Today I worked for Pat!na (I replace the "I" with an "!" so my blog won't turn up on google searches). There were over 20 people prepping for a party that's not even taking place until Saturday, at the Hollywood Bowl. Working in a huge production kitchen like that reminds me why I do what I do. Here was today's schedule:
10:00-12:00: pick cilantro leaves off the stems. two hours. ugh.
12:00-12:30: eat a lunch of hamburger patties, and romaine with caesar salad dressing. Also availabe (but I passed, eww) kimchee, potato salad from a carton and barbecue chicken that smelled like cheap hot dogs.
12:30-1:30: wash enough parsley (picked by other people) to fill three 25 gallon containers.
1:30-2:30: mince parsley. Yes, I spent an hour mincing parsley.
2:30-3:00: dice watermelon
3:00-4:00: chop carrots
4:00, go home.
I look at it as culinary boot camp: a way to get really really good by repetition and practice. Or hell. Same thing.
So the next time I whine about planning menus or working with fussy clients, remind me about the day that I spent picking cilantro and mincing parsley. Any day spent managing my own business is a much better day than working in Pat!na's prep kitchen!
Last thing I ate or drank: two nuprin and several glasses of water.
Technorati Tags: Food and Drink in Los Angeles
Years ago when I was in culinary school, I worked for them. The staff meal was good, some sort of rich pasta, but it was too rich for me and I was in the bathroom most of the night( yeah, i know, tmi). Your blog makes me miss LA so much!!
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