a bit more about the Masters

Everyone has been so excited for my opportunity at the Masters and it has been fun talking about it to everyone - first of all, there is something thrilling when you have the inside scoop on something exclusive and secret and you can RUIN it (okay, that sounds so terrible! really I just mean...oh god I can't rationalize this one can I?). All that aside, it has been fun talking about it because every time I open my mouth I realize that I have learned something ELSE that I didn't even think of when I talked to the last person.

I love cooking because there is always something new. It never gets old, never ever. There are elements of art, science, beauty, nourishment, constant motion, excruciating patience, problem-solving, people pleasing, and hospitality involved in culinary. You must be a jack of all trades and master of EVERYTHING in the kitchen - you play with fire, hot vs. cold, prevent foodborne illnesses and contamination, lift heavy things (in my case reach to high shelves), etc. Maybe my favorite aspect in the kitchen, but also undoubtedly the hardest on my heart, is the ethics behind food. Where did my food come from? by what means was it gotten? where is it going? how much is going? am I meeting a need with my food or ignoring a need with my food? those questions will always plague me (dear Lord, please let them always plague me).

I was blown away by the immense amount of knowledge my chefs had last week and how they too still had so much to learn. I am excited to pick up better knife skills, learn how to prepare and make EVERYTHING, but I still have fear that I will not develop a discerning palette. I have heard that this can make or break the most skilled chef. During my vacation with my parents to Niagara's wine country, I could definitely learn to taste and smell and identify certain flavors in the wines while we were there. When I came home, I stopped trying and so I stopped tasting the details - what a shame. The hope in that, though, is that my tastes WILL be developing as I try.

Lastly, a few weeks ago I had mentioned a hopeful interview I had with Villa Tronco of Columbia for a 400-hour back-of-the-house internship. Well, I have been in that limbo of do-I-follow-up-again-or-do-I-leave-it-in-their-court and thankfully, Chef Tom put my mind to rest last night during the festival and called to say they wanted me aboard! I danced a jiggity jig upon my re-entrance into the festival (Indie Grits. Be there). I start Tuesday at 8:30am, expected in full chef attire and ready to roll. Let me tell you...I am SO ready to roll. I am so happy I won't be wasting much time in between the Masters and a kitchen here.

My only frustration with this whole thing is this. Chef Tim in Augusta told me I was too nice and too short for the hospitality industry, so I proved him wrong about being too nice. But then Chef Tom of Villa Tronco told me that "Carmella [3rd generation owner] thought you were as cute as a button so welcome aboard." So I am too nice for the industry, but just right on the cuteness factor? if I am so damn cute and it is getting me great opportunities, why have I even been spending my time studying for a 4-year degree? to have something to compensate for my niceness which is apparently a problem? this restaurant business could prove much more difficult than a proper tournée.

home sweet home

Well, I obviously dropped the ball on blogging after Day 3 at the Masters. Days 4 and 5 were excruciating on my feet and back and it was hard getting into the thick of things with strangers. The week got progressively better, though, after I had my breaking point early in the week. Our kitchen ended up doing lots of a la carte options so our line was always busy with food orders - loved it. Two days ago I was on the line as the designated Belgian Waffle and Omelet girl (the highlight of my week).

I will blog more about recipes, tricks and flavors I love or learned from the week. I have a lot of work to get caught up on (and sleep!) and I want to organize my thoughts. Don't worry, though, I kept a little notebook this week of tips and methods and I can't wait to post those things on here.

my little kitchen, West Kitchen

Masters, day 2

Well, I am winding down at 8:24 pm after a great day at work and a long day getting lost in downtown Augusta. I HATE Augusta. The interstates and highways are confusing and everywhere I go I feel that my safety is compromised. I wouldn't care so much except that everywhere I go I get lost and it happens to be in really rough areas where people cat-call. I am tired and ready to go to bed.

Getting up at 4am to be at work by 5am for our soft opening! We only expect about 10-15 patrons from Rolex and 20 from Mercedes-Benz tomorrow (day one of qualifying rounds). Today was spent prepping for a la carte menu items. I learned a few things:

• Cutting on the bias is not just prettier but makes for more surface area and more even cooking. Basically that is cutting at an angle - i.e. hold your chef knife at an angle while cutting down asparagus tips
• Fried capers: I have never heard of them, but we are making them tomorrow! Crunchy and sour sounds good to me
• Grating a boiled egg on a china cap: just grate the egg white and yolk from the inside of a china cap and it makes a beautiful little grate for salad toppings.

