Anti-climax

Well, well, well....it's officially the end of the insanity of my 52-day week!

As you would have read from the previous posts, the past 52 days have been go, go, go. Do I regret any of it? No. I know what the Hospitality industry brings in terms of social life (or rather lack of), sleepless nites, crazy hours of being in the kitchen. But when you are both a student AND working in the industry, it is doubly mad.

Culinary fare
Well, as you'd expect...I think it could have been better. But such is the result: Kitchen came away with a silver (and this DOES NOT mean we came second!) and FOH also came away with a silver. We all were hoping and thought that we did well enough to come away with a gold but much to our disappointment...
My team mate got selected for the spot of Junior Chef of the NZ Culinary team. Since this will be read by the world, I'm going to reserve my judgements about it on this post.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself, both the training as well as the competition and am def doing it again next year. I know you may all say that I'm mad and crazy but nothing new there! It was a good experience with good training from our tutors and all credit to them that I want to do it again. If you remember, I said a long time ago that I vowed never to compete again after a bad experience in 2005. But I have since had my mind changed.

Here are photos of our food from the day:

Entree
Fruit wood Smoked Salmon on Apple Cucumber Slaw, Kumara & Savoy Fritter with Horseradish Creme Fraiche


Main
NZ Beef Sirlion filled with Bone Marrow, Spinach, Parsley accompanied with Parsnip Puree, Brocollini, Braised Portabello & Dauphine Potato with Red Wine Jus


Dessert
Blood Orange Bavarois, Chocolate Beignet with Passionfruit sauce and Salt Caramel



Industry placement
I hated the first week! I was so bored I was literally climbing the walls. Each day was such a drag and I was wishing I was somewhere else every minute. The second week, was a little more interesting. I actually had things to do and all in all a better time. I guess, they were happy enough with me...they've asked me to come back during Xmas to give them a hand.

Holidays
I'm officially on holidays at the moment but it wouldn't be Jean if she actually took the holiday, would it?! Well, I'm actually being better these holidays. I'm only working 6 days as opposed to the usual 10 days. AND, I am going away for some of the holidays too. So I'm not all naughty...

Wrist
I am due to see the specialist again on Tuesday. My wrist is slowly on the mend but too slow to make anyone happy! So hopefully, when I see him on Tues he'll have a better solution idea for me. It's just getting so annoying...It's been sore for over a year now!


So what do I do with myself now? Well, it is very much an anti-climax now that everything is over and there is no big thing happening in the next month or so. Uni will not be the same; considering I spent 12-13 hours at uni for majority of the week last term and will only be there for the usual 4-6hours next term. I guess, I'll just have to try and enjoy the slow pace for a little bit.

In between doing a million things over the past month, I've been able to find some time to do some reading. The current book I have been given to read has been fun, enjoyable, interesting but yet challenging, hard and often I just felt like not wanting to read it anymore. I was handed this book because all the characters in the book have funny little things about them that when all put together, become me! And just being able to see that really has been helping with the searching and questioning I have been doing lately. Not far away from finishing it now...

Well, I'd best be off! Adieu