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Thursday, September 2, 2010

New Recipes for Success!

Ciao! I have been getting the ball rolling with my newly realized goals in life, so I have been trying to cook up interesting recipes and do a lot of research on my own for alternative ingredients and tips on healing methods using foods. Working in a restaurant has allowed me to be more aware of what I eat and how others eat. It's so interesting to watch the different types of people come into a vegetarian/vegan restaurant some having never tasted tofu or seitan, but still enjoying every last bite of their meal. It's the talent and skill that comes with being a chef and being a "foodie." If the customer is satisfied, well the job is done and done quite well.

I have been shadowing some of the chefs and workers at my job and it is great to see how they prepare the ingredients to make exquisite dishes. The time that goes into making an appetizer or entree or even dessert is so precious and so exact that they mass produce the food, but also give each dish a special touch for the individual customer to enjoy. It's as if they were cooking for a close friend or family member.

The restaurant has a lot of fantastic people who are totally passionate about food and the business. It is a tough industry to work in because customer service jobs can be testy at times. Customers don't make the servers' lives easy, but if you know how to work with them and get the job done it will be a very easy and successful shift. I enjoy every minute of preparation and service that I have to do at my job. It is a comfortable environment for me and I can't believe I'm just discovering that right now. I go in to my work shift with a positive mindset that I will have a great night serving people and helping them to enjoy their dining experience, as well as helping my co-workers with their jobs. By the end of the night, even if my feet are sore and my brain is fried, I am able to say I had a great night and made people happy all the while getting experience in a vegan restaurant!

Oh the possibilities are endless in this industry and I am willing to test almost all of them. With time and the proper footwear I'm sure I'll be able to do so. I still have many ideas and plans in terms of culinary school and different master's degree programs, but I'm finding a way to mix some things together...

Dish of the week:
Chilled Cucumber and Avocado Soup sold at Horizons on South Street in Philadelphia
The light flavors of cucumber mixed with the dense and hearty consistency of avocado make this soup so delightful, especially after being chilled and topped with cumin oil, mint and toasted pumpkin seeds. It is a great dish for this time of year as we escape the heat in search of a refreshing dish to satisfy our taste buds.

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