I'm not a complete failure after all....

soooooooooooo.............. I PASSED! If you haven't read any of my recent Twitter or Facebook updates, let me give you a refresher. I FREAKING PASSED! Thank you Jesus, Joseph, and The Virgin Mary! You have no idea how much of a relief it is to know that I was able to get passed this enormous hurdle. As you're reading this, I'm doing my interpretation of the best end zone dance EVER!

I don't know if they intentionally put all the pressure on you at the beginning of culinary school, or if it's like the culinary equivalent of Darwin's theory by weeding out the ones who can't cut it, but I am so glad that it's over and done with. It feels like a release valve was just turned on, and all the pressure that was building up over the past three levels is being expelled into the outer atmosphere.

To prove it, last night I was strolling around each of the different floors with my classmate (hi Ed!) while we were on the hunt for stock containers. Now that I'm in production for level four, the majority of our work consists of prepping the basic necessities for the restaurant. We get to make stocks, trim protein (more on that in another post), clean fish, etc. Well as part of our task list, we needed to strain a veal stock, but had nothing to put the stock in. Correction; we had something to put them in, but after Chef Janet told us about the time a student burned himself after a stock started to leak through a cheap plastic container, we didn't want to take our chances.

So back to the hunt for the "better" (safer) stock containers... as we're rummaging through each of the school kitchens, we made our way back to the fourth floor where the beginner level kitchens are. It was obvious last night was the first night for some level one students, as they were learning the basics to taillage. You can always tell when it's a first day for a new class because ALL you do is cut vegetables. Like seriously that's it. I mean you get to make something with them, but you pretty much are learning how to julienne carrots and macédoine turnips. It's not really that exciting, but it's like with everything you have to first learn the basics. Think of it like the time in Karate Kid when Daniel-san is waxing the car and Mr. Miyagi goes "wax-on, wax-off". Daniel-san was annoyed and had no idea why he needed to do it, but in the end when he busted out that awesome kick to the face, well okay maybe not the same move but you get the point.

Anyhow, we walked in to the beginner level classroom and had to chuckle a little because it just seems so easy now. To think that back in September I cut myself on my first day, because I had no idea what I was doing seems so elementary. 1.) I haven't cut myself in weeks (well not badly anyway) and 2.) mentally you don't even think about how to cut your vegetables anymore. You just do it naturally.

I guess that's when it finally sunk in. I am making progress, and I'm glad that I took that walk last night. Lately I've been beating myself up, thinking that I wasn't going anywhere but now looking back I've come along way. It feels pretty awesome.

Go me!