Jakea222

Turkeybone - you are the man - i was going to call to help him out too - bu the next step is all him....good luck

The risk is that they go to all of the time to train you and you up and leave. It si a risk we all take taking anyone on, BUT in this case the place would know you were leaving and they could nothing about it...good luck

Hey I was out of undergrad and worked for 10 years in the real white colar world before taking on the new world of food. I started looking at cookbooks. I started cooking what was in them - then I ran into a CIA trained caterer who was a former investment banker before the CIA. Read - The Making of a Chef by Michael Ruhlman - Mike is a good guy even though he hangs out with that nut Anthony Bourdain (CIA grad). They both are very nice people. I tried the career on before selling everything and moving to NY to go to the CIA - OK I know the non CIA people will yell - but it took me a while to pick a school....here is what it came down to. I am older, I don't have as much time as these young punks out of HS to learn enough to get where I wnat to be, which school has the best reputation as far as name sake on a resume that will open doors for an older chef...The CIA. I went in at a time they said they had "non traditional" students coming in - we had 3-4 that did not ahve degrees and doing something else for a living. I believe that the CIA gives everyone that graduates somewhat of a heightened sense of pride. The campus alone gives first time visitors a strange and overwhelming feeling. The people that work at the CIA and especially graduates call the best culinary school in the world, out of respect for the other schools it is probably a debatable topic. I can say that graduates have a huge step up on other chef training programs for one of the following reasons. Being a graduate myself I was instructed by some of the best chefs in the world in the short, 2 year program, time frame I was there. I was lucky enough to have 3 Certified Master Chefs and a Certified Master Baker in my rotation at the school. That is not to mention the European chef instructors that had certifications from the country they were once from. No other school can say that they have that kind of arsenal. While on extern I had the opportunity to work for a CIA Alumni who had externs from all over the U.S., and many of the local culinary programs he said was like a CIA Alumni school because most of the instructors were all CIA trained. And while my 2 years flew by, I graduated before I knew what had happened. But the core values of a CIA graduate, sticks with you as soon as you start looking for a job. The first is the sense of perfection in everything that you do in a kitchen, which in turn affects all other parts of your life. The instructors at the CIA are perfectionists. The class recipes that are performed while a student are done perfectly, or not at all, or until you do it right. This mindset sticks with you every time you do anything. Second is the pride you have as a graduate. This sometimes can be seen in the world as ego, but I think it is taken the wrong way in some respects. We or at least my classmates were very hard on ourselves when we did not get the desired result....But I can tell you that I ran a dinner the other night - my star FoH girl came back asked me it the dessert had any alcohol in it and I said no - yelled back for her to stop had to ask my little line chefette if she put any vanilla extract in the whipped cream and when she said yes - I told my server to tell the person NOT to eat it. (vanilla is extracted with alcohol) I think other programs will teach but not to the degree the CIA does. They beat in you to know things and I knew that becasue I thought it through in a fraction of a second - so I am happy to discuss my journey with you anytime - would even be happy to meet with you and show you anything about the CIA you want to know - it was wonderful and I would never trade it for anything - well, maybe that exec salary I once had.....Cumming GA If you guys are around Alpharetta - If you want to come in and shadow, let me know

I live on Buford Highway - 2 miles from 400 - I am a chef at the Golf Club of GA and I don't know my way around too much - but from Buford hwy on Windermere/Brookwood go up towards the Target.Home Dept - on that road -(peachtree??) Taco Mac on the left and all of the stuff - if you keep on going - on the left is a little place called the Blue grotto something - a Tapas place....if you get to the Krogers youve gone too far - nice - clean and the selections were very nice. They were not too busy when we were there and very nice

We use Halperins - they do a very nice job with lots of stuff. I got fresh mussels last week and they were nice, Salmon is always prime. Monkfish was very nice and if it comes in to them bad they don't send it out - Call and talk to Barry - he is my rep - tell him the "guy" at the Golf Club of Georgia sent you on The mini crab cakes are good too - We make our own large ones , but the small ones they have are really nice. Price wise - a little higher - but the quality is A++

SO to add to this since I didn't and went on my own rant. Extern is like that. Sure you may know what you are doing but it is not your kitchen. As I said above in my post. ...It is not my kitchen, the boss is out of town and I don't necessarily agree with the business tactics of working people to death - but its not my place. I keep my mouth shut - and do what I gotta do and handle my business. You may not think you are learning anything - but look at it this way - you are learnign how NOT to be later down the road...

I think it is for a couple reasons - first if you work in a place you get a feel for what it is all about before you commit a lot of money for a hard demanding job. As a career changer - I was amazed at the land rover, lexus driving "kids" that were in class and some of those kids did not make it too far once they found out they had to scrub pots ets....I think the other reason is to see the commitment level. Yep I think the CIA probably takes anyone too, but I was lucky enough that the people in my calss were mostly career changers and really checked to see if the food thing was a change worth making.

