Friday 04-03-11 to Saturday 05-03-11, Working Weekend

Friday 04-03-11 to Saturday 05-03-11
working weekend
Main Kitchen
On Friday, I had a split shift. I started work at 7:30 in the morning. First on the day’s task list, was mise on place for the main kitchen.  I was tasked to ensure all the food was ready for the meat lover’s feast that night. We had a venison potjie, a beef curry, roast beef roll, pork sausages, pork rashers and pork ribs. As well as chilli chicken and BBQ chicken and roast vegetables. The Boma area where the meat lover’s feast is held was cleaned up and set up with the steel tables and fire wood, and the flat top we use to cook and keep the food warm was cleaned and sanitized. I worked until about 13:30, ensuring all orders were done in my section and ensuring the 1^st year students were doing their work. I went on split shortly after 13:30 and returned at 16:30.

Chef William and I lit the fire by the Boma and ensured all the equipment for the meat lover’s feast was ready. Basting spoons, salad spoons, tongs, the baine Maries and chopping board and knife were ready for the evening. We started heating up the food, and made sure the 1^st years knew what was required of them during the evening.

The buffet started around 7 when the first guests arrived, where Kieron and Zamiane were standing behind the flat top and braai area with me. During the evening, I had a chance to coach both Zamiane and Kieron in carving the beef roll and talking to guests and informing them on the menu for the evening. I gave them tips on how to talk to guests for the first time if they were nervous, and tried keeping them calm. It hit me hard that night, being a manager is harder than people think it is. You do your own work, as well as ensuring the learners working with you are capable of doing the tasks effectively and efficiently.   To be able to pass on some of the knowledge I’ve gained while working here on Sondela, was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever felt. Watching how excited both 1^st year professional chef’s looked when they accomplished something made me feel just as happy. I felt like I succeeded too. This feeling of success along with my passion for the culinary arts and serving people made my week.
 

Zamiane Frying Pork Sausages 

Kieron Carving on the Brown Chopping board at the meat lovers feast

Saturday, 5 March 2011

There was a wildlife centre breakfast this morning, but I wasn’t sure if anyone else was going to be arriving at 7 in the morning, so I decided to come in early to get started on the hot food. It was only the scrambled egg and bacon that needed to be completed today. After the breakfast was sent out with the usual confusion and mayhem that usually follows with a wildlife centre breakfast, we finished off the mise on place for the day ahead. Shortly after we finished all the Mise on Place, I was informed by Chef William that I was to do a cooking demonstration. Without him, but instead rather with Chef Natalie and Kieron. This was to be their first cooking demonstrations and my first one as a main speaker and not the assistant. During the Demonstration we told the guests about the spices we use, the Health and safety aspects we follow, and the reasons for the P.E chopping boards and chemicals. The food we prepared turned out really nice, we made a chicken stir fry which we deglazed with a red wine ( I only realised after I used the red wine that I wanted to use the semi sweet instead), and some cream to thicken the sauce. I prepared flat bread with some biltong and spices in it. The spices used for the demonstration was salt, ground white pepper, paprika, mixed royal herbs, beef stock, chicken stock and mild curry powder. We also made a savoury pancake and 2 types of sweet pancakes for the guests as a started and dessert. The savoury pancake had mince, chutney and icing sugar. And the sweet pancakes had caramel treat and icing sugar, and the other was an apple in red wine sauce and caramel treat. I also prepared some spiced fillet for the guests and demonstrated knife skills and how to test how the meat is cooked to.

After the cooking demonstration, we cleaned up and carried on with the normal main kitchen orders and work. Preparing for the Sunday lunch and for the bring and braai that evening. I worked straight through lunch as this is usually the busiest time of the day, and it was too quiet for me during the morning (I needed some action!). I continued to work the normal shift, but instead of leaving at half 3, I stayed behind to continue to work and finish off the Biltong Salad for the St. Mary people at the caravan park. I worked with Kieran and Lorinda till 5. There was an order for a pizza towards the end of the day; Lorinda had never made a pizza here at Sondela yet. So I decided it was time to show her as the cold kitchen section was very quiet and she didn’t have any other orders or work to do. The order was a standard pizza, margherita, salami, olives, ham and avocado whip and mozzarella cheese. While putting the pizza into the oven, the one pizza oven door opened and pushed my hand onto the other open door. I got a small burn, but I used it as a learning curb towards Lorinda to show that even if you pay attention and focus on your work, accidents do happen and you mustn’t let it put you down. It’s not as sore as it looks. Even though I got hurt, I still had the satisfaction of watching Lorinda do her own pizza when a plain margherita came in and she completed it by herself.


Even though I’m there to assist coaching the 1^st years, they are teaching me allot too. For example, I was never able to manage anyone else, now I can. I hope I can teach them more, and I hope to gain more experiences from teaching them, and I hope to learn more from Chef Errol and Chef Edward.