Ok, wow. This was a packed day. Basically we got some history of the Cordon Bleu, what a kitchen brigade is, more details on what the class is (that is culinary foundations), certain knife cuts, and real practice using our knives. It doesn't sound like much but trust me, it was.
While the sheer amount of knowledge is intimidating the knife practice actually got me nervous to point I stopped feeling my legs. Now, I wasn't having a stroke, it was nerves from wanting something so bad and being worried about failing. Thankfully I was told I largely did fine but should work on even-ing out my cuts some. (Lesser post because I really need to catch up on some reading, the kids do a good job of preventing me from reading when they see me)
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Monday, January 7, 2013
First day
To start the day we had near hour long discussion on the uniform. Now, don't take that as a thing showing the uniform is all that complicated. Honestly our instructor went off on a tangent or few, all related, all good. Some people came in prepared with their cravats tied up well while others well just unable to catch on to how to do so in their spare time. The instructor made sure to show people a time saving method (though I prefer the one with more folds). Generally the first day is all about Food Safety and Sanitation, which makes sense that if you intend to serve people that this should be the first thing you are aware of.
The meat of this so far is focused on learning from the homework. Those that think that learning culinary or baking would be all flambes or knife skills would be mistaken. There will be math, homework and exams! I've yet to complete the homework (Reading Chapters 1 & 2 and do the assessments from the NEHA book) but the reading is fairly substantial. Mind you, I take comprehensive notes so it is more than likely that each chapter takes awhile because I'm trying to make sure I take the information in effectively.
So the day is absolutely packed but not so much from the classroom.
The meat of this so far is focused on learning from the homework. Those that think that learning culinary or baking would be all flambes or knife skills would be mistaken. There will be math, homework and exams! I've yet to complete the homework (Reading Chapters 1 & 2 and do the assessments from the NEHA book) but the reading is fairly substantial. Mind you, I take comprehensive notes so it is more than likely that each chapter takes awhile because I'm trying to make sure I take the information in effectively.
So the day is absolutely packed but not so much from the classroom.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Term begins tomorrow!
This a sort of long introduction so let's get this out of the way. What this blog is is a peek into the (hopefully) daily experiences I have learning the culinary arts at Le Cordon Bleu. I'll talk about what I learn during the day, perhaps how something is different than how I learned in the past, and in general the day-today schooling which might give people a taste of how the school goes! That mileage will vary depending, naturally, on school work load. With the exception of some occasional pictures and this introduction there will be a mostly lack of personal features as I will focus on just the schooling itself (with minor exceptions).
My name is John and I've been in love with cooking so long as I remember. It sort of began a long time ago when I a friends mom and my mother cooked the same meal after the other. Since then I held an interest in learning what could from my mother which mostly lent to learn her cultural cooking. Time passed and despite cooking being my love as it were I never pursued it the way I wanted due to never feeling I had the time or becoming complacent in my life. After having my children all that changed. My wife and I realized that we wanted to provide better for them. After some discussion my wife and decided to become involved in our dream fields. As she's going to University of Washington to study Social Work and I'm now enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu. By pursuing our dreams we're hoping this will be able to influence our children to do the same for themselves. With luck they won't wait as long as we have to figure things out.
Why Le Cordon Bleu? There must be cheaper ways to go about it right? Maybe just get a job at a restaurant and learn classically? There's all sort of things that go in to in but here's a few reasons I chose.
Le Cordon Bleu is internationally recognized. This matters to me because I do not intend to stay in the United States forever. By learning and, ideally, graduating from a worldwide known school I believe that it can afford me a certain understanding of skills I would have. As fine as my local community or technical college may be not everyone is going to know the name of the school and the renown with it. To make a minor example if I were to wish to attain a position at a European hotel and I say attended the Culinary Institute of America. They might well look at me not being certain what the school is or even doubt the skills I may well know. Now, by no means is the CIA bad. It just comes with less being known all over. Were I to to say I attended the Le Cordon Bleu I would assume that the name alone comes with a fair bit of knowledge that tells a person that I attended a known school and must be well versed. Perhaps I may lack some skills or kitchen hours that another school may be able to provide but I believe the name is important. A sort of it's not what you know but who kind of factor, if you will. In regards to the price, yeah, it's pricey and I'm not a person of means. This is just of of those times that you just do what you got to do to do what you love.
