MY FIRST DAY!!!

Hey guys! I really desperately wanted to come on here and write last night when I got in but AS SOON AS I WALKED THROUGH THE DOOR...I ran upstairs to take a shower and went straight to sleep. WHEW!

Where do I even begin...we'll let's start with my eventful time in the locker room. It felt like it took me TEN YEARS to put on my uniform, lol its just so many layers but I can't complain. The uniform protects my sweat from the food, and the food (popping oil, boiling water, etc.) from me. While in the locker room I started a conversation with a few other female students who are in Level 4 and they made me feel a little nervous, especially since I didn't know who my chef was. From the way they were talking it sounded like some of these chefs could be as bad as Gordon Ramsey.

So luckily, I didn't have the evil chef they were talking about (I rather his name go unknown, you never know) but instead I had WONDERFUL CHEF NICK! He seems like a nice, patient, French guy, we'll see how long that last lol.

So most of my 5 hours were spent learning about how to prevent cuts and burns (which is good to know for my clumsy self). We spent some time talking about the make up a kitchen brigade, and different station chefs. By this time, I'm looking around the classroom everyone is sweating, and rocking side to side to keep circulation in their feet, and ease the pain lol. My poor new friend Caroline, and chef partner, Rebecca, were about to pass out, literally. IT IS EXTREMELY HOT!!! AND WE DIDN'T EVEN COOK ANYTHING YET, no stove or oven were on and we were dying. Not to mean this double breasted chef coat you have on....guys, I'm telling you it is hot. I've already heard stories of people passing out. DRINK LOTS OF WATER was the advice given to me from a student.

As time progressed and I realized a pot isn't just called a pot, but EVERYTHING has a french name. I'm trying to get the hang of it, give me a few weeks and I'll start spewing out french terms like I'm a native :-)

Before I knew it, it was 8:30, which is family meal time. Let me quickly explain, when you are in level 4, you are taught how to do large quantity cooking and buffets. As a result, the whole school gets fed faithfully every night. We had a DELICIOUS meal, seasoned corn on the cob, moist baked chicken, kous kous, and salad. Also had iced tea and I promise you it tasted like it had lavender in it....

Once we were done, we moved on to learning some knife skills and practiced cutting onions, carrots, turnips, and leeks, and it was quite interesting. I am proud to say I DID NOT cut my self on the first day (but I know its coming, everybody gets cut and burned several times, according to chef). This knife technique is really hard, especially with my small hands, my chef knife is like 12 inches long!! lol but I'm practicing my cuts. They are very particular about certain cuts and their uniformity; its appealing to the eye and produces even cooking.

Chef saw our results for a first try, and made all of us take home 2 carrots to do 2 cuts on, and we have to bring them in on Saturday to show him....let's just say I've made my dad go out and buy me more carrots lol.

Nonetheless IT WAS A GREAT FIRST DAY and I'm even MORE EXCITED than when I started. I felt like a TOP CHEF walking down the city streets with my knife kit across my shoulders!

*smooches and deuces*