Le Cordon Bleu Graduation 2011

sharing my edible arrangement from Ashley

Donning my leis from Ashley

my one guest Ronda from Austin TX.

Shared my leis with the ladies.

The Power team. Thomas, Alyssa and Me

My carpool buddy Frank

Balloons from Ashley and Flowers from Canlis

Everything happens for a reason.  When something in your life happens that seems to be a negative, reverse your frame of thought and think of how this can work to your advantage.  Last year I had a grand 'ol time working on the Seafreeze for US Seafoods as a galley wench.  Prepping veggies, filleting fish and helping the Cook one way or another. While taking out the trash on what was a fairly mild day I went to step over the water tight door and the boat went Up and my foot caught the edge and over I went and after a meniscus tear surgery and rehab I went back on the boat only to have it swell up and be a freaking pain.  Literally...

And so I'm surfing the net and watching the Food Network on TV and I come across an ad for Le Cordon Bleu and "click here for more information" and it was all so very "curious" so I clicked the nice little colorful button and answered all the questions so that I could get "More information".  Now I would have been just fine if they had just sent me the brochure that I would have looked at and made into a nice little Coffee table decor but NOOOOoooo I get a phone call from Robbie, LCB admissions, and she'd LOVE to talk to me about Le Cordon Bleu...

I picked up my graduation Jacket from school and went to get it altered because Large is too Small and XL is too Big.  When I started school I was 253 pounds and by graduation day I was down to 226.  Go figure, I'm learning how to cook and i'm losing weight lol.  So I go to the first Dry cleaning alteration place and the Asshole there tells me that all he can do is hem up the bottom of the jacket.  To take it in and make it fit right would be a LOT of work and would cost me more than $100.  As if $ was an option here, dumbass.  So I tell him that if that was all he could do for me then I could just do that myself and I took my jacket and walked out the door.  I went to the next place and as I walked through the door I sitting at the sewing machine was a sweet looking Asian woman.  I told her what I needed, she had me put the jacket on, started hemming and pinning and and adjusting and she said it would cost about $50 and done by Thursday.  If she had any questions she'd give me a call.  Thursday came and I went to pick it up and it was a perfect fit... Jacket for Graduation.  Check...

Both sets of my parents have passed away, most of my family live out of state and are busy raising their families and Darcy and Ashley are on the Boat in Alaska being Sugar Mama and Suka Baby, and my 1 friend Ronda that said would come to my graduation sends me a message saying that her whole family is sick and that she wouldn't make it.  Alrighty then it's me, myself and I at my graduation.

Packages were showing up at the front door from Ronda and I was given explicit instructions not to open them.  The day before Graduation the doorbell rings and there's a box from Hawai'i from Ashley and George and it's full of beautiful Leis.  Then later that day the doorbell rings again and Ashley and George have sent Balloons, teddy bears, chocolate covered strawberries and a HUMONGOUS Edible Arrangement.  And so I sat and read the card that was attatched to it and Ashley felt that the Leis were "not enough"...I got on to Facebook and posted photos and wrote my thank yous and all the while tears of gratitude streaming down my cheeks.

Oh, and on Facebook my "Friend" Ronda writes and says "GOTCHA hehe" her family was sick but all will be well enough without her and she's hopping on the plane to come from Texas to Washington for my Graduation.  Yay!!!  =}  If I were a leprechaun I would have been doing the Jig next to my pot of gold. 

I picked up Ronda from the airport on Thursday night and we went to eat at the Saffron.  While waiting for our meal Ronda went to the facilities and I checked my FB and there on FB was a message from Darcy saying that perhaps we should stop at the Saffron for dinner. LOL Great minds...

The next day We got up and ready and Ronda made fun of my tiny blow dryer not being adequate enough in size.  I guess when it comes right down to it when you're getting blown size does matter...d'oh.

