Week 1: Knife Skills

Wearing the chef uniform for the first time was quite an experience, but following all the instructions in the first 5 hour class was even more challenging. They don't fool around at the school. I hadn't heard so many rules since Air Force basic training, and that was in 1973 when I was 19. Within a short time after receiving the knives we were in the kitchen cutting up carrots into 1/4 x 1/4 x 2 inch planks which were then cut into pieces that were supposed to resemble cubes. While the instructors watched I felt clumsy and uncoordinated cutting up celery and carrots and didn't do a great job. We were told how to hold the new, and very sharp Wustof 8" chef's knife and I learned I had been holding knives wrong all my life. There are 12 students in the class, some young, some not so young, and a couple who may even be middle-aged, but we are all treated the same, even when it comes to clean-up and everyone is scrubbing, cleaning, sweeping, and mopping.

In my everyday job I'm in a leadership role but at the cooking school I am nobody special!

A humbling experience, but I don't regret the decision to go there yet. (Next week is making stock so I may take that statement back.)

I have signed up to work on October 5 from 1-8, Sunday brunch, November 14, 1-8, wine-pairing event, and December 1, from 1-8, Sunday brunch. Details on how to reserve a table can be found at the website: www.csftw.com