Claire Raposo
May 17 2018
I have a nickname now. Clairebear. Very creative, right? Actually I’m quite happy about it and I feel like a real part of the kitchen. Everyone else has stopped babying me as much and I’m allowed to just be given instructions and left alone. I was also offered coffee milk the other day, which was extremely gratifying. Coffee is the main signifier of friendship in the kitchen, as far as I can tell. Of course, everyone is friendly and nice, but who’s bringing each other coffee is how you can tell. Alex gave me an extra cold brew the other day and another chef offered me red bull which I politely refused because gross but it was a nice gesture. I definitely think most people in the kitchen have figured out how to use me by now, because I’ve had a million tasks and much less standing around, which was just a waste of an intern as far as I can tell. I’m learning the menu pretty well though, and I can make most of the salads and anything fried. I’ve also been roasting a ton of veggies, which is better than waiting for bread to rise. At this point I’m quite eager to do more things, and I think I might start serving during lunch service when there’s nothing for me to do, because the servers think they’re short staffed. I think I made the right choice with pastry though, because line cooks have a hard time, are constantly burning themselves, are at the mercy of the chef, and are generally stressed all the time trying not to burn themselves. I don’t think I’ll be able to end up like Collin, who has seven or eight pans going at all times but doesn’t even break a sweat, anytime soon. But even as I say that, I think I like the kitchen environment of camaraderie and I’m tempted to stick with thqt.
Small Town Pastry