Leis, check.  Edible arrangement, check.  Jacket, check.  Class/School ring, check.  Address to auditorium, Check.  And off we went to pick up Alyssa and Will.  We got to the auditorium and it was packed with students holding or wearing their 9" chefs hats and Honorable cords donned.  We made our way downstairs to check in and pick up our own hats and cords and placed the edible arrangement on the table for people to help themselves to.

It is Samoan Tradition to wear flower and/or candy leis for such occasions and as I started to put mine on I was informed that I was not "allowed" to do so.  So I put my Leis on, walked out to the auditorium and had Ronda take a photo of me with them on and then took them off for her to hold during the commencement.

A whistle was blown to get everyones attention and then they started herding us around like cattle lol.  We were instructed to form 2 lines and it seemed to be a hard task for those of us who were supposed to be graduating lol but it all came together as we started to file into the auditorium following Chef De La Cruz and Chef Carpenter down the aisles with the sound of Pomp and Circumstance billowing in the air.  Up the stairs and across the stage we went to sit in our respective, uncomfortable, sit like I have a stick up my butt chairs. 

Master of Ceremony Chef Chadwell made the introductory speech, followed by the President Michael Giacomini.  I'm sorry but the man can NOT and should not be making speeches.  Perhaps he should think about taking public speaking classes because, Seriously?  Is he for real?  With his finger planted on his paper with the large Font big enough for me to read from where I was sitting, and reading his speech in a monotone drab voice.  It was Extremely hard for me to sit there listening to him struggle through his speech.  Onward.

The Highlight of our Graduation was listening to our Graduate Speaker, my good friend Thomas Dodd address the audience.  Before we go to our Externship site we are asked to vote for someone in our Graduating class to give the speech at Graduation and I voted for Thomas.  He did such an awesome job.  I could here it in his voice and pauses that he was trying to keep from crying.  Albeit, he kept himself composed and gave us a most memorable speech that encompassed our 9 months of study and his humorous depictions of our illustrious Chef instructors had the auditorium rumbling with laughter.

And then a word from our Keynote speaker Executive Chef Perry Mascitti of the Tulalip Resort & Casino...blah blah blah...Is it time yet?  I apologize, I don't mean any disrespect but honestly, He was better than the President but I was kind of expecting "more" from a keynote speaker.  It's just that I've sat through some pretty awesome and inspiring speeches that when a speech falls short of awesome then I just can't get inspired.

Finally they got to the part where we go around the back, hand our index card over with our names written Phonetically so that the announcer could read our names as it should be correctly...Um that didn't work too well for me lol.  What did I write?  Solo owl but without the "L"  Teh oh.  Did she get it right? No lol but it's all good, I know it's a little bit of a mouthful when you have a name like mine to have to wrestle with.  Maybe I should have just gone ahead and changed my name to McKenna Chan but eh, I think my name is cool and if you can't say it correctly well, I won't hold it against you.  Just call me Sol for short lol.

And so we walked across the stage when they announced our names, we bowed our heads so that we could recieve our silver Cross of the Holy Spirit dangling on what else but Le Cordon Bleu.  As we returned to our seats we remained standing until each of us recieved our medals I felt a feeling of elation, relief and sadness that this chapter of my life was coming to such a bitter sweet close.

And so into the History books we go, the Graduates of Le Cordon Bleu 2011.  Off with the hats and into the air they went to the sound of applause, whistles, laughter and cheer. 

It is the end and the beginning.  As an end to a perfect day Ronda took me to Canlis for dinner.(http://www.canlis.com/) A High end restaurant that has been around since the 50s and one that I had been longing to try but required deep pockets full of gold.  Darcy had made arrangements and booked reservations before she left to go fishing and had left explicit instructions for Ronda to follow.  There were beautiful flowers at the table, the view was fabulous, and the food was magnificent.

