First culinary job!

During my internship, I chanced upon a job. Most people know Hediard as a specialty gourmet produce shop, bringing in spices, teas, coffees, jams, vinegars, oils, etc from all corners of the world, but not many people know that at on the 1st floor of the main store at Place de la Madeleine, there is a restaurant and a salon de thé. The main store has been in its current location since 1854, but it's restaurant has only begun in the mid 80's.

So, I began my first culinary job as a commis de cuisine. I am solely in charge of the garde manger section. Under my care are 5 dishes - foie gras mi-cuit served with prune chutney, wild game terrine with red onion confiture, cured salmon with fresh salmon tartare, served with chives cream and blinis, Spanish trevelez ham, and carpaccio of sea bream with mango vinaigrette and coconut and lime emulsion.

During the afternoons, in between service, we serve light nibbles of club sandwiches, quiches, croque monsieurs and salads, while we tackle our mise en place for the dinner service. I dread being on the roster for Saturday afternoons, cos' that's when the orders come flying in. I counted once, I made more than 3o orders between 3-6pm., 90% of club sandwiches (tandoori chicken, salmon or vegetarian), and some quiches/croques, at the same time, having to prepare staff dinner (for abt 18) hot and ready by 6.30pm - entree, main dish and a side dish.

Recently, I have been spending more time on the hot starters station. There are new interns and apprentices coming in from local schools, and while I make a check to see that all's in order, I have been working during evening services at the hot station. 2 soups - chestnut soup with a soft-centred egg (oeuf mollet), cappucino of shellfish bisque; vegetable tarte; golden parcel of lobster (aumonieres); and pan-fried scallops served with Jerusalem artichoke puree.

While Hediard does more of traditional French cuisine, and the dishes are less elaborate than a michelin starred restaurant, it was good to learn to pick up speed during service, organisation, the mise en place, and the functioning of a restaurant, within the kitchen team, and with the wait staff. The chef and the second are open to new ideas, recently, I've introduced them to the some products from the Japanese supermarket and how to work with them - silken tofu, yam, shiso leaves, miso.