We've got some differences of opinion among the students on catering for hire. I liked the idea, because:
- We got two complete days [if you look at our class schedule -- at least as much as I've entered thus far, you'll see that two days is a relative luxury] of experience preparing food en masse -- for a crowd of about 300 people at nearby Science World for their upcoming "James Bond" event
- Students got some experience delivering catered meals
- Chef Christophe could equip our kitchen with many more/varied foodstuffs than would be possible without funding via a catering event; his labor costs are approximately zero because the students are providing free labor, the the vast quantities of food have a "home" after we process them.
I enjoyed the first prep day; it was exciting and fostered a sense of teamwork (you've got 50 or so tasks to accomplish, each group is working on a half dozen of them -- yet the group at large is working together toward a common goal) -- and Chef Christophe (who operates local catering firm LeZeste) is getting exposure for the school -- as well as the students.
Some feel, however, that its inappropriate to "volunteer" the school to support an event that funds the Faculty's side-business. I can see how one could feel this way -- but it strikes me as a "win win" scenario -- students get experience that the school couldn't (or wouldn't) otherwise provide -- and Chef gets the review from the event. Works for me.
On the other hand, I would not want to make a habit of it; this particular event was scheduled into the curriculum already.
My Station-Partner (Lee) and I prepared:
- A half-dozen cucumbers, cut into narrow strips for rolled sushi
- Two hundred phyllo cups (yeah, cups created out of small sheets of phyllo, assembled in muffin tins). This required 3 pounds of phyllo dough, and a bit over a pound of melted butter
- Four liters (about a gallon) of mayonnaise which when put together with...
-
- About 2 cups of chives emincee and
- Two cups of fine-chopped red onion
- About red bliss potatoes, quartered -- enough to fill a stockpot 2 1/2' high and about the same, round
- A bunch of horseradish
...resulted in a respectable amount of respectable potato salad.
Next Log
Previous Log