Stagier: French for "Indentured Servant"

In the restaurant industry, there's a practice known as "staging." (Pronounced with a long "a," as if it rhymes with dodge) Essentially, someone interested in seeing how a particular restaurant works contacts the chef, and requests a one-day (or more) internship. This indentured servitude is then rewarded (by the better restaurants) with kind treatment, recipe / procedure transparency, and the chance to walk in the shoes of one of an employee.

Regardless of the word's history, this level of transparency within a business can seem somewhat foreign to a lot of my friends. Non Disclosure Agreements (and other such contractual guarantees of silence) make a completely open door essentially non-exsistant to them. I've gotta say though, since making my career switch, i have become a huge believer in the power of an open door. The ability to see "how the other side lives" so to speak is something that allows food-related professionals constant access to knowledge and inspiration, two things that are always in demand. Unfortunately though, there's a huge debate within the industry as far as HOW MUCH information should be divulged to one of these interns. Should a guest be privy to all the recipes he/she can cram into memory that day, or should there be some be guarded secrets? Are signature items completely off the grid, or is EVERYTHING fair game? Well, I suppose it's all a matter of opinion and so it's up to the chef to decide what he/she is comfortable divulging. In my experience, those chefs who were secure enough to share their full knowledge base have been the most successful within the industry. They find comfort in open discussions, inquisitive minds, and even the occasional heated debate. You see, the food industry is a strange place. When someone cooks they invest themselves so heavily in the products they produce that it becomes extremely personal. So much so, that there are plenty of times that it's nearly impossible to pull yourself back and say "ok, how do I like this composition of flavors/textures thus far?" I wouldn't know it yet, but I suppose it'd be like asking a parent to objectively judge their child against all others. Sure, there would always be flaws, it's just a matter of what flaws are most obvious, and how severe those flaws TRULY are. For that reason, I find it extremely important to be open to discussion, critique, and hope that as long as we can keep things civil, this level of communication will yeild a better, more refined outcome.

Anywho, what I'm driving at is that there are plenty of chefs who I feel demonstrate what it is to be professional, open, and confident. For the last two weeks, (and until i'm employed once again..hah) I've had the pleasure of visiting a bunch of great restaurants around New York. I've been extremely picky about who i'd like to visit, and it's really helped me narrow-down what the qualities are of the next environment i'd like to work. The place has to be high quality, intimate, creative, free-thinking (not bound to any stupid rules like "oh, chef ____ ONLY wants desserts like this"), and, more important than anything else, welcoming.

If I could work anywhere now, it'd be Le Bernardin. I've waxed poetic about everything from the clean, vibrant symphony of flavors that are the desserts, to the staff which has (on multiple occasions) treated me as one of their own. A restaurant like that has a lot to teach cooks, and of course, has set a great example for me to use at a place of my own (in a few years). Unfortunately though, my schoolgirl-like crush on a position there is going to have to remain a fantasy until by some divine miracle a spot opens up. I'll jam my foot in the door as long as I can, but the realities of rent, food, and running water have a habit of sneaking up on me.

Anywho, for now i'm going to head home to Baltimore for the week. Assuming all goes well, i'll be relocating (as permanently as a twenty-something can) back to NYC for the New Year. =)

Until we meet again, have a Chappy Channukah, a Killer Kwanza, and a Merry X-mas.

CIAO!!!

....also, random Hot CD: Kid Cudi - Plain Pat & Emile Presents a KiD named CuDi

Enjoy!

Italia in Fast Forward

Massarosa -> Viareggio -> Florence -> Venice -> Milan -> Pisa -> Naples -> Sorrento -> Vesuvius -> The Amalfi Coast -> Vietri Sul Mare -> Reggio Calabria -> Messina -> Taormina -> Castelmola -> Catania -> Mt Etna -> Vietri Sul Mare (again!) -> Siena -> Chianti -> Viareggio -> New York -> Baltimore

Any quesions?


Ok ok, so that doesn't really say much. Actually, if you hadn't read anything before this, that seemling random string of places seems absolutely non-sensical. Fortunately however, there is in fact a method to this madness.

What you see above is a brief itinerary of the three week adventure my parents & I completed. Now, in the interest of full disclosure I should say that my sister joined us for the first week, so from Massarosa to Pisa, we got to see Italy as a full family. Afterwords however, it was back to the triumphs and tribulations of the Rosen Trio.

Basically the trip consisted of short "sprint" drives where we would cover a few hours on the autostrada and stop wherever the scenery became most interesting. WIthout that mentality, I can almost guarantee we would've never enjoyed the company of an amazing family that took us in in Vietri Sul Mare, or the hilariously dysfunctional Mother-Son culinary team we met at a restaurant on the top of a mountain in Castelmola. Honestly, it had its frustrations, but it really was an amazing way to travel. As I'd anticipated, my Italian certainly was pushed to it's bounds as it became more and more clear that simply trying to converse with people for 6 months does not make you anything close to a countrymen. There were mixups and fudges of seemingly monumental proportions, but of course when it all came into perspective, I can only be thankful for the chance to see everything as we did.

I do have to mention though, when i finished my time with Sandra & the gang at Toscana Saporita, I felt that I had reached a comfortable end. I felt as if we had our time, but it was time to do/see something else. However, as I stared out the window of our plane and the engine's thrust squished me back into my seat, the scenery began to pull away, and the idea of going home finally set in, I developed a bit of a pit in my stomach. I couldn't believe that I was leaving. More so, I felt physically disturbed. It was as if my organs had decided to stay, but my body was being dragged along. For the first time, I really felt very unhappy with the idea of leaving, and it hit me hard.

As we cruised at 30,000 ft over the Atlantic I thought about it more and more:

What had I really set in motion by coming home?

Where am I going now?

and more importantly, How on Earth am I going to get there?

Honestly, I have no idea. BUT, I will say that living abroad made a lasting impression on me. For the first time, I truly understand what it's like to walk in an ex-pat's shoes.

A few years ago I had an intimate relationship with someone who took time to live abroad. When this person returned home, I had no doubt that something was different. A lot had remained the same, but there was something intangible that truly altered our dynamic. When I stepped off that plane and thought about seeing my friends again it dawned on me. For the first time in my life I understand that position. I don't know exactly what's changed, but I feel different. I feel as if, although the physical distance is gone, there is still some psychological distance between myself and people at home. It's as if there's some force imposing this feeling outside of my control, and I truly wonder when I'll feel fully welcomed back into the world of living as an American. I mean, to go back to my previous point, I'm sure I did what I could to maintain consistency a few years ago, but I'll tell you, I never expected the other side to be like this. To this person's credit, it takes a hell of a lot to re-calibrate back to being home. I don't know if I'll ever fully adjust, but I can say for sure, this will not have been my last ExPat experience.

The bug has bitten....


Let see when the itch comes back. =P

Until next time, CIAO!

(oh, and pics to come... don't worry! I'm transferring to a new computer so it may take a bit)