"That's not salt!"

seeing as how i got a litttttle off track with my last blog i’ve decided to get back on track lol..

“RESPECT”..what does that word mean to you?..i’ve come up with multiple reasons as to why people crave this word so much..and i dont get it..because in order to respect someone (in my book) they have to respect you back..perfect storytime;; when i was in school i had a chef who was not really liked and kind of rude..he would get on your case for no reason and he always thought he was right..now;; you’re probably thinking “well;; he was the teacher and you were suppose to learn from him” but that wasn’t the case at all..he was always talking about how he owned 4 restaurants and how he had other things to do than teach us skills..at times;; we would get to class and instead of working in the classroom first and going over what we were going to do for the day in the kitchen he would have us meet him in the kitchen and run down dishes and expect us to know what to do like this one time we went into the kitchen and he says to us “i want you to make 50 servings of braised curry frog legs, 20 servings of cassoulet, 10 servings of pot au feu, and 40 servings foie gras” he then told us the reason we were to make so much is because we would be serving lunch to some of the board members of the school towards the end of class for that day..then he’d leave..so we’d be there..not knowing what any of those dishes were and how to even begin to prepare..great teacher right? aha..so as i was told by one of the older students to work on the foie gras with another person i figured “well..i’ll figure it out”..i go into my student cookbook and after looking for about a half hour i finally find a recipe on foie gras..i tell my partner and walked him through it because he was “new to the whole cooking gig” as he always liked to say..it was about 2 hrs and we still hadn’t started cooking our dish..i wasnt worried because in order for foie gras to be perfect all you really do is sear it in butter quickly..a few seconds per side..so we had plently of time..chef comes back and he sees me starting to cut the foie gras as i was getting ready to sear it off..he comes to my station and tells me i don’t know what im doing and im going to make HIM look bad..so i think to myself (as i thought i was) make YOU look bad? hah..not realizing i had said that out loud under my breath he then proceeded to say “yes, me..this isnt about you..this is my career on the line..my reputation..and if youre going to make it in this business you need to learn how to RESPECT those above you..starting with me”..i then looked at him and said “respect….you????..how can i “respect” someone who doesnt even teach me..someone who tells all of us how successful you are and how you’re only doing this as a favor to the head chef of the department but you really dont want to be here..how can i respect someone who tells us stories about how whenever you go to a restaurant thats not yours mind you, you order the same dishes you have on your menu and you do that purposely so you can tell them basically that the way they’ve made it was shit and then insult them more sliding them a business card to your place while saying “ill show you how its done right”..i cant respect you because theres nothing to respect..you may be my teacher on paper..but in reality..you’re really..not..” after i had spoken my mind (not something i do usually when it comes to any type of authority) he then told me..that i should get my bag and my books and leave because “our personalities didnt work well together”..i said gladly and got my stuff together..and right before i left he stopped me and said “btw..what do you want to do with your life anyway?”..and i said “i’m going to be a chef”..he then laughed a little and said “really..hm..good luck with that”..i looked him up and down after that snide comment and simply said “i will be..and unlike you i wont ever have to gas myself up just to make it seem like im of some importance like you do to yourself every day..people will like and respect me because of what im capable of and who i am as a person..SO;; respect that.” and i left..never looking back and that was my first experience dealing with a chef who was all about himself..a year after that i found CCI and let me tell you;; walking out of that classroom a year before at NCC was the best decision ive ever made..(for those who might be confused let me speed you up;; my first year at ncc i just took the basic college courses (general studies) like everyone else but i didnt major in anything yet..then when i decided i really really wanted to be a chef i enrolled in the chefs program at NCC and that was my major..i chose do become a culinary arts major at NCC because they were apparently “known” to have the best chef program in CT..yeah right lol) CCI was truly the best place to do my culinary arts major and i am soo happy that i made the choice to go there..i learned literally everything that i needed to learn to make that next step after the program and internship..plus i had extra classes like food and beverage management..culinary nutrition..food serve entrepreneurship..etc. etc..they def. made sure each student had a well rounded background before graduating..so i thank them for that..

so..again..i ask you..what is respect..really..

“we can really respect a man only if he doesn’t always look out for himself”-Johann Wolfgang

before i write about the usual today;; i want to start by saying;; did you make your wish today?? 11/11/11..the next time we will have an 11/11/11 is in 2111..

someone once said to me “you go to school for cooking, but i guess you had to be good at something right?” now you guys are probably wondering what my response was when i was told this cute little statement..and it’s simple..i just laughed and kept it movin’..because if i thought about all the negative things that people say and took them to heart then what kind of person would i be?..i am talented when it comes to many things..and i could have been anything in this world..like we all can..but there is something about being a chef and cooking for others that is satisfactory for me..the joy and amazement on peoples faces when you put that “perfect finishing touch” on the plate that makes a dish completely pop..how creative and experimental you can get with every single item of food that you produce..i can’t believe how far i have come and i have just begun..one of my chefs said to me one time “never underestimate yourself because when you do that, you will never know how great you can be” and he was right..if i kept doubting and questioning my ability then how would i make it to the top? cci chefs were known for pushing you to your greatest point and i thank each and every one of them who pushed me..

