Fire in the kitchen?

jbayley — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 03:04:00 GMT

My first week has passed and gone. And there is nothing like being yelled at in a language you cant fully grasp. Aside from Spanish beratement, I have been doing fine work at my stage, though everything is not as it appeared five months ago when I agreed to come here.

1- The restaurant has not only changed its name, it lost its Michelin Star, which was a big part of my coming here to slave away. I figured at least I would be around some different avant garde food.

2- This place is totally disorganized, you know why nature has a heirarchy system? because its efficient! There are soooo many fucking interns here that I am a strong hand in a bucket of hands, at times I literally want to LOOK busy.

I cant even just get a list of things to do for the day, at least then I would have some level of responsibility, but no-

and why should they be more efficient? nearly their entire labor force in the kitchen is working for free

3- I was hoping my Spanish would be improving at a better rate- you know when people say that when they were in a foreign country and the language just "clicked" one day. Still waiting for that morning.

The big drama this week was with regards to another restaurant, one of the top 5 in the world. there was a fire and burned the place down. big news all over the culinary world, and especially in my kitchen since some of the interns are to be deployed there after here.

apparently it was an electrical fire, and all their top end equipment was destroyed. Now the crew from there is working in one of our catering kitchens to prepare for their events.

funny thing is I was going to choose to intern there and now most of there interns are being sent home. So I guess I should shut my mouth and be happy where I am at, because I could have been sent away with no work.

This is a great place to be around food, and I want some very Bourdain-ian experiences eating at weird places late night, but this town keeps it quiet most of the week, and I rarely have time to go out anyway when I am working up to 12 hour days.

All in all, I do not enjoy working here, but I do enjoy being here. Being around other people who look at food in a similair way, who like to cook, who can enjoy learning, and being in Europe.

I have a lot more to say about it later when I have my time to write

First Daze

jbayley — Mon, 8 Feb 2010 05:39:00 GMT

The flight to Spain- amazingly underbooked, 85 people on a Boeing 767. The final hour of the flight was a magical scene, sunrise over the Med, bright pink clouds, echoeing light on snowcapped mountains of the Pyrenees, I couldn't sleep through that

Barcelona- my second sister's home for now is an easy transition, anyone who has been there knows that it is easy to get around- Plane lands- taxis to nowhere- bus picks up the 85 passengers- drops us off in the new terminal- baggage check- Airport bus- Plaza Catalunya- L3 to San Gervasi- apartment- bed - sleep

that was my day one

I seem to have problems adjusting to the time difference from the East coast- 6 hours ahead, but I can't get ahead of my jet lag.

My entire goal and purpose here in Spain is to work at a restaurant in San Sebastian for the next three months. In europe this is common, in the US not so. A stage- or a type of internship, basically I end up working for free in the restaurant for 6 days a week, and they give me room/board and a letter at the end to confirm that I worked for them.

I get experience and the association (in this case) to a Michelin Star- they get free labor and my smiley face for the time.

whats the word?

Symbiotic- it is a symbiotic relationship, it is a need filled by both parties

not that I plan to be an indentured servant- I will thoroughly enjoy the ability to work and study food in Europe, and it will be great for my resume.

If you dont know about modern food, or are not keen to European cuisine Spanish food is some of the most relevant and modern of food today. What is going on here is different from many places. And in Spain, one of the hottest spots to cook and eat is San Sebastian. This is where I find myself, and on Tuesday this is where I will find myself cooking

under Michelin Stars

Fire in the kitchen?

First Daze