Red Lobster and washing dishes is NOT what the CIA wants. They want to see that you have tried different types of cuisine kitchens. OK so go there and do a little out of a bag work - DO NOT DO A CHAIN - go to a hotel - call the CIA and ask for Alumni Office - ask then if they can give you the names of a few people or a mentor in your area that can help you with that requirement - forget what - whats his name said about working the mid chains - that is not what they want to see. The CIA and JW will strip you down of what you learned anyways --- good luck if I can help let em know I will be happy to help you -

If you are in Atlanta I will take you now. Guy Anderson Executive Sous Golf Club of Georgia email me - ciachefguy@hotmail.com I know what you have to do for that requirment. I am a CIA grad that may be able to help you get through that requirment. Even though I had a guy that did not know which end of a knife to hold - starting from scratch is what he wanted to do...oh well - drop me a line - G

Well first I think most of us have all been there. I am now myself. The chef won't show me her trades, she has been a chef for 20 years and I am the 4 yr outta the CIA and her way is the best. I am humble and never bring that up, but she loved too. anyways - I am pullinh doubles right now whiel she is on vacation for 16 days and then get Friday off and then have to turn around and pull doubles for the a.m. guy for 20 days. No breaks in the middle---so the math is 36 days with one day off in the middle! My check is salaried shit so they can do what they like to me - but when my line cook opened his and said oooh overtime 63 hous - he made more than me - so I have some issues too - the first being 12 hr days for 16 days and then ONE GREAAT SLEEP for 20 days straight - so the industry is a real PEACH of a place to be in! &^$(&^ MNJLUGers

learn - and I could not say it any better than 4fingers - humble - learn watch ask questions. I don't know too many chefs that if some guy in the kitchen is watching and even writing and asks something that they won't explain what they are doing - and if they jump on you - go somewhere else. The industry is starving for people that give a crap about REAL FOOD and the way the establishment wants things done....but until your jaclet has a title - watch - learn The yes chef thing -- well - I draw the line at that - we are first name in my kitchen, but the line knows that the Exec and the Sous are the boss

I remeber that - cooking while still a CIA student - I remember I needed to loosen up. Breathe! I was so tight I could not swallow. Good Luck - think - If you get a mystery basket - DO NOT DO A CIA PRACTICAL. I went for a group cooking tryout after graduation - and they had the full time job seekers in with the externs tryouts and they got picked on...so be creative. CIA is not looked at highly by some people. Humble be humble. A CIA degree or where you are at now in the blocks does not make you a know it all. That is what I have faced since I have been out. Rocco was an idiot to be so arrogant, bliliant, but arrogant. If I were to sum up my degree it would be that the CIA showed me how to do things the black and white way, they showed me that fine details and moving towards perfection is what we are all about, why things happen and don't happen, not just cooking it and throwing it on a plate. While other schools are great too...remember fine details do matter, knife skills are very important, and it does believe it or not it has to taste good, SEASON it! Knock em dead! and if it doesn't happen - chalk one up to experience - you will know what to do next time somewhere else!

I was in marketing before becoming a chef - all of those programs are good, I use Publisher because the club uses it - I knew nothing about it - it is easy to pick up on - some of the others took me some time to rock n roll with,,,they are all very good if you have time tp play

I have worked order fire and if you get slammed the expediter is the air traffic controller. A GOOD expediter is worth more than you can imagine. They calm the kitchen keep the service staff in control which is very important. It is very difficult when you get slammed for temps with FoH taking things out of the window to serve the tables they are assigned. The grill is the tough guy. The temps are hard to keep track and the place I was he had his own tape that only said his orders. The French kitchen I worked was no paper other than the expediter and it was tough on me and I did not stay long - it was stress - rather have root canal than not have to remember 35 orders at once. I have worked with many talented line guys that basically is all they want to do is the rush and nothing else. One place the only thing he did was cook - no prep. But he could work as many tickets as you could call. He had 8 burners, broiler, 2 ovens for flash cook and his line and to watch him in a rush was very graceful and precise. I have worked for CMCs that worked it, but this guys did not sweat and would smile as each one of his plates went up or pans were passed for the center to plate. To get back to your question about the different stations - it gets to be routine when you hear it. I knew that I had about 1-2 minutes to start somethings to complete an order and the expediter sometimes would call to amke sure I had things in the oven because he did not see it or whatever - but just as a good waiter knows the timing of things. If you are that facinated - go to a busy place and ask if you can watch it is amazing to see ESPECIALLY if the line guys don't speak the same language! that is always more fun.

