Our demonstration class with Chef Xavier Cotte
First of all you may be wondering how in the world could there possibly be a class #00? Well, to answer this question: it's because in Le Cordon Bleu the chefs want one!
Two days have passed since the school's orientation day and along with it, two demonstrations covering the basics! (well, everything in this course is basic but I'm talking about the basics of basics)
Along with it, here's what I learnt so far:
1. In the Kitchen, there is a hierarchy and the Chef is the head man.
No matter how stubborn you are, how argumentative you are, how talented you are: what the chef says, ultimate goes! Everything the chef does or says must be replied by everyone in the kitchen with a firm and forceful "oui, chef!!"
This was actually one of the first few things reiterated to us by the school director Mr. Damien Julia during our orientation - even he doesn't have power over the chefs!
2. Organisation, organisation, organisation, cleanliness, cleanliness, cleanliness and no matter what ABSOLUTELY NO WASTING ANYTHING in patisserie.
Doughs often times are reused and reincorporated into newer batches and very rarely (even in French restaurants and cafes) are they made with 100% fresh dough. Rested dough tend to produce better patisserie, finer in texture and taste.
The learning structure in LCB is not consistent: more often than not, you will find yourself having a class on Monday evenings and other times Saturday (yes, Saturday) mornings! For each basic patisserie principle you learn, there are two classes: 1. The demonstration and 2. The practical.
Demonstration (no. of students: 35-40):
Whereby the chef demonstrates (duh) the different methods of some basic techniques used in patisserie. Here, he will show and explain in indepth explanation as to why certain things are done about one way or another, how to attain a certain texture, elasticity - or no elasticity in doughs, ways of blending ingredients and plenty more.
Two days have passed since the school's orientation day and along with it, two demonstrations covering the basics! (well, everything in this course is basic but I'm talking about the basics of basics)
Along with it, here's what I learnt so far:
1. In the Kitchen, there is a hierarchy and the Chef is the head man.
No matter how stubborn you are, how argumentative you are, how talented you are: what the chef says, ultimate goes! Everything the chef does or says must be replied by everyone in the kitchen with a firm and forceful "oui, chef!!"
This was actually one of the first few things reiterated to us by the school director Mr. Damien Julia during our orientation - even he doesn't have power over the chefs!
2. Organisation, organisation, organisation, cleanliness, cleanliness, cleanliness and no matter what ABSOLUTELY NO WASTING ANYTHING in patisserie.
Doughs often times are reused and reincorporated into newer batches and very rarely (even in French restaurants and cafes) are they made with 100% fresh dough. Rested dough tend to produce better patisserie, finer in texture and taste.
The learning structure in LCB is not consistent: more often than not, you will find yourself having a class on Monday evenings and other times Saturday (yes, Saturday) mornings! For each basic patisserie principle you learn, there are two classes: 1. The demonstration and 2. The practical.
Demonstration (no. of students: 35-40):
Whereby the chef demonstrates (duh) the different methods of some basic techniques used in patisserie. Here, he will show and explain in indepth explanation as to why certain things are done about one way or another, how to attain a certain texture, elasticity - or no elasticity in doughs, ways of blending ingredients and plenty more.
A day in the life of a Le Cordon Bleu debutante in Demonstration
Students shuffling and bustling one another to fight their way for the taste test
A taste test by students is deemed mandatory after each demo,
failure to do so will result in chef giving the students a big, fat ZERO!
Practical (no. of students: 12-15):
Here is where you learn to apply all those newly-learnt skills from demo in real life under direct supervision of the chef. Techniques used will differ depending on the preference of each chefs and chefs are rotated so you will learn a variety of techniques!
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Class Demo #00: Basic prep of patisserie ingredients.
Here we learnt of different basic patisserie products and ingredients deemed necessary to have in a patisserie environment, how its made industrially and how it's made by hand: from raw almond paste to coffee extract and more.
The end product of class #00 of basic patisserie ingredients
such as apricot glaze, coffee extract and etc.
We had Chef Xavier Cotte for the past two demonstrations. So far, I'm loving his demos because of his cheerful energy and playfullness. In all the demos so far, he (with the translator helping of course) always manages to bring the whole group to a roaring laughter...
I have yet to have him as a head chef in practical and If I do, i wonder will he be different?
Class Demo #01: Sables (French Shortbreads).
The variety of sables made by the chef during demo
Chef Xavier Cotte explaining the ideal properties and colour of sables to students.
Our first-ever baking demonstration for the week and here we learnt all the basics covering sables and the art of producing them. Also important were the little blending and sable-ing techniques we will most certainly be using to make pastries later on in the course.
a preview of the sables he made in total for the day
It was quite interesting to see the chef at work and some of the techniques employed are really good! Hmmmmmmmm *lightbulb!* Perhaps I'll apply these newly-acquired knowledge on my linzers??
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