Prep Goddess

This last week has been more prep for me, to the point that I've prepared most of the items on our daily prep list at least once, and some of them many times.  

I feel as though my knife skills have definitely Improved and I've gotten a bit faster, and more proficient at what I've been doing.  

Aslan has been very, very busy lately, and we've also been short staffed.  This means that I am constantly busy, with not a moment in between jobs.  I'm getting a lot of good experience in the things that I'm making and preparing, but it is a pace that is a lot faster than I'm used to. I get my work done, and I do it very thoroughly, and correctly, but I usually find myself feeling a bit discouraged that I can't do more to help things flow more smoothly when they're like that.  

Space is at a premium there, and it seems we are always trying to make enough space for things, and work stations, find a cutting board, or the correct size pan/pot, container.  This can be a little frustrating.  We are really spoiled at school, and we have it all!  

Something else that I'm finding an adjustment is that most of my co workers are very young.  Some of the boys that do prep work with me are only 19 years old.  Everyone is super friendly and nice, but I feel a little out of the loop with regard to the things that they talk about, the music they listen to, and basically life in general.  We don't have much in common, least of all our work styles.  I do feel a camaraderie with Val, Leslie, Ashley and Nick, though, as well as a couple of other folks there, so that is good.  

One thing I'm also noticing is the difference between people who have been to culinary school and those who haven't.  The employees that have been through our culinary program there are very attentive to sanitation rules, rotating and labeling food, keeping their work area wiped down, with their knife carefully placed, CLEAN, by their boards, making and using sani buckets, etc.  they are also mindful of their fellow worker, and will break down their own boxes, clean up their own mess, etc.  This is not usually the case with the other, less experienced people, and it is something I've become very aware of. 

Speaking very directly, I'm enjoying most of my time at Aslan, but as I've been there a bit longer and seen how things go, I do NOT see it as a goal for me to work somewhere like this in the future. 

I wish this post was a little more upbeat, but at least it is  genuine. 

Buffet set up for a big party last week.