Going to shower now and hopefully go to sleep by 9:30.

Masters Tournament, day 1

Well, I stopped by the local Wal-mart after work today to get a 6-pack of Fat Tire Amber Ale (does putting "local" in front of Wal-mart subconsciously make it less offensive?) so as I lay here on someone else's bed in someone else's house drinking an amber ale, I write.

I went in this morning at 9am, a gracious morning compared with the 5am shifts that will start on Monday until next Sunday. Today was an "orientation" day of of sorts for everyone but my coworker and me. We were lacking our two lead chefs! So the day was spent re-organizing our kitchen to suit our fancy and bringing dairy and produce down to our kitchen to stock for the week. I am working in the kitchen of one of the Hospitality Suites which are 4 cottages set off the beaten path for the Big $$ sponsors- namely, Rolex, Mercedes-Benz and CBS. These are the tournament's biggest sponsors who pay lots and lots of big money to have a cottage where they can relax and get fed all they want, watch the game, socialize, bask on the back porch in all the pollen. The Masters stands apart in that there is an immense amount of privacy, exclusivity and secrecy. For instance, to become a member of the Club you must be invited. Rumor has it that Bill Gates has wanted to become a member but no amount of money can buy them out: he must be invited by a member and by the Club itself. Initiation fees have never been divulged and the green jackets are absolutely coveted by all (except by me).

I am so excited about this week despite my lack of concern for golf and the stuffiness of the Club. The chefs are amazing and nice - so far everyone works really well together and assumes the best about everyone. Some menu items for the week: Monte Cristo with maple syrup, Danish filled pancakes, smoked salmon on a cedar plank with red onions and capers, poached eggs with lump crab, lobster baked macaroni and cheese (YUM YUM YUM), bourbon glazed quail with grits cakes, orange and red onion fruit salad, rib-eye burger, to name a few. Oh, and did I mention the Masters gets the Masters Blend coffee especially made for the week?

I'll leave you with a fun fact. And if you see this blog mysteriously disappear it is probably due to power pressure. Well, on the bar in the Rolex cottage is a toaster oven. Why in the hell would we put a toaster oven in the bar when it belongs in the kitchen? Well, it only belongs in the kitchen if the kitchen needs to cook with it. The kitchen doesn't need to cook with it this week...Rolex needs it so that we can have nuts toasting in it while they mingle and relax. Oh, yes, you read that right. Rolex just prefers the aroma of toasted nuts while they spend their hours being served booze and gourmet food while watching The Masters tournament.

off to the Masters I go

well, I will be leaving town tonight about 7pm to get settled into a friend-of-a-friend's house for the week of the Masters. I will start work tomorrow at 9am and stop with just enough time to sleep in between on Sunday the 11th at midnight. if I can I will post updates this week but no cameras and no cell phones are allowed on premises! I will try to remember some good recipes or dish ideas to share.

only one thing to say -

I will be working 132 hours in 8 days at the Masters this year.

hello, Augusta Nationals

well, today has been an exciting day! Back in November I interviewed for temporary employment with the Augusta National Golf Club for the Masters! I interviewed with the Executive Chef, Bruce Sacino, and waited two excruciating months to hear back. On Feb 1 I received my hire letter and today drove to Augusta to fill out paper employment forms, get fitted for my uniform and take a picture for my badge. My hire letter confirmed that I would be in the Hospitality Department, but in what part?? Culinary!! So, I peaked on the woman's form in the dressing room and I have been assigned the role of Pantry Cook, or Garde Manger. That means I will be in charge of the cold side of the kitchen - salads, cheeses, appetizers, pates. I hope I get to work under Chef Sacino a good bit. Obviously I am over playing cool...I am too excited.


A video of Chef Sacino talking about well-known Chef John Paduzzi (one of my scholarships was a memorial to Chef Paduzzi!)

Me sneaking a picture while getting fitted for my chefs coat and pants