I’m on my second month of working as a pastry cook and I definitely feel the similarities between this job and my previous life as a football player.
To get the job, I had to go on a trail, which is the kitchen equivalent of an interview. You work in that kitchen for a shift to see how it’s like and to determine if you’re a good fit for the kitchen.In football terms this is the tryout.
I went on a bunch of trails for savory positions last year, but didn’t end up committing to a kitchen then. After our trip to Spain in May, I decided to go on trails for pastry jobs, and actually did a second trail at this job because I wanted to get a second impression before I decided.
What’s is the energy like? How are the other people working there? The most important- How is your boss/coach? The second most important- What is family meal like?
I took these and several other factors into consideration, like total door to door commute time from home.
Due to kitchen sizes, they only usually schedule people to trail one at a time, unlike soccer tryouts where you’re clearly benchmarked against the entire pool of candidates.
I was relieved to get offered the position (I was picked for the team! Yay!) Then I had to get work clothes and supplies. I love this part! It’s like going back to school. The difficult part was getting pants. I ordered different ones online and tested them out, so now I rotate between three different kinds.
For shoes I got the the same Calzuro clogs that I used during culinary school but in black, and after prodding from my mother, a pair of Birkenstocks. She insists it’s the best for the feet and knees. My knees need all the help it can get.
We’re given aprons and a hat, and jackets are supplied daily. I’m so glad they stock extra small jackets, which are still slightly too big, other kitchens I’ve trailed at only stock up to small sizes.
In our kitchen, the standard response is “Oui, Chef”, just like how on the football field it’s “Yes, Coach”. I’m feeling very much like a rookie in the kitchen, learning all the norms and rules of the game.
I start work at 3pm, we stop for family meal at 4:15pm, then more prep before service begins. Everything is in preparation for kickoff. On some days the entire kitchen meets for a preservice meeting- the huddle- led by the sous chef in charge that day.