“If you’re not failing, you’re not trying.” – Carla Hall

This week, we cleared another hurdle in class: plating full entrees. All plates include a protein, starch, vegetable, sauce, and garnish. Each one must arrive to Chef on a hot plate (but not too hot), with all ingredients at the appropriate temperature. It’s like Thanksgiving, but with less family drama.

Well, that’s not exactly true. While I’ve been continuously impressed with the overall maturity and focus of this class, things are getting tense in the classroom kitchen. It’s been 13 weeks of intense physical and mental labor, with demanding coursework and long hours. Everything has more of an edge. A few arguments have broken out, and we’ve lost even more students. Starting with 24, we are down to 16 students. Attendance fluctuates as the real world collides with school. While it has been hard to be one of the slower, faltering students, I am lucky to not be studying so intensely during the wild waves of my early 20s (I paid my dues). I feel for the students who are still living at home, navigating familial obligations along with work and school. My path isn’t easy, but neither is theirs. Indeed, one of the most rewarding parts of this experience for me is learning more about the other students. Hearing their stories, why they love to cook, and what brought them to this class is special to me. If our stories are who we are, then, for cooks, our food is the sustaining spirit giving life to those stories.

Speaking of food…

The full plates are difficult. Timing things to be fully cooked at the same time is difficult. Keeping them warm and presenting them at temperature is even more so. Add the requirement of aesthetically pleasing plating and things get extreme. Different techniques help stagger certain foods. Some foods can be held at temp or reheated. I don’t have industry experience, so a lot of this information is new to me. However, being a home cook still prepared me for the juggling required of multiple plans enacted at once.