Harry91

So if you were about to start your freshman year in college and had the opportunity to learn a second language, would you study spanish or french? I considered an asian language (mandarin, cantonese), but they just don't seem practical enough. Considering I want my career to in some way involve food, I figure spanish or french are the two most useful languages. Any opinions?

It's been a long time since I last posted on this thread, so I figured I'd update it. I graduated high school, and am definitely attending Cornell in the fall to major in Food Science (I also finagled it so that over the summers I can take some classes at the Culinary Institute of America for *hopefully* no cost to me). Right now I'm spending the summer doing an internship at Michael's Genuine Food and Drink in Miami, Florida (a 50 minute drive from my house, but WELL worth it)

Was accepted to Cornell, will be starting classes in August of this year

I want to make chocolate souffle tonight, but I don't own any small souffle ramekins. If I follow the recipe I have for chocolate souffle, then simply pour the mixture into a larger souffle dish (approx 9 inches in diameter, 4 inches high), will the souffle still work out? obviously I would adjust the cooking time, but, theoretically, it would still work, right?

Okay so somewhere in my past I remember seeing a chart that was simply a ton of boxes (each one listing an ingredient). It had everything, every ingredient one could imagine (from basil to strawberry to duck to chocolate to feta). Either the chart was organized so that flavors that went together were close in proximity, or there were lines connecting the ingredients. The basic purpose of the chart was to show what flavors work well with each other. Does anyone know what I'm talking about/what publication or website had this chart? I kind of feel like it was "On Food and Cooking" by Harold McGee, but I don't remember.

Met with a chef yesterday and a chef this morning (two different restaurants, both newly opened in my area). Both said no, same answer "You have no experience, I don't want to take the time to train you". Have now been turned away from 8 restaurants for the same reason, no experience. At some point, are any of these places going to realize that one of them will be the place where i get that experience? It's all about turning a profit. Getting pretty annoyed with the whole thing. Will keep trying though. Plan to go speak to a chef at another new restaurant tomorrow. Hell, might just work at McDonald's.

turkeybone-- I used the number and info you gave me to contact the CIA representative. The only CIA alumni in the area was a chef in Boca (at a country club/golf course). I called him and he told me to come by and meet him that week. I showed up, we talked, he showed me around then kitchen, and started to talk about which days were good/what I could do, when he asked my age. Apparantly, there was a policy at that country club that NO employee or intern could be under the age of 18. I went back to the CIA representative, and she said the only other CIA grads in the area were at least 45 minutes away from me (I live in Coral Springs, which is 45 min away from Ft. Lauderdale, an hour from Miami.

Back when I was on my "Ultimate Job Hunt", I was never actually offered a position or internship anywhere. I was told by Blue Moon that IF they were to hire me, the only days they would want me in for were Tuesday and Wednesday. Wednesday would have been a problem. In the end, they never offered me a job/internship, and simply said "Come back when you're 18." I'll be 18 in February. Hoping luck will turn in my favor then.

Since I feel like I've gotten an excellent set of responses to my first questions, I have another one. I've been juggling a lot of extracurricular things the past 2 years of high school, and I've always wanted to get a job or intern in a restaurant. However, because of music (i play horn in several youth orchestras), it's been very hard to find time to get a job. Last year I was determined. Even if I had to drop the orchestra thing, I was going to work in a restaurant. I was absolutely shocked when, after approaching 11 different restaurants in my local area (to name a few: Onyx Bar and Grill, Blue Moon Fish Company, an indian restaurant, Big Bear Brewery, Flannagan's, Red Lobster, a mom and pop diner called Joe's, Taste of Italy, and Michael's), and was DENIED from every one. I tried different approaches; working for free, working part time, starting as a dishwasher. My only constant was, I wanted to be IN the kitchen, even if it meant washing dishes or cleaning the chefs shoe with a toothbrush. Every restaurant told me they were not interested in hiring someone under 18. To keep the CIA route open, i'm going to try again this december and find a job in a restaurant, so I can get solid experience from January to August. Am I doing something wrong? Should I take a different approach? Should I go for the national chains more (near me there is a Red Lobster, Big Bear, Longhorn Steakhouse, Chipotle, etc)? I've talked to a lot of people, and I've gotten a response of "the restaurant doesnt want to take you on because they dont want to teach someone everything who might leave in 6 months to a year". Any ideas?

I saw a post on this site a while ago talking about "Unrest at the CIA". Apparently the school has been going downhill lately (in terms of education going down, cost still going up). As a senior in high school who is applying to colleges, I was wondering if there have been any more developments at the CIA. My original "education plan", was to go to Cornell University for 4 years and major in Food Science, and then go to CIA for an AOS degree in Culinary Arts. If I don't get into Cornell, I do have backups (UF--cause I live in Florida, Purdue, Penn State), but wasn't sure whether it would be worth it to apply/attend the CIA. So from what you guys have heard recently, is it still worth the money? If I do go, is the 2 year degree a smarter choice than the 4 year? To put this into perspective: El Bulli, Alinea, restaurants that use a lot of molecular gastronomy and crazy ass science techniques, hire one or two "food science chefs", who develop new techniques for their restaurants. My goal is to work for one of those restaurants as one of those chefs. I figure the best way to get there is a college education in food science, and a hell of a lot of cooking experience.

I'm writing an article on the research done by the aforementioned restaurants. el Bulli has its research facility, the Fat Duck has a lab attached to the restaurant, and Alinea has a house rented nearby where Mr. Achatz does his research. I want to interview someone working in one of these labs and was wondering if anyone on this site had a connection. I speak fluent spanish, so anyone at el Bulli wouldn't be a problem. Thanks

My friend wants me to do the dessert this friday night at his dinner party. He's doing an All Seafood dinner, and wants the dessert to be a play on Fish and Chips. I thought that a deep fried twinkie would work well (it looks just like fried cod when its done). I don't know what to do about the "chips" part. Because the twinkie is so starchy, i want to do something lighter. Has anyone ever deep fried fruit before? Thin strips of apple or pineapple? How did it turn out? Also, what else could i use to make sweet chips (in the sense of french fries)? jicama? is it sweet enough? Harry

It makes sense though. The CIA, just like every other college in this country, is nothing more than a business. