From Apprentice to Chef: Reflecting on My Culinary School Journey’s Grand Finale

It’s truly astonishing to think that our final normal day of intensive production in the kitchen was just last Thursday. The culmination of this incredible culinary journey, which once seemed a distant dream, is now unfolding before our eyes. On one hand, it feels like only yesterday we were all grappling with the complexities of making French Onion soup during our very first day in the kitchen. That initial struggle, filled with nervous laughter and concentrated effort, is a vivid memory. Yet, paradoxically, it also feels like an eternity has passed since those formative moments, a testament to the sheer volume of skills learned and experiences gained. It’s a funny duality, isn’t it? Time seems to stretch and compress in equal measure when you’re deeply immersed in a transformative experience like culinary education.

As we approach next week, our last official week at school, the atmosphere is charged with a mix of anticipation and bittersweet reflection. Our entire class will be collaborating on a monumental task: preparing a grand banquet for the graduating ceremony of the previous cohort, scheduled for next Friday. It’s an honor and a significant responsibility, marking a symbolic passing of the torch and a final, collaborative showcase of our collective progress. Thursday’s production, leading up to this grand finale, offered a diverse array of dishes that challenged our skills and broadened our palates.

We began the day with a truly intriguing starter: La Salade De Trevise Aux Crevettes, a sophisticated salad featuring vibrant radicchio and perfectly sautéed shrimp. This dish wasn’t just about combining ingredients; it was a lesson in temperature contrast and precise timing. The salad had to be assembled immediately before service, for two critical reasons. First, the intended culinary experience relies on a harmonious interplay of temperatures – the refreshing coolness of the radicchio juxtaposed with the warmth of the freshly sautéed shrimp and vinaigrette. Second, radicchio, once cut, oxidizes remarkably quickly, losing its crispness and vibrant color. Therefore, swift assembly ensures both optimal taste and visual appeal.

To craft this unique salad, the shrimp were sautéed with a wonderfully eclectic blend of flavors. We incorporated Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, high-quality olive oil, and a delicate touch of balsamic vinegar. This combination infused the shrimp with a complex profile, ranging from savory umami notes to subtle sweetness and a tangy acidity. The radicchio itself contributed a pleasant bitterness, acting as a perfect counterpoint to the richness of the shrimp and the depth of the pan sauce. Each bite offered a dynamic interplay of textures and tastes – the crunch of the radicchio, the succulent tenderness of the shrimp, and the layers of savory, sweet, and acidic elements. It was a good dish, certainly, but more importantly, it was distinctively different from anything we had prepared before, showcasing how diverse flavors can be combined for a memorable culinary experience.

Our main course for the day, La Ballottine de Volaille, presented an entirely new and captivating challenge: learning the intricate art of deboning an entire chicken. This wasn’t merely about removing bones; it was about meticulously extracting the entire carcass while ensuring the skin remained perfectly intact. The only exception was the backbone, which, once removed, required careful stitching to maintain the chicken’s structural integrity. This elaborate preparation then allowed us to stuff the chicken cavity with a rich pâté mixture, before gently braising it in the oven. The elegance of the ballotine lies in its presentation – a perfectly formed, boneless roulade that is incredibly easy to carve and offers a uniform, flavorful experience in every slice.

Remarkably, the only bones we deliberately left in were those of the drumsticks, preserving a classic visual cue while streamlining the carving process significantly. Once deboned and stuffed, the chicken was carefully shaped and trussed, mirroring the appearance of a regular whole bird. The transformation was so seamless that, as you can see, it’s almost impossible to tell it’s been intricately deboned! This painstaking process demands immense patience and precision, making it a technique that would undoubtedly require significant practice to master efficiently. However, it was a skill I had always yearned to acquire, knowing its value in both professional kitchens and for impressive home entertaining. Our instructor, Chef Patrice, frequently demonstrates this technique with a whole turkey for Thanksgiving, and the practicality is undeniable – it simplifies carving immensely, making serving a large feast considerably less cumbersome. Beyond the practical benefits, there’s a profound satisfaction in transforming a whole bird into such a refined and elegant dish, showcasing a true mastery of butchery and preparation.

