Days 2-4 of the Co-Op!

I can not explain how busy and so beneficial my past couple of days have been! Since the first day I knew that everything I do here is only to make me better as a future chef. Starting in the prep station, I'm learning about new ingredients, new prep preparations and also how no matter what goes on outside of the kitchen, being inside of it makes it non-existent for the time being. Being in the kitchen at Rioja requires hard work, consistency, skill and keeping a outgoing atmosphere all at the same time! On Friday (My 2nd day) it was the end of restaurant week and although I was only scheduled for the AM shift, I wanted to experience and learn more about how everything works. So what did I decide to do, stay until close meaning from 7am-12:45am I was in the kitchen and observing the line for dinner service. It was amazing to me how the line worked in harmonny together! Not to say t was complete silence because of course pots, pans and communication for the orders from the line cooks, the pantry, the pastry and the expiditer were all in full force. Although my body may have been a little tired does not mean that I was tired. Some people were shocked that I stayed pretty much from open to close, but hey I have a passion that I love and for that I believe I've gained some respect from all of the staff that is at the restaurant.

Before I go any further, I want to say that the entire staff is so great to work with! Everyone is respectful, jokeful and serious which makes me feel even more amazed and grateful to have my co-op at this restaurant.

Overall only 4 days into this co-op and I've learned so much already and know what I need to continue doing to get the best out of it and become better as a chef. Continue to work hard, always be willing to learn from everybody and also have fun doing what I love to do! Oh and now its time for me to start studying my Spanish speaking skills!

Right now I have the next two days off which I will use to study more of my cookbooks, the restaurants menus and think to myself how can I better my production in the kitchen better then the previous day!

I think I will finish this night off by trying to read the updated blogs that I am following because I've been so busy that I haven't been on my computer in days! If not I will probably read what I miss tomorrow morning!

- Kenon Thompson

First Day of the Co-Op!

So today I officially started my co-op (although technically its still spring break) but I don't mind a early start! Today I worked the AM shift, getting re-familiarized with the kitchen and what nots and began work. Today showed me personally that this will be the hardest tri that I will ever have to go through in college and school period! Well I'm a little tired right now, but I still have some studying to do before I call it a night and get back to the work tomorrow! Overall, I believe this co-op will be the best start to my career that I could have ever asked for!

- Kenon Thompson

Possibilites Are Endless!

Today I finally got the schedule for my co-op at Rioja restaurant. Six weeks of AM shifts and six weeks of PM shifts with two days off! Before I even had my schedule, if I could not stay at my co-op site all day, then I wanted to be in another kitchen and/or somewhere around food to learn more. I mean, I've paid to be in classes all day and the culinary labs are only six hours long; if I am going to have a trimester with just working (and a food writing class which I am so happy about having), I want to be in a kitchen all day too! So I've been pushing for another place to go to since the beginning of the co-op process and today it seems to have paid off.

I went to the guy who handles our whole co-op/internship stuff at my school. At first I was told it's impossible to have two co-op sites and/or it would be too much work to handle. Unfortunately I feel that my work ethic for food can not be compared to any other students at this school (no offense to anyone.) So I went and talked to the school guy and informed me that there are ways that if I really want to be in a kitchen all day what I need to do is network with my co-op chef (which is well known in Denver.) I was advised to ask the chef if there are any other places she may know of that I can stash at to keep me in the kitchen and/or around anything culinary. Maybe another Italian/Mediterranean restaurant, or another cuisine restaurant such as Mexican, French, etc, or even go to a fish monger (and with me wanting to learn more about fish is off the scale beneficial to my career) which will only help start and build my career as my journey to chefdom better.

So now that's the plan, to find a way to be somewhere around a kitchen and/or food at least six days a week, I was also advised to at least take one day off for myself which was to read my cook books all day pretty much. I can not wait until the day my co-op starts because I finally get to be in the environment that I want to be in all the time (besides the one day off.)

Oh and yesterday I was able to spend some more of my extra college money on another book! The book choice this time was Charlie Trotter's Seafood book and I can not wait to read that one soon! I was going to get Charlie Trotter's Meat and Game book also but I decided to wait on that one! Knowing myself though, it was hard just leaving with one book this week getting Thomas Keller's Bouchon and Charlie Trotter's Seafood on separate days, I usually end up leaving any bookstore with about three or four books average anyways!

- Kenon Thompson

Extra Money In School Account....... No Problem!!!!

Ok so with extra money in my school account I could wait until the end of the school year and just blow it on anything! That's not my style at all, so I decided to be productive with my extra money. I'm obssessed with cook books and there is one that I have been wanting for a long time. Thomas Keller's Bouchon cook book has been on my list and I finally got it!!!! Still with three other cook books in front of it to read I can't wait to crack that bad boy open!

As I was also in the bookstore I noticed that there was a pasta machine, kind of small but not too small. Being in love with Italian/Mediterranean cuisine, I looked at it and said "I GOTTA HAVE IT!" So I looked it, looked at the price and bought it with the extra money from school! Unfortunately, I didn't like how the size adjustor dial was, instead of just turning it, I had to pull it out and then change it. Which then I saw a major flaw and easily broken part on it so I ended up taking it back. I'll probably end up buying some more books though with the money that was supposed to be used for the pasta machine.

I guess college isn't all that bad with surprise quizzes, tests and the most unfair idiotic professors when the bookstore has the book you want and you can buy it basically for free!!!! (Well its not directly out of your pocket, so its kidna free in a way.)

- Kenon T.