Day Three: Sunday 3rd July 2005
Never say Never!
This morning, we met for a weekly kitchen meeting in the back-yard at 7:40AM. Today, I worked in the main kitchen at the Fat Duck site and was able to observe actual service. I helped on the mis-en-place section, preparing dishes like oysters, sardines on toast sorbet and mustard iced cream. As well as preparing some of the basic dishes, I also ran the finished plates to the waiter’s area. It was great to be able to be so close to the action.
This morning, we met for a weekly kitchen meeting in the back-yard at 7:40AM. Today, I worked in the main kitchen at the Fat Duck site and was able to observe actual service. I helped on the mis-en-place section, preparing dishes like oysters, sardines on toast sorbet and mustard iced cream. As well as preparing some of the basic dishes, I also ran the finished plates to the waiter’s area. It was great to be able to be so close to the action.
'close to the action'
The Head Chef was off work today and Heston was directly in charge of the kichen. He was also often asked to sign menus and books by guests at the restaurant. Despite having seen him in passing over the last couple of days, today was the first time I met him personally. My first impression was that he seemed much smaller than I had imagined. Not small, but just an average man’s height. We shook hands and he asked me a few general questions, expressing a genuine interest. Every one he spoke to, he seemed to have an instant rapor with, probaby helped by the way that his audience naturally seems to admire or respect him.
Heston is currently working on a new idea to serve his scrambled egg and bacon iced-cream. I don’t want to give away too much, until he does it, for two reasons- firstly, because, I don’t want to give away his idea and secondly, because I am concerned that by telling publicly how something is done, part of the magic is lost. A magician never reveals how his tricks are actually created and Heston is a culinary magician in every sense of the idea. But, something that I overheard Heston say was interesting- he remarked confidently, ‘In 10 years, we have never said that something that something couldn’t e done…Never say never!’ This philosophy is reflected in so much of what Heston and his team create. Almost every dish requires hours of careful, meticulous, precise preparation. Most people might never think of the idea, many who do think of it will decide that it simply cannot done- because it requires too much, but Heston is not like most people. Much of his initial success must be owed to the fact that he pushes boundaries in a unique and imaginary way and is prepared to do what ever it takes to achieve the finished result.
The Head Chef was off work today and Heston was directly in charge of the kichen. He was also often asked to sign menus and books by guests at the restaurant. Despite having seen him in passing over the last couple of days, today was the first time I met him personally. My first impression was that he seemed much smaller than I had imagined. Not small, but just an average man’s height. We shook hands and he asked me a few general questions, expressing a genuine interest. Every one he spoke to, he seemed to have an instant rapor with, probaby helped by the way that his audience naturally seems to admire or respect him.
Heston is currently working on a new idea to serve his scrambled egg and bacon iced-cream. I don’t want to give away too much, until he does it, for two reasons- firstly, because, I don’t want to give away his idea and secondly, because I am concerned that by telling publicly how something is done, part of the magic is lost. A magician never reveals how his tricks are actually created and Heston is a culinary magician in every sense of the idea. But, something that I overheard Heston say was interesting- he remarked confidently, ‘In 10 years, we have never said that something that something couldn’t e done…Never say never!’ This philosophy is reflected in so much of what Heston and his team create. Almost every dish requires hours of careful, meticulous, precise preparation. Most people might never think of the idea, many who do think of it will decide that it simply cannot done- because it requires too much, but Heston is not like most people. Much of his initial success must be owed to the fact that he pushes boundaries in a unique and imaginary way and is prepared to do what ever it takes to achieve the finished result.
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