Next stop, Belle Haven Country Club.

So here goes as my culinary journey continues...
Next stop Belle Haven Country Club, in Alexandria VA.
This is a big step for me seeing as I'll be out on my own, In completley new surrondings. This is a six month trial that will take place for some serious learning. I am incredibly excited to step foot into a new kitchen and meet new people, and most imporatantly step into a new realm of the culinary world. Catering in mass! The thing's I will learn in the club is honestly what I feel is exactly what I need to continue and really test me. The best part about it is that I'll be right next to the bay and talk about fresh fish!! I have almost got all the plan's finalized as I will be departing the good ole' state of Missouri and making a drive on November 29th. Im slightly nervous but I know everything will work out. I am geared up and ready to go as I recieved an early birthday present of my entire knife set which was exactly what I needed! Now, uniforms... Time to ditch the pink jackets and pants and go strict black and white. I plan to post once a week while there to track my progress It's so exciting to see what I learn.

Needless to say, WISH ME LUCK!!



My new Wusthof Knife set, Thank you mom for the support. This will really helped out as I continue on my culinary journey.



The proposal 3 course

3 course tasting menu- Chef Brock and I put together a nice little tasting dinner the other night for a couple who were getting engaged that night. It was a great experience and an awesome opportunity to put are minds to work!

3 Course, Halibut pan seared, with corn salsa, tomato confit, roasted rosemary potato wedges, sherry vin reduction drizzle, purple basil chifnad, and beet wedge. 

1st course- Pan seared scallop, risotto spinach cake, infused with  lemon, grapefruit suprem, and torgashi. 

Watermelon tossed, salmon moose and cucumber. 

The proposal course, 3 sorbet's, with lavender and mint micro's 

Can I get an amen for inspirtation

This past weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to learn under some incredible chefs.. Trying to find the words to explain how awesome it was is slightly difficult. The first main day was friday, which included a dinner service of 8 courses. I was paired with two chefs to work with for the weekend chef grady spears, and sharon hage. On friday morning I was asked to break down salmon, so I just say yes chef and get to work... yet I have never broken down salmon so it was nerve racking experience. First chef mike shows me, and Im still having trouble, then chef greg sharpe helps me and Im still a little confused. Then chef bernard comes and helps me and shows me a completely different way and it helped. The first salmon I broke down wasn't to pretty but with a little practice they began to improve. Friday night dinner service was so much fun working with all these great chefs on the line, it was defenitly an experience ill never forget. Then saturday continued on to work with chef Sharon more as we had our demo tent. The demo was a blast our dish was a roasted eggplant, on tomato bread, with hot peppers and fresh garden herbs.. I enjoyed working with sharon that day she really taught me alot and also worked on my knife skills as well. It was an amazing time. I look forward to what my future is holding Im determined to learn more.

chef sharon and I at demo 

Chef Bernard and I 

Chef Greg and I 

yay salmon. 

and this big piggy went to the grill for 35 hours. 

sakmon 

expediting food. 

demo tent 

chef grady spears and I

Part of the gang 

Kodak Moments-- summer edition

Oh just straining some chicken stock :) yummy!



One thing I've learned is to not let anyone help me lift stuff, especially being a girl in a kitchen.. I got this



Strongest man in Missouri stopped in for dinner-- Ovalta Bell



Big Al- Snapped some pics of me while I was cutting herbs from the garden



Perfect example of farm to table

So I can make a souflee now..

--just for giggles... this piggy went to the fryer.

...dreams can become reality...

Trying to express how things are going into a template can be troubleing sometimes.. I've reached a point where a simple dream is becoming reality. I want nothing else in life than to live, eat, sleep, breathe the culinary world. Im driven and not going to stop until I get to the top. "A lil' practice makes perfect"

So, yes I may of only started cooking seriously a short time ago, yet I have caught on quickly in my opinion. I am in a career field where there is nothing but learning to take place. So, as I worked the line on a previous evening the sous chef says food network is having casting calls. First reaction, I wish I could be on that show, I dream of being on that show really. I thought to myself why not give it a whirl. What's the worst that can happen them tell me no? If you expect the worse everything normally turns out fine. So, Im going to give this a try. I may not be as experienced as many of the chef's who are on the show but hey, it's worth a shot. My grandmother always told me to follow my dreams... Well, that's what Im doing. At least I can say I gave it a shot.

Well, this is me making my dreams into reality one step at a time. I want to be able look back a few years from now and be proud of my accomplishments. Wether I have the support along the way or not, as long as I am happy and have the self-confidence in myself is all I need.

Nothing holding me back

Pic's from Slow Food, Feast in the Field Event- at Claverach Farm

Our team!



BBQ'n  <3




Our Finished Plate :)




100 Plates, 2 minutes Later :)



All the chef's that particpated
(Of course Im the only one in pink <3) ha.

Have you ever sat and wondered what the future may hold? Wanting so badly to get a glimpse of were you may be 1, 5, 10 years down the road? Well, recently I've been thinking about what lies ahead on this culinary journey I am on. I know I am truely passionate about staying with it, I eat, sleep, dream food.. I am so incredibly eager to learn more, I know there is nothing stopping me from furthering myself. I know I am going to finish schooling. I so badly want to travel, Im thinking after schooling is finished I would like to go work out of the country and get an experience for authentic styles of different cooking. It would be awesome. This all came about as I was catering with the Overlook Team at the Slow food event in St.louis. The event was to show people farm to table simply put. It was an amazing experience. I love going to these different event's, meeting other chefs, and most importantly getting to cook :) You know your heart is in your career when ya can't believe you get paid to work when ya' love it so much..

Inspiration

1. Put your heart and soul into what you cook
   "Cooking is like love.  It should be entered into with abandon or not at all." Harriet van Horne 
2. Put time and care into your cooking
   "Enchant, stay beautiful and graceful, but do this, eat well. Bring the same consideration to the preparation of your food as you devote to your appearance. Let your dinner be a poem, like your dress." -Charles Pierre Monselet
3. Don’t try to make it too fancy
   "Make [food] simple and let things taste of what they are." -Curnonsky
4. Keep in mind why you are cooking
   "Food is not about impressing people. It’s about making them feel comfortable." -Ina Garten
5. Ask experts for advice
   "If God had intended us to follow recipes, He wouldn’t have given us grandmothers." -Linda Henley-Smith
6. Be patient
   "Cooking is an art and patience a virtue… Careful shopping, fresh ingredients and an unhurried approach are nearly all you need. There is one more thing - love. Love for food and love for those you invite to your table. With a combination of these things you can be an artist - not perhaps in the representational style of a Dutch master, but rather more like Gauguin, the naïve, or Van Gogh, the impressionist. Plates or pictures of sunshine taste of happiness and love." -Keith Floyd
7. Start with the basics and the rest will come
   "Once you understand the foundations of cooking - whatever kind you like, whether it’s French or Italian or Japanese - you really don’t need a cookbook anymore." -Thomas Keller
   
8. Stay Positive, & Patient
   “Take the time to learn, and try new things, don’t let the craziness bring you down and most importantly don’t be afraid to make mistakes, and work harder than the person next to you.”-Tim Grandinetti