Unequal Responsibilities

Today I had another day off. It seemed slightly strange to be getting another two days off after only working four days, as last week I worked eight days before having two days off, but that is how it goes sometimes. In this industry, you take your days off when you can get them, and bank them for the times when you have to work long stretches. I didn’t do too much again today – I went for a nice walk down a country road. I had two nice staff meals – steamed green beans, baby roasted potatoes, and creamy penne for lunch, with curry, spiced noodles, and smoked salmon blini for supper.

A rabbit I spotted on my walk today

Days off tend to be days where I reflect on my work the past week. I know I have been working hard because even with resting, my legs were very sore all day. I am quite impressed with myself and how I have been handling the starter section at the busy bar all week – being the one mainly responsible for all the orders and prep. I have been reflecting on how much I have had to keep track of on this section in the past week, and realized that the starter section is actually probably the most challenging kitchen position of all on this entire estate. It has occurred to me that the pastry section, where I started off, literally is a cakewalk, and we hardly give it a second thought now, it just gets done as needed. But the main course section actually has it easier as well. Here is a glimpse of my responsibilities: 

Sandwiches, Salads & Classics - STARTERS
• Classic Triple Decker Sandwich - Served with Garden Salad and Crisps, toasted if requested, with a choice of:
Free Range Chicken Sandwich with Bell Pepper, Lettuce bound with Mayonnaise
Or Ham & Cheese Sandwich with Castle Leslie Relish
Or Free Range Egg Salad Sandwiches with Scallion & Chive bound with Mayonnaise
• Open Smoked Salmon Blinis with Horseradish Crème Fraiche, Red Onion, Capers 
• Prawn Cocktail - Whiskey Marie Rose, Iceberg Lettuce 
• Kitchen Salad Starter - Baby Gem Salad Leaves, Feta Cheese, Garlic Croutons, Black Olive, Cherry Tomato, Cucumber, Red Onion, Balsamic Dressing
• Chicken Wings Tossed in Hot Sauce Starter, with Tossed Salad and Coriander Lime Yogurt
• Barbeque Ribs with Garden Salad Starter 
• Atlantic Seafood Platter Starter - Smoked Mackerel, Prawns in Marie Rose, Crab Claws, Battered Squid, Whitebait, Smoked Salmon, Garlic & Lime Mayonnaise
• Starter Special of the Day


Main Courses
• Traditional Fish & Chips - Battered Cod, Chips, Traditional Tartar Sauce, Side Salad
• Kitchen Salad Main - Baby Gem Salad Leaves, Feta Cheese, Garlic Croutons, Black Olive, Cherry Tomato, Cucumber, Red Onion, Balsamic Dressing
• Chicken Wings Tossed in Hot Sauce Main, with Tossed Salad and Coriander Lime Yogurt
• Barbeque Ribs with Garden Salad Main
• Atlantic Seafood Platter Main - Smoked Mackerel, Prawns in Marie Rose, Crab Claws, Battered Squid, Whitebait, Smoked Salmon, Garlic & Lime Mayonnaise

Main Course Accompaniments
• Garden Salad for Goat’s Cheese Tart
• Herb Salad for Pan Seared Coley
• Side of Straw Potatoes and Three Onion Rings for every Steak
• French Dressing for Chicken Breast
• Herb Salad for Lambs’ Kidneys
• Side of Gaufrette Potatoes for every Burger
• Dish of the Day Accompaniment

Kids’ Menu
• Breaded Chicken Fingers
• Two Egg Omelette with ham and tomato
• Panfried Pork Sausages with Onion Gravy
• Battered cod
• Vegetable Spring Rolls
Each kids’ meal is accompanied by a side of chips, mashed potatoes, or garden salad. 

Special Requests
• Slice of bread, toast, or gluten-free bread
• Slice of cheese, lettuce, tomato
• Plain chicken or egg sandwiches – not the usual mix bound with mayo
• Warm chicken on a salad
• Substituting side orders or sauces
• Half orders, or items to be split into two portions
• Items served on different dishes than usual 
• Starters served with main courses
• Kids’ food to be ready early
• Starters made into main course portion sizes

Side Orders
• Chips
• Garlic Chips
• Gaufrette Potatoes 
• Mashed Potatoes
• Side Salad 
• Onion Rings 
• Garlic Bread
• Garlic Potatoes
• Veg of the Day
• Garlic Butter
• Any extra sauces on the side: Garlic and chive mayonnaise, coriander and lime yogurt sauce, tartar sauce, horseradish crème fraiche, Marie Rose sauce, hot sauce, French dressing, balsamic dressing, Ceasar dressing, mayonnaise, red pepper essence, gravy, white wine sauce, peppercorn sauce, barbecue sauce, pesto, red sauce, tomato sauce, red pepper relish, onion marmalade.  

So even though I do not cook nor plate the main course proteins – I am responsible for some aspect on every one of the main courses. This as well as all the sides, all the starters, and the kids’ food. And starter orders can come in with starters, with mains, starters made into mains, etc. While the main course chef only cooks the main courses, I have to worry about cooking for main courses and starters. So while I am trying to fill three main course orders, I get in two more orders that have starters that need to go out first, followed by more main courses I have to worry about. While the main course cook gets a breather (especially while the proteins are in the oven cooking), I never get a rest! You would think at least occasionally the mains cook could make their own wee herb salad or cook a batch of chips for one of their dishes, but no. Even though I have twelve other orders on the go, that steak needs to be topped with three fried onion rings, which are on my section. My job also requires running to the walk-in fridge and freezer for some ingredients that need to be kept there, while all the main course ingredients are right there at the mains station.

Fish and chips sounds easy enough, but then I have to remember that it goes in a special basket with paper and needs a ramekin of tartar sauce and a wedge of lemon, plus a side salad to accompany it. Seafood platters, either starters or mains, are the worst, because I have to run to the freezer to get a squid ring, get whitebait from the fridge and toss it in flour and fry those both, cook crab claws in a saucepan in garlic butter, line the board with garlic mayonnaise, have sliced bread for the bottom, make a garden salad, put salmon, mackerel, prawns, and a crevette on the plate, then time the cooked items perfectly so when the platter goes out – the hot items are hot and the cold items are cold, and the other dishes going out with that dish are ready too. And all the side orders as well – if someone orders one order of garlic potatoes, you would think the main course cook could plate up that order quickly for me, but it is my responsibility. 

Really the only thing besides cooking the main proteins (though I still have a lot of proteins to cook) that I am not responsible for is the kids’ tagiatelle with tomato sauce, and dessert orders (unless no one else is around to do them). Not that I am complaining – I am enjoying the rush and being busy and active and hands-on with food all the time. But once in a while, a break, whether for my legs or my mind, might be nice!