Week 1-PCK-Orientation

 The first day of school after so many years away from any formal education was exciting as well as frightening. All the new students met together in the Highwood (student run restaurant that we would become intimately familiar with during our 3rd semester).

 We sat at the round tables and hesitantly introduced ourselves to near neighbors. There was excited murmuring all around me that came abruptly to a halt when Chef M stood and called the room to attention. 

 We were welcomed and congratulated on our achievement of being admitted to the Professional Cooking Program. Through out the morning one chef after another stood, introduced him (or her) self and then proceeded to tell us......

... you can expect to make more now than ever before in history because of the high profile of chefs and the demand from the public for interesting and delicious food (Thank you FoodNetwork, and Gordon, Jamie, Bobby, Tom, Anthony etc, etc)..Except, wait a minute...if you divide the amount by the number of hours, isn't this a rather paltry hourly wage. I looked around to see if anyone else saw the irony in these future wage predictions. Was it more the prospect of fame that kept the smiles on all the faces? Good thing I wasn't pursuing this career for financial reasons. Chef's, in general, are highly underpaid!

...Don't buy your knives until your class on knife selection (oops!)

...Expect your relationships to suffer as this is a demanding and consuming (pun intended) career ( Had any of these chefs been married only once? Several failed marriages seemed to be the norm rather than the exception. Was following this career path going to doom my marriage?)

...Expect travel in your future, and a variety of opportunities ( What about us older students who couldn't just pack up and leave their family?)

...Attendance was mandatory. Marks would be deducted for lateness and un-excused absence. Doctors' note was required. (I know of at least one student who kept a photo-copied doctor's note that he 'doctored' to suit his own requirements as needed, for excused absences. I immediately began to wonder about my children being sick, or being stranded somewhere and needing a ride. How was  I going to pull off being 2 places at one time? Could I write my own note?)

 During all this explanation of rules and the importance of safety procedures ( I am beginning to wonder if there is anyone in the Culinary Industry that hasn't cut off some part of their hand or burnt some part of their body?) but across from me involved in their own private discussion is the 2 "cool" boys trying to win the attention of the mandatory beautiful girl. I felt very out of place as I observed their interaction. It was also rather comical and  I wondered  why this aspect of school hadn't changed in the 30 years I had been out of school. I suppose it is more an aspect of human nature than an aspect of the school environment. 

 As I left the orientation lecture that day prepared to have my marriage fail and loose at least a few fingers, I found Karen. I had met Karen at "Student for a Day" where prospective students are toured around the school and introduced to various chefs and the kitchens (or labs) where classes were held. A grandmother as well, Karen and I took comfort from each others presence and were grateful for a classmate who knew what disco music was and remembered the end of the Vietnam War. We vowed to try and work together as much as possible. She too was a bit shaken by our "orientation". Were we about to embark on some type of sadistic learning experience?

If I were a chicken I'd have to be stewed.......

 I waitied until my family was seated for dinner before I shared my news. Everyone was very excited for me but also surprised. "We thought you didn't like to cook!" This was a legitimate response given all the times I had asked "do we really needed to have dinner tonight?" I tried to explain that it was more the routine, the lack of creativity and the rushed nature of so many of our meals that I found exhausting. I was hoping that school would help me re-discover a creative side to cooking as well as the confidence that tackling something challenging and succeeding would hopefully bring.

 So with my families support behind me and no clue really of what was ahead of me, I entered the Professional Cooking Program at SAIT in January 2008.

If I were a Chicken I'd Have to be Stewed.

I had great plans when I made my first posting. Since then reality has hit and I realize that it is better to write about what I know. I do know a bit about the Calgary Food Scene, but I think it may be more interesting to write about how I became more aware of Calgary's food landscape.

 In November of 2007 I was exhausted. My father had major surgery and I had spent the past2 and half months driving back and forth to the hospital to help him as he adjsued to life with no legs (complications due to an accident before I was even born). On top of this I have 7 children and at the time 1 grandson (I now have 2 grandsons). It was hard to see my Dad struggle so much. During all this time of driving back and forth and sitting by his bed as he rested I had a lot of time to think. What I was thinking was "Is this it?". I realized I was getting older. I had been waiting for time to follow my own passions (you know...after the kids had all been raised). One day during this time I realized that after the children were raised my time would be filled with parents that needed to be cared for or grandchildren that needed care (and that of course I wanted to play with!) 

 While all these needs are important I realized I had to make time to pursue things for myself. There never would be an easy time. During this same time period I had been reading Julia Child's memoir "My Life In France". I was surprised to learn that Julia was in her late 30's before she learned to cook, and I believe in her 40's when "The Art of French Cooking" was published. In the past year I had taken a couple of cooking classes while in France. More recently I had visited with two friends who had started a second career by attending Culinary School. So the timing was right when I saw an ad in "City Palate" for the Professional Cooking Program at SAIT. I believe my reaction was "what can I lose by applying?".

 I didn't say anything to my family as I felt that the odds were slim that I would be accepted.  A couple of weeks after submitting my application I was supervising students in the testing room at our local highschool. Cell phones are not permitted in the testing room so I had set my phone to vibrate. When I saw the name SAIT I quietly exited the room and checked my messages. I had been accepted! I couldn't believe it. But what would my family think?