Meat and Sauces
This week the students returned from their week off to the subject of meat, stock and sauces. The Head Chef and Head Teacher Rune started the week focusing more on the actual food they were making rather than going over old lessons. Week 6 was all about veal and beef. The students were introduced to the subject of how veal and beef is used in restaurants and why meat is so important to a professional chef. On the very first day of week 6 the students were given their very first complete recipe to cook, with a main element and garnishes to accompany the meat. The students were all rather shocked when they were told this! For them it was a bit like jumping in the deep end of the pool!
A Bush Dinner
The second day was all about the famous African bush dinner which is for many visitors a highlight on their safari holiday. The Headchef and the students started the day talking about what a bush dinner is and what the menu for day was going to be. They added together what they would need in terms of ingredients and then went to the store to issue them. The students were then divided into 4 groups with the responsibility for their own part of the menu. One student had the task of making grissini, one took on dessert, one the salads and another preparing and marinating the meat for later. They took on these tasks with great pleasure. I think they finally felt like they were properly cooking for guests. So with a little help from Head Chef Rune the students themselves made the mise en place. They were also in charge of getting the preparation finished, so they could have a proper break which they all appreciated immensely. When they had everything ready to serve the guests, the whole bush location was arranged and the food all ready the students were all present in their spotless uniforms and rubber gloves. Four of them were sent to the main kitchen to assist there, while the others stayed at the dinner site to assist the guests. Then it was time for the guests to arrive!
The students were pretty much on schedule although a bit hurried to finish off the starter, while the others were working on the grilled meat and vegetables for the main buffet. The students were fantastic and they were spot on with timing, presentation and cooking with no mishaps whatsoever! As soon as the buffet was finished, the students started plating up the desserts and then got on with clearing up and cleaning and finishing all their kitchen work. It was a long evening and they didn’t manage to sit down and eat themselves until 10pm that night but it didn’t really matter. The students were bursting with pride at what they had achieved.
The Camp’s Main Kitchen
The next three days was dedicated to working in the main professional kitchen of Karen Blixen Camp rather than in the school’s training kitchen. The students were divided into groups and attended their shift work at different times and independently of each other. Head Chef and Head Teacher Rune expressed how incredibly proud he was of them. They had come so far in the 6 weeks since they started and now they were professional in the kitchen and a real asset to the main camp’s kitchen.
And more importantly the students themselves had a great time and were equally proud of all they had achieved. For them it was important to discover that they did indeed enjoy their job in a professional kitchen. I think they also had fun mixing with other people and cooking for guests rather than just their teacher and fellow students. In return the professionals in the camp’s kitchen were very complimentary about the students themselves and admitted how impressed by their speed and efficiency they had been. They were very organized with the cleaning and hygiene and impressed everyone. This week had been a truly fantastic week for everyone involved with the hospitality school and proved what a great and successful scheme it really is.
Posted by Ruth Bolton
