny. Now for the question I forgot, and the one that throws a monkey wrench into the whole thing.

Since I'm a relatively old fart with a wife, kids and mortgage, I have to continue my day job until I'm ready to do this full time. Since I work at home I'm relatively flexible, but I have class on weekends and occasionally have to travel for business. Will chefs be flexible in letting me work in their kitchens (I'm prepared to do it for free for now) if I have occasional scheduling issues?

-Steve

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Thursday, October 31, 2002 - 06:58 pm: Edit

Ask!! It depends on the Chef.

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Saturday, November 02, 2002 - 11:10 pm: Edit

steve,
why juggle all your balls all at once?
stay in class, and continue to work.
when your almost out of school, then look around at what there is to go for.
many things have a way of catching up to you!!!!
when the time is right, get a job in a hotel.
even for low pay.
you want to learn production?...learn from people who do it everyday, 7 days.
thats a hotel, and if you can learn from a German
Chef, cause those guys have production down to an art form.
just my 0.06.