First I thank God for the Blessings bestowed upon me and my family day in and day out.  I thank my parents for the love and support they gave me as a child and through my growing years.  For the example that they set for me to be persistent, pursue my goals and dreams and to work hard to achieve them.  My Guardian Angels whos spirits I feel linger near as I walk through my lifes passage.  Thanks to my family and friends who cheered me on and offered to taste test my dishes to show their support.  Thanks to my Instructors at Le Cordon Bleu Seattle, Chefs Knaup, De La Cruz, Mah, Carpenter, Frerichs and Cook for their inspiration and feeding the fuel of my aspirations of becoming a Chef.  Old dogs can learn new tricks lol. And a very special Thank you to the Love of my life Darcy Ann Jenkins for without her love for me and financial support none of this would have been possible. 

Solo'Au Patiole Te'o, Graduates as an Ambassador for LCB signified by the Blue cravat that we wear, Recieving High Honors Gold cord for GPA of 3.92 and Red cord for 98% attendance or higher. 

And now there is a new road to follow...

Thats my blip for my BFFs.  Eat, Drink and Be Merry!

Externship at Lisa Dupar Catering.

My Bahn Mi platter

My work station (where the cutting board is)

The Dish Pit. (Hobart is on the Right wall)

prep station and baking and pastry area

Baking and Pastry crew

Chef Eric Johnson

Chef Jonathan Zimmer/husband of Lisa

Wow, I didn't realize that I had completely neglected to write during my Externship.  Bad on me, my apologies.

I did my Externship at Lisa Dupar Catering in Redmond, WA.  During my interview with Chef Ramsey he told me that a while back they decided not to pay the Externs.  And so I made the decision to work just the minimum amount of time there which was 30 hours a week for 6 weeks plus whatever Events they asked me to do.  I was on Facebook and got a message from Chef Isaac Frerichs asking whether or not I was getting paid for my Externship and my response was "No, I'm not getting paid. They are making millions so they can't afford to pay an Extern"...

There is really not much that I could say about my Externship. On occasion very Rare occassions I was at the stove to actually cook something.  I think that happened oh 5 times?  I pan fried crab cakes, sauteed chicken, grilled flank steak and finished it in the oven, um...oh, made apple compote, and deep fried popcorn shrimps. 1 2 3 4 5 yep 5 times.

The rest of the time I prepped veggies and fruits, built sandwiches, made fruit platters or just got stuff ready for an event and Running around like a chicken with my head cut off helping people that were sometimes flailing about "in the weeds" in the kitchen. "In the Weeds" = Way the fuck behind and I need HELP!!!

Every day there was a Family meal prepared for Lunch for everyone.  I would work from 7 to 12/1230, eat lunch then work until 3 or until a project was done.  (once I worked until round about 7)  What? Oh, no I didn't forget.  No, I never took a break.  I never saw Anyone take a break.  It was work until Lunch time...

I was asked a few times to help out at Events and those were "eventful" to say the least.  Most of the time we would wait around for people to finish up a course then rush about getting plates out for the next course.  I would work my full shift, rush home to feed the dog and let her out, get dressed and rush off to an event using my Handy Dandy GPS on my Droid... Thank God for modern technology because I never would have made it to events on time otherwise.  I would be SO lost all the time.  Events were usualy from 5-930/10ish then I'd go home and it would start all over again.

I worked mostly with Chef de Cuisine Eric Johnson and he is a pretty amazing guy with a great sense of humor and patience to run the Culinary team at LDC.  He taught me tons of different cooking and prepping techniques and was very patient with me and my OCD. 

The OCD in me is an issue that I am working on... It slows me down.  Everything in it's place or cut right or... and the list goes on and on /sigh. It makes for beautiful platters, plates and whatnot and like any woman that wears make up knows that Beauty takes time lol...Chef Johnson did write that he liked my attention to detail in my Evaluation so I suppose it's not all that bad to have a bit of OCD.

