Barista Barista

I'm a barista now ! Yesterday and today are my official training days. My job is to prepare salads, drinks - in a BYOW establishment, I'm limited to coffee and San Pelegrino - prepare the (industrially-made-and-chemical-tasting) desserts and heat the bread buns (i.e. pizza dough rolled into buns). Yesterday was a quiet day, and I had the lunch shift. I made an astounding 3 CAN$ in tips (woo hoo). Today will be busier, as we have a lot of lunch reservations.

The hardest part of the job is honestly the army of superiors hovering around and taking notes. I feel like a science experiment.

Haven't blogged for a while - stuff is brewing, pardon the kitchen pun.

Will post news when they arrive...

Coup de théâtre !

Yesterday, I was headed to work determined and ready to announce that I would no longer be working in the kitchen. I was fed up (pardon the pun) with the schoolyard attitude of the cooks. I mean, I get why they would be irritated at someone with no experience coming in and doing the same work as them for the same pay. I would be angry too. But the tricky - and mature - way to deal with a situation like this is, in my opinion, to take the high road and not take it out on your colleague who is just there to make a living. I had had enough, and I was even ready to work part-time if no other shifts were available in front-of-house. I got to work, all dolled up in my black outfit and orange tie, and the head of service (they're all heads-of-something, actually, it's hard to know who exactly by boss is 'cause they kind of all are) tells me "Um, we've decided to take you out of the kitchen / you'll still be host on week-ends / your barista training starts next week".

I was insulted. That's like wanting to break up with something, only to have them break up with you first. I was happy, but still I felt worried that this was somehow my fault, that I had done something wrong. I couldn't let this go thinking that maybe that kitchen staff had complained about my performance. So I asked the heads of service and kitchen and they assured me that I had done nothing wrong and no one had expressed any bad comment on my part. I don't believe them, but who cares really.

So I then got my official host training, even a demonstration of how to carry 8 (empty) glasses in one hand. And I worked with another maître-d', another frenchie. I get that I'm not as fluid as they are (yet), but I can't help but feel that they're a little condescending. Maybe it's my ego, but I really don't take criticism well nowadays.

So I'll remain full-time, only now I'll enjoy two days off instead of one. They were offering me Mondays and Wednesdays off, but I stood my ground and asked for Sunday and Monday. Which they accepted. Thankfully.

They announced that "major changes are coming" and that "the rotten apples will be eliminated". Very dramatic, but hey, that's the way frenchies speak. Heads will be rolling for next few weeks, and since I'm still very much a newbie, I don't know about the inside politics, the inner clics and basically who the rotten apples are. Not knowing who trust is the worst. I hope R is staying. He actually likes me.

This new schedule of mine is starting to take its toll. I'm exhausted. I'd much rather work a full 40-hour week in 4 days than have it spread across 6 days. I can't plan anything, I don't get to see my boyfriend, let alone take my dog for a long evening walk before bed. Meals are a problem also : technically I get a free meal per work shift, but for some reason I have to take advantage of this, well, advantage. The free meal is conditional to a minimum of 5 consecutive hours worked, but on any given shift, after 5 hours I'm knee-deep in my duties. And after work, the last I want is to stay at the "office" and eat alone. So I eat when I get home. But what to eat at midnight? Toast. What do I eat when I get up? Toast. And maybe an egg. Like my mother said when she was working nights as a nurse, "I'm always having breakfast".

But this new job is also affecting me emotionally. And it's not just my being tired that's getting me down and seeing black. People at work are tough. Competitive. The pay is depressing. No benefits. Jesus Christ, I'm 34 years old and making just above minimum wage ! Last year, when I was a designer, I was making more than twice what I'm making now. And travelling. (Going to Toronto and Ottawa DOES qualify as travelling, I've decided.) Sure I was alone most of the time, and I was under some stress, but who isn't?

What's even more depressing, and troubling, is that out of the thirty or so résumés that I sent out, this restaurant is the only call-back I got. The only interview I got. And I applied for designer positions, retail jobs, The Home Depot. Nothing. I can't even get into The Home fucking Depot ?!!