Why don't I just get a restaurant position and learn on the job? This is a thought that has crossed my mind but this is one of those chicken and the egg situations that lead me to this. While looking at restaurant positions I found that a common feature was either have an education or years of line cook experience. No positions seemed offered for the entry level cook even at local unknown joints. With being unable to find a place to accommodate my lack of real kitchen experience I naturally felt the need to look into education. Many cooks I know at this points in time seem to hit a glass ceiling at how they can progress in their careers unless they get a degree anyways. So naturally the thought process goes that I can't get in without education or years of experience and even if I get in I may well need to get an education anyways to progress in my career the way I'd like. So why not start by getting that degree and going from there?
What do I want do with this overall? Many people want to start a business but I wouldn't say it's that simple for me. Like I said I love cooking and I love food. So I want to learn as much as possible. I want to learn food history, theory, and application. On a deeper level (that I will get into as soon as possible) I want to help the homeless with the skills I learn. I even began planning out a dream restaurant wherein I'd work with the homeless and at-risk youth to assist with housing and training. This was until I learned of Farestart in Seattle who does that exact thing. So my main goal for the time being I'd say would be to become involved with them after I get my education and until them get some position(s) that appreciates and fosters creativity, develops and applies a variety of skills, and can apply teaching and learning from all sources.
I spent some time recent deleting various forms of social media that may have been a distraction and here I am beginning a blog! I'm hoping this can help those who have yet to make a decision of how start a restaurant career or education. My first day begins tomorrow so we'll see how well I can keep up! At any rate thanks for reading!
My name is John and I've been in love with cooking so long as I remember. It sort of began a long time ago when I a friends mom and my mother cooked the same meal after the other. Since then I held an interest in learning what could from my mother which mostly lent to learn her cultural cooking. Time passed and despite cooking being my love as it were I never pursued it the way I wanted due to never feeling I had the time or becoming complacent in my life. After having my children all that changed. My wife and I realized that we wanted to provide better for them. After some discussion my wife and decided to become involved in our dream fields. As she's going to University of Washington to study Social Work and I'm now enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu. By pursuing our dreams we're hoping this will be able to influence our children to do the same for themselves. With luck they won't wait as long as we have to figure things out.
Why Le Cordon Bleu? There must be cheaper ways to go about it right? Maybe just get a job at a restaurant and learn classically? There's all sort of things that go in to in but here's a few reasons I chose.
Le Cordon Bleu is internationally recognized. This matters to me because I do not intend to stay in the United States forever. By learning and, ideally, graduating from a worldwide known school I believe that it can afford me a certain understanding of skills I would have. As fine as my local community or technical college may be not everyone is going to know the name of the school and the renown with it. To make a minor example if I were to wish to attain a position at a European hotel and I say attended the Culinary Institute of America. They might well look at me not being certain what the school is or even doubt the skills I may well know. Now, by no means is the CIA bad. It just comes with less being known all over. Were I to to say I attended the Le Cordon Bleu I would assume that the name alone comes with a fair bit of knowledge that tells a person that I attended a known school and must be well versed. Perhaps I may lack some skills or kitchen hours that another school may be able to provide but I believe the name is important. A sort of it's not what you know but who kind of factor, if you will. In regards to the price, yeah, it's pricey and I'm not a person of means. This is just of of those times that you just do what you got to do to do what you love.
Why don't I just get a restaurant position and learn on the job? This is a thought that has crossed my mind but this is one of those chicken and the egg situations that lead me to this. While looking at restaurant positions I found that a common feature was either have an education or years of line cook experience. No positions seemed offered for the entry level cook even at local unknown joints. With being unable to find a place to accommodate my lack of real kitchen experience I naturally felt the need to look into education. Many cooks I know at this points in time seem to hit a glass ceiling at how they can progress in their careers unless they get a degree anyways. So naturally the thought process goes that I can't get in without education or years of experience and even if I get in I may well need to get an education anyways to progress in my career the way I'd like. So why not start by getting that degree and going from there?
What do I want do with this overall? Many people want to start a business but I wouldn't say it's that simple for me. Like I said I love cooking and I love food. So I want to learn as much as possible. I want to learn food history, theory, and application. On a deeper level (that I will get into as soon as possible) I want to help the homeless with the skills I learn. I even began planning out a dream restaurant wherein I'd work with the homeless and at-risk youth to assist with housing and training. This was until I learned of Farestart in Seattle who does that exact thing. So my main goal for the time being I'd say would be to become involved with them after I get my education and until them get some position(s) that appreciates and fosters creativity, develops and applies a variety of skills, and can apply teaching and learning from all sources.
I spent some time recent deleting various forms of social media that may have been a distraction and here I am beginning a blog! I'm hoping this can help those who have yet to make a decision of how start a restaurant career or education. My first day begins tomorrow so we'll see how well I can keep up! At any rate thanks for reading!
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