The Executive Chef at Lisa Dupar is Chef Grover Ramsey and although I haven't seen him "yell" at anyone like Chef Gordon Ramsay, on TV, the similarity in the name is a little "eery"...  In school we were told to "address the cutting board" and so I had to retrain myself to cut the way that they asked... Chef Ramsey came over and asked me why I cut this way because I look like an untrained housewife trying to cook a meal at home.  And when I told him that I had to retrain myself to cut this way because it's how they taught us at school, he told me the I was "mislead".  And so now I "address the board" oops, shift, don't "address the board".  I'm SO confused lol...

And he talks SO FAST.  It's like a tape recording you're listening to on fast forward.  I know he would just look at me and think, "What a retard. Hello? Is anybody in there?"  I would stand there and stare at his lips and try to process what my eyes saw and what my ears heard before I would respond.  It was all so intimidating, I know I've developed a stutter/stammering tick.  He came over one time and was all pissed off that I didn't have a project ready on time and well, it wasn't my fault really...I would ask ok "what and how do you want me to do this?" and I got, do this and when you're done come and get me and we'll go from there.  ALL morning long it was this ask, wait, show and do process then come crunch time Chef Ramsey is all "You need to ask questions, you can't keep saying I don't know.  It's called cooking and if you can't do that then you're of no use to me in the kitchen."  He was asking me about did I make the veggie stock and I'd say no, because I was sent home the day before without making it and I don't know if Eric had someone else do it.  "How many pounds tomatoes did you cut?" "I don't know, he gave me the whole case and told me to cut them." etc...Then he'd grill me on the whys of cooking or not cooking things that are different sizes or why we don't add the tomatoes just yet and why is the squash not cut in batonnet like he asked.  Then he went on about how I need to think for myself.  Anger and frustration was building because ALL I had been doing the Whole freaking Morning was ask questions and so when he was done with is "lecture" I looked at him straight in the eye and said "I was just doing what I was told." 

Me = Samoan with Chinese, Scottish and French = Very bad temper...All I have to say is that I just kept telling myself that it was almost over, I'll be Graduating soon.  No rein on the temper = Fired = No Graduation...And so later on that day Chef Ramsey was trying to make a funny and says out loud to the other workers..."Don't get her mad because I'd hate to see her pissed off."  And this comment leads me to believe that I probably had a very pissed off yet composed look on my face after being tossed into the Ramsey flames.  Thank God for Over achievers R Us because while I was being Grilled with culinary questions I answered them all right...

And so...I was asked to stay on as a paid employee with Lisa Dupar Catering and I graciously turned them down as I will be working with Chef Zephyr Paquette at her new restaurant called Skelly and the Bean on Capitol Hill in Seattle.  She just signed the papers for it and just got into it on Nov 1 and there is a Lot of work to be done before it opens up on Dec 1 (hopefully) and I'll be volunteering my Cabinet making/Carpentry/Painting skills to help get it up and running.

FYI I met Chef Paquette through Chef Wong whom I met through my CAC instructor Chef Cook.  Chef Wong did a Pig butchering demo at school.  The day of the demo Chef Wong asked Thomas and myself to work at an event she working called Out for Sustainablity and that is where I met Chef Paquette.  I spoke to Chef Cook (Herman) and told her what I was planning to do after my Externship and she said that I could use her as a reference to try and get in with Chef Paquette and so I worked it and "used" Chef Cook (thank you very much) as my reference and Chef Paquette responded with "A reference from Chef Cook is good enough for me."  And so I say unto you... Networking, it's a beautiful thing.

Chef Eric Johnson was not so very happy with my response when they asked me to stay and said "I don't care about other Chefs" then changed the subject, and perhaps under a different set of circumstances I would have stayed especially just to learn from him.  I met a lot of great people at LDC and the guys that work there know a HELL of a lot more just from experience than I do and I will miss working with them but it's time to move on and learn other things from other people.

I did my time, I didn't lose it, I recieved a Fantastic evaluation from Chef Johnson where he said that I'm the best Extern they've had, and then it was time to turn in all my paperwork and Graduate...

That's my blip for my BFFs today.