Cookin' in the kitchen

So I have been extremely busy with work and school that I have barely had time to post what I've been up to on here. I started working in the kitchen a couple of weeks ago. I've just been learning the basics so far (prepping food, knife skills, inventory, etc.) and mastering the different styles of cooking (chopping, slicing, dicing, sauteeing, etc). I'm actually enjoying it a lot more than I thought I ever would. I have never really cooked anything (boiling macaroni and cheese is my idea of cooking), so starting in the kitchen made me pretty nervous. But the chef has been an amazing mentor to me so far, and doesn't make me feel stupid when I don't know something.

First, I started with basic knowledge of the chef's knife. I learned the different parts of it (tip, spine, bolster, tang, heel, and the actual cutting edge). The knives we use at the country club are Wusthof. Apparently, these are pretty expensive (range from $120-$160 for each). Although they might be expensive, they will last longer. The chef told me that you can tell the quality of the knife by looking at the tang. If the tang goes all the way through the handle, all the way through the knife (with the handle being added last), then you know it is of a good quality.

Then, the chef showed me around the kitchen to the different areas (cooler, freezer, pantry, dry storage, etc) and explained how everything was stocked and stored. Obviously, they use FIFO (first in first out) to ensure that they use the older products first and put the newer products in the back. This helps them use as much of the products as possible without spoilage.

I also started working on different slicing and dicing techniques. The chef first showed me how to properly hold a knife. He laughed at me, at first, and said I looked awkward holding the knife the correct way (which I did, so I was not offended). The chef then showed me the proper way to actually start cutting things. I helped him dice carrots and celery. I thought this was going to be a lot easier than it was. For someone who NEVER cooks, it was difficult for me to get in the groove of slicing and dicing, but after a little bit it became easier to me.

So this is just the beginning of my cooking experience. Although I've worked about 20 hours in the kitchen so far, I've really just been trying to master the basics. I've got what I've learned so far down, now it's time to actually start putting meals together! I'm excited to see what the future will bring about in the kitchen. I'm also going to try and start cooking by myself in my apartment in my free time. I'd really like to become a good cook so that I can showcase all of my new skills to my friends who make fun of me for just learning how to cook chicken!

Pictures from Indian Hills Country Club

These are just a few pictures from the Indian Hills Country Club I am working at in Fairfield Bay. It's very old fashioned and has not been updated in a long time, but I think it definitely gives it some character!

My Summer Internship

This summer, I am working at a community club called Fairfield Bay Community Club in Fairfield Bay, Arkansas. It is about 3 1/2 hours from Fayetteville in a small town next to Clinton, Arkansas. I am working everywhere in the community from the pool to the marina to the country club. I am really enjoying it so far, although, the average age of the residents that live here is 67! There aren't many young people other than the people I work with, but they are all really nice. My favorite part of the job is serving at the country club. I have met so many of the members and they are all extremely nice. The hardest part of my job right now is remembering all of the members names, but I'm working on it. As my internship progresses, I will be following the management around and seeing what they do during their day to day work schedule (which is what I am most excited about). I haven't had the chance to take pictures yet (I might be the only person in the US that doesn't own a digital camera), but I'm going to try to take some on my phone so that I can show ya'll what its like here!