before i end this blog (ill be back later today with a new one) i just want to point a fun fact out..in the end, the person who said that nice line to me in the beginning of my blog is actually from what i can see is going nowhere with their lives and has actually failed at whatever it was they were trying to accomplish..so when i think back once in a blue to that day i can’t help but smile because while i’m here, getting eloquent eats out there and blogging and doing what I love and to me, having a pretty amazing life at the age of 22..they’re just sitting in a corner..doing nothing with their life..holding onto the past..probably praying that what they said to me that day had some type of bad effect on me..i am here to say “hunn..lol..you helped me..its people exactly like you that make me strive for my dreams and never want to be pathetic waste like yourself..SO;; go blow..thanks =]” 

“your greatest cheerers are your enemies because by them saying you CAN’T makes you CAN”

my title for this post is a quote that i said on a daily basis..after graduating from high school and finishing the program section of my schooling at cci to becoming a chef, i had to do something that i thought was going to be a breeze..how wrong i was..

my first internship i was stuck in the prep area for about 2 months or so cleaning out squid and peeling and deveining shrimp..needless to say i can’t look at squid or shrimp the same again..i didn’t understand why the executive chef stuck me in the back when he knew i was more than capable to do more. i needed to get out of there and i needed to get out of there fast..so, after looking for a new gig and talking with my school i finally got a good internship..A&S..and just that one job alone for the next 4 months had opened my eyes A LOT..i got yelled at for being too careful in the beginning..my boss’ whole attitude was..dont hesitate to ask questions and if you do it wrong, there are ways that we can fix it..so playing it “safe” quickly went out the window..yet i was still nervous at times..part of it was because i was the only girl surrounded by middle aged men..and the first thing they probably thought was “whats a woman doing on our kitchen?!” soo things were dicey in the beginning..but after the first month it was actually smooth sailing..i wasnt just peeling and cutting potatoes..but i was making salads and helping chef with the fryer and other dishes..i even got to help chef out with some of the food for the holidays or catering gigs they got. i stayed late and at times got to leave a few minutes early..i learned new tricks and i got tougher skin by working at A&S..they were strictly no bullshit and i liked that..it was a fun time and i eventually became comfortable as they became comfortable around me..the atmosphere was friendly..but the guys had their boiling points too..i got cut countless times and i cant count how many times i had cut my nails off..but i just put a band aid on it and kept going..it was working at A&S that made me realize that being in this industry is not easy..but..if you have good food..no matter what, people will always come back wanting more..some days i would dread getting out of bed and i would get that nervous feeling in my stomach while driving there..i never understood it either..i think i was doubting myself and my confidence level waqsn’t where it needed to be to survive this dog eat dog industry..and thats where “you will never succeed if you dont try” came into play..because i wasn’t doing this for just me..i mean i mainly was..am..but i was doing this for ron also in a way..and my parents as well..ron because he is soon to be my husband so; in order to succeed fully in a marriage both parties need to be successful with their lives first..and for my parents because when i’m older and successful i don’t want them to have to worry about anything..that is the dream anyway..and if i keep doing what i do..it will come true..

Success is the key to any great life<3

my name is briana..i’m 22..and i’m a chef. basic enough for you? for as long as i can remember i loved to be in the kitchen cooking..rather it be with my mom, my dad, or my grandmother. the crazy thing is;; this wasn’t my first career choice..but it was something that kept pulling me in..it’s the first thing that i’ve felt really passionate about and the only thing that i knew i wanted to succeed in..

so;; for my entertainment and others i decided to write a blog about my experiences being in school and being on internship..things i’ve learned..situations i’ve had to deal with while being in this crazy industry of chefism..and..of course i’ll throw in the occasional recipe every once in a while..sooo..lets begin;; 
it all started back in 2009..when i had my first class in september at LCI which at the time was CCI..i could not wait to go to class just to see what this school was all about..i got assigned to a table of four and i remember the chef coming in..he was young, cute, and extremely cocky which made me not like him..he had us all go around the room and tell him who our favorite chef was..when it was my turn i blurted out “ina garten”…reallllly? lol..what about julia child,jacques pepin,anthony bourdain or wolfgang puck..but no;; i busted out with ina garten..needless to say the whole class looked at me like “wtf is this chick smoking?” all in all though, i think shes a good chef so whatever -__-..shortly after that fun activity we got right into it with knife cuts..oh how i do NOT miss knife cuts..i wanted something fun..i wanted to dive in..give me side dishes..fish..chicken..ANYTHING..but no, i was standing there..for 4 hours..working on my knife skills..which i shouldn’t even complain about because thanks to that class my skills are on point..my hands = success..4 hrs a day 4 days a week for about 2 months on knife skills..some think its easy to hold a knife..but;;if you’re holding it the right way it most certainly is not easy..

i was pretty quiet..i wasn’t really in to making friends..i wasn’t at CCI to mess around..i was serious about this and i didn’t want anything to get in my way..luckily that plan was going perfect until the middle of the program and my class became a family..the good times i had with my classmates i will never forget..they each touched me in different ways..(violins playing in the background lol) no but seriously..they were an amazing bunch..