took five days off of work this week. it was my first time taking any significant time off in a while and i sure needed a recharge.
Pam came in town for the stretch and it was very nice to have her here.
I made dinner for us on thursday, it was the first time she has tasted my cooking. before we reconnected the last time she saw me was my first week of culinary school in 2006.
No pictures but i made a roasted heirloom carrot salad, artesian greens, Persimmon puree, Diced Persimmon
Seared Ribeye with Alligot Potato, Bacon and Garlic braised Kale, glazed carrots, Demi-Glace
She really enjoyed it and it was nice to finally cook for her.
Friday we went shopping during the day, and in the evening went to the Hotel's end of year employee party. We got dressy and partied with my coworkers which was a lot of fun.
Saturday was a pretty lazy day, basically nursing our hangovers, but we made it out for a romantic dinner at a neighborhood italian joint called Caro Mio. Its BYOB and we had a great bottle of Cab and some seriously delicious housemade pastas.
We spent today looking at possible house furnishings as the idea of her moving to Chicago seems to be gaining steam. Its not in stone yet, but she seems down with it. She liked the apartment and neighborhood I live in so i think that calmed some of her fears. I dropped her off at the airport around 6 and am bummed she is gone.
In other news I have made it my goal in 2013 to finally take the move up to Sous Chef, where ever that may take me. I have taken a break from my relaxing hobby of smoking weed until this day arrives. I had set a sort of timetable for the spring to really start looking, trying to nail down a good tasting base to take to my interviews. I hadn't said anything to my bosses as of yet, but things took an unexpected turn on Wednesday morning. My Executive Chef texted me that a friend of his is looking for Sous Chefs for his new venture in Chicago and wondered if I was interested in having my name passed along, which of course I was. I had met this chef before at a charity function so the interview was pretty low key, and I guess my boss gave me a very strong reference. I am doing my tasting tomorrow morning and have a starter, salad, two meat course options, and two fish options all written out and ready to go.
Its a hell of a opportunity, but its going to be interesting if I take the job. It will be a high profile opening in a high profile location, and 700 seats. that's right. 700 fucking seats. The whole place is being built from the ground up and the kitchen will be brand new and state of the art, and have two mirrored lines. The restaurant group has five existing locations and only growing so that is good. The number of seats is scary, but getting comfortable doing high volume again would be nice.
My other general options are to take a spot in another hotel and have to deal with all the union bullshit I see my chefs dealing with every day, which doesn't thrill me at all. Or take a spot in a private restaurant and most likely take a sizable pay cut, also not so thrilling.
So yes, exciting, a little unnerving, and lots of thinking to do. Deep down I really want the job.
Pam came in town for the stretch and it was very nice to have her here.
I made dinner for us on thursday, it was the first time she has tasted my cooking. before we reconnected the last time she saw me was my first week of culinary school in 2006.
No pictures but i made a roasted heirloom carrot salad, artesian greens, Persimmon puree, Diced Persimmon
Seared Ribeye with Alligot Potato, Bacon and Garlic braised Kale, glazed carrots, Demi-Glace
She really enjoyed it and it was nice to finally cook for her.
Friday we went shopping during the day, and in the evening went to the Hotel's end of year employee party. We got dressy and partied with my coworkers which was a lot of fun.
Saturday was a pretty lazy day, basically nursing our hangovers, but we made it out for a romantic dinner at a neighborhood italian joint called Caro Mio. Its BYOB and we had a great bottle of Cab and some seriously delicious housemade pastas.
We spent today looking at possible house furnishings as the idea of her moving to Chicago seems to be gaining steam. Its not in stone yet, but she seems down with it. She liked the apartment and neighborhood I live in so i think that calmed some of her fears. I dropped her off at the airport around 6 and am bummed she is gone.
In other news I have made it my goal in 2013 to finally take the move up to Sous Chef, where ever that may take me. I have taken a break from my relaxing hobby of smoking weed until this day arrives. I had set a sort of timetable for the spring to really start looking, trying to nail down a good tasting base to take to my interviews. I hadn't said anything to my bosses as of yet, but things took an unexpected turn on Wednesday morning. My Executive Chef texted me that a friend of his is looking for Sous Chefs for his new venture in Chicago and wondered if I was interested in having my name passed along, which of course I was. I had met this chef before at a charity function so the interview was pretty low key, and I guess my boss gave me a very strong reference. I am doing my tasting tomorrow morning and have a starter, salad, two meat course options, and two fish options all written out and ready to go.
Its a hell of a opportunity, but its going to be interesting if I take the job. It will be a high profile opening in a high profile location, and 700 seats. that's right. 700 fucking seats. The whole place is being built from the ground up and the kitchen will be brand new and state of the art, and have two mirrored lines. The restaurant group has five existing locations and only growing so that is good. The number of seats is scary, but getting comfortable doing high volume again would be nice.
My other general options are to take a spot in another hotel and have to deal with all the union bullshit I see my chefs dealing with every day, which doesn't thrill me at all. Or take a spot in a private restaurant and most likely take a sizable pay cut, also not so thrilling.
So yes, exciting, a little unnerving, and lots of thinking to do. Deep down I really want the job.