Externship week sixteen

Temaki with spicy tuna

What you can expect in Japanese kitchen?

I apologize for finishing this post so late. The whole weekend was dedicated to sort all belongings we shipped from Canada. We finally received it here in SF, so we had to pick up our container, unload it, return the container to U-Haul and sort everything. The apartment is still remind a warehouse, but it's getting better.

About my externship. Last week there was another rotation and I am at the Japanese cafe called Atom. I was really excited about this place, because I love sushi and hope to practise how to make them. I was in a state of shock. Have you seen a movie Ramen Girl? It was not SO bad in the kitchen but close enough. I though that there is a standard on campus, but I was wrong. So what to expect from the Japanese kitchen? I would say Japanese attitude. If you are an intern in the kitchen you are
nobody. Everyone feels free to give you an order, what to do, how to do. The kitchen is extremely hierarchical, the chef generally speaks with the sous chef and lead cooks. Lead cooks speak with cooks and so on. I was really pissed when a dishwasher started to tell me what to do and how to do it. It seems that you have to be in that kitchen for a year at least to start asking questions. So this kitchen is not my favorite place.

Monday
My excitement fade away today. It was probably the most boring day so far during my externship. The chef sent me to work with receiver. A Mexican guy, who does not speak much English. During the day he explained a couple of simple things and that was it. The majority of the day was pout this box there, move this, and so on. After lunch I helped to clean up the kitchen and to move garbage to the disposal. Helped a little in a dish pit. Indeed, it was very boring day.
At the end I spoke with one cook and he said that a culinary school is a waste of time and money. You should go to a kitchen and learn there, that was his words. So, I asked him what have I learned today. After my question he was lost, he mumbled something about the first day, and disappeared. Probably he was right. I do hope that he was right and tomorrow is going to be better. Will see.
Yes, today there is no pictures. I do not want to take a photo of the pile of garbage. LOL

Tuesday

A nice way to slice mushrooms

I was thrown to a prep work. At the beginning I had to slice mushrooms. What was interesting they use egg slicer to slice mushrooms. I have to admit that this was a very efficient way of slicing mushrooms. It took me about 15 minutes to slice two boxes of mushrooms. Then I suppose to do Brussels sprouts, but the sous chef sent me to deep fry plantains. That was not a fun job, but it was an actual cooking. There were about 12 quarts sliced plantains and it took me a couple of hours to deep fry them. The end of day spent helping dishwashers.


Wednesday
In the morning they decided to test my knife skills and I had to cut red onions and bell peppers (small dice). That was not a big deal for me. After that I moved to a fish guy and worked with him during the service. That day it was cat fish. It was already placed on sheet trays. Our job was oil it, salt and pepper and roast till ready. Also the task was to keep fish available for the guests all the time. It was busy time between 12 and 1 there were too many guests, but we were able to keep it up. After service we cleaned station and I was in a dish pit for the last 30 minutes of my shift.

Thursday

Condiments set up for the ramen bar

Things were getting better, just a little bit. I worked with ramen bar guy. We had to prepare everything for the ramen bar. Fortunately they keep it simple here. Four kind of noodles (none of them gluten free), three types of broth (chicken, vegetable, miso), some condiments. So we cut green onions, placed in serving dishes bamboo shots, kimchi, boiled eggs soaked in soy sauce, tofu, pork, chicken. During the service we had to keep an eye that the ramen bar is full and replenish it as necessary.
When I had time I helped another guy who worked on vegetables and rice. However, when I asked him why do we need to transfer salt from a 3 lbs box into one pint deli containers he was pissed and said that if I do not want to do something I can get out (this was an example - how a nobody can ask a question?)
The chef and the manager left around 3 p.m. and locked the office with my backpack inside (the chef told me to keep it there during the day). When I called the chef he just said 'Oh shit' and I had to wait for the security to come and open his office. I waited for 50 minutes. The next day he was angry at me because I clocked out at the time I got my backpack. It was clear that he is not going to pay me overtime, even it was his fault.

Friday

Sushi ready to be rolled

Rolled sushi ready to be cut

Finally I got close to the Japanese food. I worked on sushi station. First thing a lead cook demonstrated how to handle a tuna. It was not a whole fish, just a loin. He showed me how to break it down for smaller pieces. It was quite close to the method we were taught at the school. Then he showed how to make sushi (maki) and then how to make temaki (shaped like horn). During the service I was making temaki in front of the guest. At the beginning it was awkward and then it was not so bad.

P.S. Today (Monday) I came to work ready for another shitty week at this place. What I found out is that internship at this Japanese cafe was only for one week. They kept me for a half hour trying to figure this out. Then I made evaluation of my time there (you can guess how I rate it). After that I asked the chef if there is any kind feedback from him. It was literally 'I don't give a shit. As long as people who works for me are kept they heads down and doing what they suppose to do, I am happy'. I do not give a shit either. It was an eye opening experience for me, that not every cafe is equal. I will keep this in mind for the future.