Right now, I'm seeing my present and future as bleak. Not quite as much as when I learned three weeks ago that I would no longer be receiving unemployment insurance, but still, my self esteem is pretty low. I've alienated my friends, my family and potential employers. My boyfriend is spending a lot more time with his friends - I don't blame him. Even my dog stays away.

Yep, I'm pretty negative. I'm allowing myself a fifteen minute pity-party per day. Okay, per week.

I've screwed up.

Yesterday was by far the most difficult day so far.

Not only do people resent me in the kitchen, but my arrival at front-of-house duties wasn't met with balloons and a marching band either. The maître-d' wasn't even aware that my position existed and I suspect he thought he was being replaced. By a neophyte, no less. Fifteen minutes into my shift and I was sweating profusely. It was rather humiliating, but eventually he (R) warmed up and actually told me I was an integral part of the team. The servers started speaking to me once I stepped up and helped them out, qhich is, after all, part of my job. Basically my job as host consists of handling reservations, answering the phone, and juggling walk-ins and reserved tables. I actually gambled a little too hard and had eight people waiting to be seated. R seemed pissed at me, but I stayed calm and things turned out well. Once everyone was seated though and reserved tables were filled, I basically became a busboy in a tie. Every task makes me smarter. Every task makes me smarter...

Oh, and there was the computer glitch with the group of 20 babyboomers. Correction, drunk babyboomers. Their orders had not reached the kitchen, so they waited more than 90 minutes to be served. The chef and kitchen staff were really irritated and so prepared orders for people who had arrived WAY after the group. People started yelling at us. One gentleman, after downing a few glasses of wine even WALKED INTO THE KITCHEN to confront the chef who, incidently looks like a biker. After that I guess the digruntled patron decided that a svelter, more "delicate" employee would be easier to intimidate so naturally he came to me. The complaints and incessive sighing, I can handle. The chest poking was hard to take, though. He eventually calmes down and I think left pennies to his server as tip.

Anyway, I punched out at midnight, got a ride from a server-girl home at 1 am. Exhausted.

My back is still killing me, but I'm thankful for Motrin.

Dramaaaaa !

Yesterday was my first dinner shift. Very interesting indeed... First of all I'll say that I much preferred the energy of an evening rush to that of a lunchtime shift. The anticipation of the rush of a full house and the fébrilité of the chefs reminded me a lot of my days working in the theatre on opening night. Except there's a lot more drama in a kitchen that in a theater, that is certain.

Let's start with the cook who totally dissed me : he was talking to another cook in front of me as I was changing, and he seemed quite unhappy with his employers for some reason. He said, among other things that management was basically a bunch of idiots because they "keep hiring people with no fucking experience and giving them the decent hours". I stayed silent, but when he left things got awkward. You know sometimes when you try to get out of someone's way but you just keep getting even more in the way, well that happened. And he just got even more irritated with me. Oh well, there is nothing I can do about him now except leave him be. You know, he should just suck it up because I have the strange feeling that I will one day get his resumé on my desk and will have a decision to make. Hmmm.

Next strange occurance was the fight thta nearly broke out between servers. In the kitchen, no less. Nothing to blog home about, just a clashing of egos, a broken wine glass and one pissed-off gay man. The other guy seemed to be flirting with me later one, but I think he got his feelings hurt and was looking for a sliver lining to his evening of humiliation. Oh, and later on when I left, he was arguning with the maître d' about an order that was placed too late and pissed off the kitchen staff. Except me, cause I was sent home, but just out of solidarity, I'll say I was pissed off.

Tonight I start work as host. And a severe back ache has me walking like Quasimodo. I'm pretty high on Motrin, and I hope to make it. I don't know what to expect tonight. Wish me luck !

Ego Salad Sandwich

My performance in the kitchen is improving. At least I think so. Lunch yesterday was busy, and I really feel I stepped up. We had two "newbies" with us. Actually, both are trained cooks and one actually works at another branch and was transferred to ours. Things got awkward when they learned that I have no experience whatsoever. I didn't help matters when I "corrected" one of them who had made a horrible-looking salad. Anyway, they hardly spoke to me all day long, almost ignoring me when I finished work and bade them a good evening. I've been warned that the restaurant business if full of egos : the kitchen staff, servers, sommeliers. After having been all my life watching from afar, I now have a front row seat at this business that is truly tough.

