i finished my scooling. i finished my externship. and i'm finished cooking right now. i celebrated becoming a chef by joining my girlfriends' soccer league and promptly broke my right wrist in the first quarter of the first game. notice no caps here. i'm typing with my left  hand only. i'm right handed. i can't wait to get back into it and will keep you posted. toodles for now. 

I am officially a chef. I've finished culinary school and my externship. It was great. I'll keep you posted on my culinary happenings.

So I totally mastered the Pantry area at the Bistro. Chef Wendi is now moving me Mid-Line, meaning I will be smack dab in between the saute and grill stations plating food. It is seriously, seriously fast. I feel like I'm in the way and not helping, but eventually I will. I hope! I did cook salmon, chicken and steak on the grill for lunch customers today and didn't ruin anything. Dinner is just a whole other animal.

I served a bunch of mom's really yummy salads and desserts today. It's such a great feeling to hear comments back into the kitchen that the desserts look beautiful.

Joe, a guy who was in culinary school with me (but in the 14-month program), works with me at the Bistro. He showed me a great technique tonight when peeling potatoes. Peel toward you. So simple but it makes so much difference. You can peel a potato in 25% of the time. Less energy. Less time. All good. Only 164 more hours to go.

I told Bill last night that since culinary school I have smell-o-vision dreams. I wake up thinking I'm smelling garlic (OK, maybe that is just me because I've been mincing so much of it) or rosemary or whatever. I've always had weird dreams, but this is funky.

I worked my first dinner shift tonight. Mondays are their slowest days, but I thought things were really hopping. I can't imagine what its like when its busy! I'm training to be garde manger, or the pantry chef. That means I'm in charge of all salads, desserts and fruit plates. I have to do it on my own on Saturday, their busiest night of the week. Little nervous. I made a map of the station and took notes like crazy tonight. have to type everything up before Saturday. 4.5 hours tonight. 169.25 left

I started at Bidwell Street Bistro in Folsom today. I helped get the food ready for a wedding, then stayed on to help prep food for the dinner shift. I made profiteroles, bread pudding, aioli and some other miscellaneous things. It was fun but tiring. The best part was when I found out that some friends -- Mary and Terry Johnson -- went there to celebrate their anniversary and ordered the bread pudding....and loved it! And I made it. What a rush! I have a 180 total and worked 6.25 today. 173.75 to go.

I am officially done with culinary school classes! Wahoo!!! It will be so nice not to have class every night, homework and independent study projects. I do still have to do 180 hours at Bidwell Street Bistro before I get my degree.

I have learned so much, laughed so much, made so many good friends. It has been a wonderful experience. I've absolutely loved it. Thanks to all my chef instructors and my fellow students. Congrats, Tabs, for finishing up with me. We're the only two of about 20+ students who started at the same time. You are awesome. Can't wait to see where you go. Dave, Greg and Bob, I'll miss you guys. Hang in there. make the little kids clean the floors and take out the trash. I'll see you at Grand Buffet. I'm sure you'll make something spectacular.

I took my practical final tonight, which means it was in the kitchen. I had to make cream of broccoli soup, sauteed chicken breast with a mushroom & cream pan sauce, noisette potatoes, grilled zucchini and chocolate mousse all within three hours. Three hours flew by. I presented about one minute before deadline and the chef scored me at 100%! Only two more days of school left. Dean's List is in site for my last class. That was my goal. Thursday is our written final. Then on Saturday I start at Bidwell Street Bistro for my externship. I'm looking forward to seeing what it is like in the real world.