Accompanying the exquisite chicken ballotine were simple yet perfectly executed snow peas, sautéed with a hint of butter to enhance their natural sweetness and crispness. The star side dish, however, was a luxurious mushroom risotto, generously flavored with an abundance of nutty Parmesan cheese and the earthy, aromatic essence of black truffle oil. While we had tackled risottos in previous lessons, this session introduced a crucial professional technique: par-cooking. We learned to cook the risotto partially, achieving an al dente texture, then spread it thinly on a sheet tray to cool rapidly. This method is invaluable in a fast-paced kitchen environment, allowing a chef to prepare a large batch in advance and then finish individual portions à la minute during service. This ensures every serving is hot, creamy, and perfectly cooked, without the lengthy stirring required for traditional risotto preparation from scratch. Many of my classmates had already encountered and utilized this technique for various culinary challenges, like “Market Basket” competitions where speed and consistency are paramount. Nevertheless, Chef Patrice’s demonstration served as an excellent refresher and solidified our understanding of its practical application, proving incredibly helpful for our future careers.

The combination was utterly delicious! The rich, umami notes of the mushrooms, the sharp saltiness of the Parmesan, and the decadent aroma of truffle oil elevated the risotto to an extraordinary level. It’s truly amazing how truffles, in particular, possess the power to transform even the simplest dish into something truly special. To further enhance the main course, we also meticulously crafted a savory jus from the chicken’s braising liquid. This concentrated reduction, rich in flavor and body, served as the perfect finishing touch, adding an extra layer of depth and moisture to the ballotine. It was, without a doubt, a truly memorable meal from start to finish.

Finally, to conclude our elaborate meal, we prepared a delightful puff pastry dessert known as La Jalousie. Translating to “shutters” in French, this pastry’s name perfectly describes the distinctive pattern on its top, reminiscent of window blinds. These elegant individual desserts were generously filled with tender poached pears and a small amount of fragrant frangipane, an almond-flour-based filling that adds a delicate sweetness and moist texture. The Jalousie was served alongside a silky smooth crème anglaise, a classic custard sauce that provided a rich and creamy counterpoint to the pastry. Crafting these beautiful pastries involved a precise technique for the top layer of puff pastry: we folded it in half and then carefully made small, evenly spaced slits with our pairing knives, creating the characteristic “shutter” effect. Alternatively, we had the option of using a specialized lattice roller, a wonderfully effective tool that produced a more intricate diamond-cross pattern with remarkable consistency and speed.

It was a truly delightful dessert, both to create and to savor. The process of assembling them was enjoyable, transforming simple ingredients into an elegant final product. After baking to golden perfection, we brushed the warm pastries with a glistening apricot glaze, which added a touch of sweetness and a beautiful sheen. For an extra decorative flourish and a textural contrast, we added some delicate pearl sugar along the sides. While mastering puff pastry is by no means an easy feat – especially achieving that perfect, ethereal flakiness – I am genuinely amazed at how comfortable I now feel working with it. This fundamental skill has opened up a world of possibilities, and I envision myself confidently making it at home and incorporating it into a wide variety of sweet and savory dishes. The added bonus? It freezes exceptionally well, making it a fantastic ingredient for batch preparation and future culinary endeavors. This newfound confidence in a previously intimidating technique truly highlights the depth of learning achieved in culinary school.

Our demanding day culminated with a comprehensive theory exam, which proved to be somewhat more challenging than previous assessments, requiring a deep recall of techniques, ingredients, and classic culinary principles. After pushing our minds to their limits, we were finally free to head home, tired but accomplished. The following day brought another significant milestone: our sixth (and final!) practical exam. Practical exams always fill me with a unique blend of nervousness and adrenaline, as they demand not just knowledge but flawless execution under pressure and within a strict timeframe. While I’m always apprehensive heading into them, I believe this last one went quite well, a testament to the cumulative skills and confidence I’ve built throughout the program. More than anything, I am profoundly relieved to have these intense assessments behind me. This allows us to fully immerse ourselves in our last week of school, enjoying the camaraderie and final learning experiences without the looming pressure of impending examinations. The feeling of reaching this stage, with only four more days left of our intensive culinary program, is surreal. It’s hard to believe this journey is almost at its end, and I look forward to embracing the next chapter with the wealth of knowledge and skills I’ve gained.