The Night Shift, etc.

Working nights makes me tired.
The swirl of the past two weeks has been more than pen-worthy. The question becomes, which subject to cover first? Last? At all? In some way the externship has become a job; that is, mundane. So the writing becomes equally so, it seems. But surely there are nuggets worthy of sharing. I know; I'll revert to my past. Here's a bulleted list of observations, talking points.
- The family and I went to dinner at the Four Seasons a week ago Sunday. I'll reserve my review until after the externship.
- No one has ever made a pair of dorky high-water working pants look as cool as the Italian sous chef with whom I work.
- There is a very prominent Italian curse word whose translation is wildly divergent depending on whom you talk to. I'm researching it further.
- One cook (I'll call him Dee) is the kind who puts doubt in ones own abilities. He's probably 25, extremely talented (and knows it), and bored at his position. Again, I have no doubt I'm doing the right thing. But he embodies the amount of work that remains if I ever want to be prominent in the restaurant biz (which I'm not even sure I want).
- Perhaps the most appealing thing about the culinary workplace is its incessant good nature (compared to the comparatively glum white collar environment). There are only a couple occasions thus far when I've experienced genuine anger. And recovery periods are short; the grab-assing starts fresh quickly.
- Diversity. The (over)use of no other word makes my eyes roll more than that one with lazy connotations of some highly unappealing color-blind utopia. The kitchen is home to some quite genuine ethnic diversity. College freshmen should be forced to work as dishwashers in order to experience the reality of it. There is no color-blindness (mercifully): Asians are asked about Asian food because they are...Asian. I made ravioli with a Korean who educated me about Korean dumplings. Many of the best cooks of Italian food are...Mexican, and they talk about it proudly. The banquet chef is Hawaiian of Chinese extraction. The pantry guy is from Hong Kong. A pastry cook is extremely gay. The women don't take any crap from the men. I'm the old gringo who speaks reasonable Spanish. The same holds true among my classmates. There's no ridiculous shame in any of this for which I am very grateful.

Now I need a nap. This schedule is rough.

A New Gig

Externships are not jobs. But this certainly feels like one.
The Four Seasons called last Friday to say I was welcome to contribute my free labor for three weeks in exchange for an unparalleled learning opportunity. I agreed. And so I began on Monday morning by blistering my fingers on molten honey, and making a the soup of the day (broccoli & smoked mozzarella). But that was two days ago. Today I worked the pizza station, helped plate salads for some lawyers (quite satisfying to walk in their conference room thinking, "this used to be me...just not at the Four Seasons"), and made yet two more soups for the boss, Chef T. So the laundry list of stuff I do is much longer now that it was as school; thus, no need to bore. But as I was cleaning up today I realized one thing: it's really not that hard. I say that because the cook I assisted got his ass kicked today. And yet, after a mere 10 weeks of similar training, I was able not only to step in and help but keep up reasonably well.
Now, not for a minute would I suggest being equal to that cook. Far from it. But overall, whereas I was nervous about this job, this career some weeks ago, I'm not so much any more.
There's more to write on the subject but I need a shower and a shave (the executive chef scolded me today for having a couple days growth).

Drug testing

The Four Seasons called today to say, essentially - stop calling. I've been pestering the HR woman about whether they'd gotten the results of my Monday drug test. No.
The whole issue is humorous; drugs have little appeal to me, so the issue is moot. But the culinary field is loaded with burners (plenty of my classmates are drug parolees), so I understand the issue. But it's delaying the start of my externship, so I'm antsy. Shouldn't they be able to turn around those results in 72 hours?

An Interesting Week

The dog days of school began last Monday: another day of doing the same prep work; the crowded, loud kitchen; the droning ranchero music. I was bored, and the cooking had become a chore. Worse yet, I was placed in a group assigned to complete a non-cooking project. Since Wednesday we've been arguing about what to put on the menu. The details are too greusome, so forget it.
Then I called the Four Seasons. An interview was arranged at the last minute on Friday. And that was it. My externship begins on Tuesday, pending a passed drug test (they waived the background check, luckily). It's very good news, not just because it will be good experience, but because it'll get me out of my current kitchen, and out of project hell.
Then on Saturday I made my first money cooking. It was very little - a tip, really - for helping cater and serve an event in the restaurant. But I loved it. The people really enjoyed the food (which I thought was just OK - a common phenomenon among cooks, I've heard) and that made this whole experience worthwhile. It's why I know this is the right thing for me.
More to come for certain. The stories are inevitable.

Four Seasons?

The rumors swirling in the past week are apparently true: the chef instructors seem to have arranged for me to do a two-week externship at the Four Seasons Silicon Valley in the next few weeks. My mentor and I toured the kitchen on Thursday and saw lots of stuff like this: an entirely different standard. Another meeting, this time with the Executive Chef, and I'm apparently in. Not something I would've expected just a few months ago. This will be my eighth week of culinary school, and already I'm slated to work in what is a highly respected kitchen, and one that is known for big talent, but tempered egos, unlike what one reads about in popular kitchen-centered exposes.
Nerve wracking and somewhat overwhelming; but I have no complaints (to say the least).
It does bring to mind the not unwelcome question: what's next? I love what I'm doing, and will miss some of my colleagues a great deal when the program is over. But the goal (obviously) is to find work, and I look forward to it. What will it be? Four Seasons? Corporate catering? Personal chef assistant? Regardless, I'm more confident than I've ever been in my career that it will work out as I choose; not a bad position to be in.