I'm working evenings till the end of the week. Tonight is my first dinner shift in the kitchen, and tomorrow will be my first night as host. Actually it will be a first for the restaurant as the host position is one that they - we- are creating. My job, as i understand it, will be to greet patrons upon arrival and man the reservations. I just don't know if I'll be replacing or working the maître-d'. I know that my attire will be different from the servers' : I get to wear all black and a tie of my choosing. I'm thinking black so as to not draw too much attention to myself.

Rose is coming to Montreal !!!

I am hype-ventilating ! Not only did Rose Levy Beranbaum (baking rock star) reply to my post on her blog (she actually wrote my name !!), but in it she confirmed to ME that she's coming to Montreal on October 24th to do a demo & book signing. I actually yelped as I was reading this. I immediately called the venue to reserve my place. I quickly understood that the event hadn't been officially announced when the owner of the place asked me "Um, where did you get this information exactly?". I proudly and simply (and almost boastfully) replied "From Rose herself". Ha!

Grease is the word

Yesterday was day two. Exhausting.

Not really because of it being super busy, but just standing all day on a hard tiled floor. It is also so slippery that there is a constant tension in your legs from trying not to slip and fall.

It was an interesting day, though. There's the breakfast menu that I had to learn - not too complicated, there's only about 6 items on it.

But Saturday is also "Clean the deep-fryers day". Loads of greasy fun. But I won't complain too much, seeing as I'm not to work the kitchen on Saturdays anymore. My end-of-week shifts will be front of house as host. I'm glad I got to do less glamorous tasks (such as cleaning the fryers) because I now have a greater appreciation for the person who gets to do it every Saturday.

Another task was to make fries : literally cut potates into fries and soak them. Don't worry,we don't peel and cut by hand, there's an aparatus. Then take the previously soaked potatoes and blanch them for 2-3 minutes in the fryer and then refrigerate them. I'm thinking most of these fries will have been eaten last night during the dinner shift.

Hope the customers (and chefs) were happy with the fries because B told me when I got home that when he worked in a kitchen, blanching the fries was a very important thing that could seriously affect the quality of the fry. I'll be sure to inquire tomorrow.

Today is my only day off. Tomorrow I start at 7am.

When you haven't gone to work in a while, this is quite a challenge.

Note to self, buy multivitamins.

Intro

Just on the heels of the movie Julia & Julia, I expect many people will be starting blogs and wanting to become cooks, chefs, and food writers thinking "If Julia Child became a chef after 40, so can I" or "I'll start writing a blog, and then get it made into a book /movie ".

I'm not one of those people - just like I wasn't one those people ordering a Cosmo in 2001 when Sex and the City was on, even though I loved both.

However, I am 34, and I do want to become a chef and food writer, and I have no professional experience in either. But for record, and in my defense, I had these goals way before the movie ever came out. Just ask my therapist.

Now, just to "set the table" so to speak, know that I am an interior designer, and I haven't worked in a year. Partly due to the economic crisis, partly due to the fact that I took time off to re-think my professional goals and aspirations. I've always loved cooking, baking, and eating, and I was always envious of people who actually had a passion for their jobs. People who enjoyed going to work each morning, braving the monotony and the same old faces day after day for years. My record at the sme job is two years. And generally after a year, I get bored.

I had always figured these people's motivations were Prozac-induced, but then I thought that maybe the problem was... me ! Maybe I could be like these people if only I did what I loved.

Well, good luck finding a good paying job in the restaurant business without experience. I approached caterers, restaurants, kitchen supply stores - nothing. Except for one. A French-bistro-type chain place not too far from my apartment who were willing to give me a shot and who appeared to be sympathic to my cause.

I was hired on the spot.

Seeing as I want to learn all that I possibly can about the restaurant business in an extremely short period of time, I am filling two positions : chef's assistant and host.

I started yesterday in the kitchen.

It was... greasy. And slippery (have to wear better shoes). But it was fun. At one point I was chopping parsley and I thought to myself I'm actually getting paid to do this? I actually got to meet the grand owner who knew my name !

Today is day two, again in the kitchen. Breakfast shift.