I like that approach - cut and dry - hard to figure these people as they know I look constantly just to see what others are doing - really to find out if I have under cut myself (which I have) in the package they gave. 1 day off a week and my line cooks most of the time I bail out on the line and neglect my own work, get more money than me - as a CC with ACF.....so I think it is time to play a little - thanks guys...

Thanks pastry - I was going to push for 8-10% - I have had 3 oral offers this week and am not going to jump from one pan to another without making sure all ducks are in a row - have a great day

It is a country club and we are up in sales 71% and we have brought on 150 new members in the last 3 months - so the money is there

I am coming up on 1 year and wanted to know about asking for a raise. I have moved the food up several nothces and just wanted to know what the norm is in percentages -- any help would be great --- J

I can't remember the question I missed - it was a preparation for sole I think - he did not seem to be concerned about it as he offered me a job - but I declined due to a timing issue. I never dreamed I would interview and start that day! As far as Chef Andrieni at the CIA he is teaching, but I heard he is doing major work on the books that the CIA is banging out. He was amazing in Garde Manager stuff as well as knowledge of - well everything I thought there were 58 CMC world wide about 13 at CIA

I went to the CIA and had 3 CMCs for my classes. They were incredibly knowledgable about everything....I mean everything. One in particular took his CMC right after I left for externship and missed one part of the test, but took the part he missed and passed with flying colors. He was a Swiss Chef (Andreini) that was in it for years....perfectionist does not sound like a close enough word to explain. He was very perfect in all of his works... I also have interviewed with 2 - one in NYC and in Atlanta. They were both incredibly nice and very different. Chef Kevin here in Altanta was very very nice and ran a very tight ship...he does not run one of the best country clubs in the world for nothing. I was offered a position, but after having to take a break due to a serious illness in the family I had to decline. Because I thought my skills were really not up to speed and I certainly did not want to fumble around - to tell you - you have to take a written test just to see him....I missed 1 - a french dish that I had only read about in some book somewhere....but never had done - he did not make me feel bad about it - just said I knew what he needed anyone to know that was wanting a job with him. Chef Timmins at The Grenbrier is another humble - oh well kind of guy. He is very donw to earth and if you look at his menus - amazing. It is a special person to do the test...it is intense as I have been told. If you have ever gone in and cooked for a job it is a crazy pressure...they have all said it was extreme but the ones I have run into are very humble - even saying - yeah I am a CMC but learn something every day and just still want to master my craft...amazing people is all I can say.

I find thsoe soft kits annoying - I have two tool boxes - a Kobalt and a Craftsman that I got at Sears or Lowes....I had a tool pouch thing that was heavy cnavas and well - one of my knives cut through the bottom and was hanging out with the only thing holding it was the handle! don't get too crazy though - the heavy metal boxes are heavy without knives!

I have had terrible luck with response cards as well. We had terrible service at a place - the food was fine, but the table was close to the waiter station and we saw our server yapping with anybody that would come in instead of taking care of us - after we asked for her to check our food - off the menu - for 4 people, she never returned. We had somebody else bring our food and then with empty glasses for the eniter meal, get a check with THE COMMENT CARD - so my wife filled it out and gave it back to the chek- - well we saw the server, wad it up and throw it away after reading it....so my wife who is a little more stern than I am in cases like that - asked for the manager = told of the situation and went over to the server station and took our commnet card out of the trash and handed it to him. Her other tables were also suffering had seen the entire thing and everyone got in on the servers lack of action - the manager did nothing but say - sorry for your visit - everyone walked out in that section - but you know if a GM or FOH mgr is on the floor - they know what is happeneing and those things do not even need to be given...

Its all about money and the name is what sold that book. If you think for one minute that the stuff published today makes any sense at all - just look at what is being written - It is all who you know or who you are - Jenna Bush wrote a book - do you think that her name had something to do with it....if you don't think so read the story line and see if it is something that probably would have been rejected if it weren't for who she is - it is all about money and what they think will sell - period.

I am working towards getting ready for ACF Certification and was wondering as CIA trained chef and with all of the CIA texts, is the ACF Culinary Fundamental book necessary? The New Pro Chef 8th ed. is huge and I can't imagine it not having the same info as the ACF book? Any help would be greatly appreciated - the ACF book is 100$ and would rather spend that on somehting else! Thanks y'all ---

I tried to post on this subject once before and the runner of this forum deleted me saying that I was off topic. Still not sure why - but I was in the group that Michael followed at the CIA in Chef Roes class. He knows how to cook and cook well and his opinions are not one of some weekend grill in the back yard guy. His opinions with us were the same and he got into our heads to comment in his book about what is making up the CIA. He still drops me a line once and a while as I give him an update peridically about our class of "non traditional" students. His book about the classes are very accurate - no matter what some people seem to think of his writing style or abilities.