Pride

Perhaps it isn't quite how I saw my future, but it is a job and it will pay the rent. I  start on Monday as an all day breakfast chef in a small diner in the city.  My pride took a hit,  but the fact that the cupboards are empty in my flat made me remember that pride isn't as important as sausages when you are hungry.

Not Done Yet

I refuse to give up. I refuse to be unemployed. I am the best at what I want to be.

Crestfallen

Sometimes in life we fail to recognise the simple things in life we all take for granted. My job for instance. Long hours, stressful, tiring, hot and extremely draining on the body. A sixteen hour shift followed by 5 precious hours of sleep has been telling to say the least. Not anymore. On Friday we are to be released from our trial period as trainee chefs. No severence pay, no valid reasons other than the old excuse of "too many overheads". Yeah, that old chestnut again. I now face long term unemployment, unpaid rent, and even worse, low self esteem as I join the jobless in broken Britain. I am trying so very hard to keep smiling but right now my world feels broken.

Know How Currys

My boss is a great chef but his curry  on the menu today was not authenticate enough to be classed as real Bombay delight. And i was concerned that my angel delight was not heavenly enough! 

PR Disaster

It took me an age to demonstrate my chalkboard skills and italic finesse this morning. Sadly by midday the horrid weather had wiped the slate clean quicker than a bookie at the dog track. On a lighter note it's good to see that my chicken stock was finally praised by the chef and actually made him raise a smile.

Wake Up Call

Turns out that the panic attack I suffered halfway into a 14 hour shift yesterday is due to an ingredient that does not agree with me. Coffee. Jittery and with a pounding head and upset stomach, it has been explained that 11 shots of espresso in a short period of time will no longer be an option. At least the head chef was sympathetic and let me go home 15 minutes early tonight. Mind you, I have to make it up tomorrow. Go figure. At least he liked my gravy!

Cranky Chefs

I kinda thought that catering college would prepare me for anything. It seems not. Last night my vegetable preparation was compared to something you might find in the trash after the gravy has been extracted.Try as I might I can't seem to please the head chef with much of late. My dad says I need to grow a pair of balls and stand up for myself. It is not like that in a kitchen though. At least my skill with keeping quiet has kept me in a job longer than some. I need a mentor. I need someone who will explain things and have patience instead of anger. How will I cope when the pressure is really on, I guess I will have to wait and see.

Cranky Customers

My eggs are cold!

Stop nagging your poor husband and eat your chow for chrissakes. I saw and heard you!

My food tastes better at home

Stay at home and eat you miserable crud!

Good Honest Food

The common misconception is that all chefs are portly and jolly, they eat well and taste much during the cooking aspect of our routine in the kitchens. Simply not true. I have just completed a 16 hour shift slaving over a zillion different awesome dishes yet am famished with hunger beacuse I simply have not had time to take a regular meal break. So as soon as my feet have rested after such a long day I shall be making grilled cheese topped with a delicious fat pickle. Good honest food easy to make for a weary trainee chef.

Go ahead punk, make my grilled cheese.

Toodle-pip.