The Pastry Kitchen (where I spend most of my time)
The hot line
Garde Manger station (where the salads and desserts are plated)
I am the pastry chef where I work. Which means I'm in charge of writing the dessert menus and doing all production work for the dining room. I also make some of the banquet desserts, mostly the plated ones.
I start each day (2pm) by taking an inventory of the production coolers and ice cream freezer so I can make a production sheet. So I know what to make :-) Then I check the banquet sheets (called banquet event orders or BEOs) to make sure there weren't any parties added and to make sure the party numbers haven't changed. Next its on to the produce and dairy coolers...just to make sure I have everything I need to work with. While I'm in the dairy cooler ..grab some butter so it can come to room temp. OK now to the reservation book to see how many people we are gonna do tonight and to see if there are any birthdays or other special occasions.
Meet with sales manager about desserts for a party next week.
Now time to get to work. Make birthday plates. Start ice creams and sorbets. While ice creams are going I start anything that has long baking times like cheesecakes or baked custards or any cake layers that need to cool. Time to take ice cream out and clean ice cream machine.
Hummm 4:30 already...time to meet with the garde manger station to let them know about the special dessert and how I want it plated. Then meet with servers to let them know if we are out of anything, what ice cream flavors we have, and what the nights special dessert is.
Take phone call about a birthday cake.
Most of our banquet parties start around 6 or 7 so its time to get those desserts ready. Off to the banquet kitchen I go. First I usually help the banquet chef plate salads. Then we plate desserts. Time to go check on those cheese cakes. Back to the banquet kitchen to help plate the hot food. Ok now back to my desserts.
Check garde manger station to see if they need help or anything.
Time to finish up that production sheet. After everything has finished baking I start to make my cake frostings and decorate those cake layers. After everything has been covered and put away, its time to clean. Let chef know of anything special I need ordered. Then I go home around 11 or 12.
Any extra time is usually used to work on new recipes or ideas and I usually grab something to eat when I can (its never a sit down thing).
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2 comments:
Reading your post was reading about my life just a little over a year ago...until I had to fight everyday with the owners to get quality ingredients and chocolate and they wanted to save money for their own alcohol consumption. I now work with another chef on catering, private dinner parties and make all his desserts. I miss the energy and dynamics of restaurant work, not the politics. I enjoy reading your blog a great deal. Keep up the good work!
Dont forget the time you take out of your busy schedule to chat with your favorite server!!!! Tehehe.
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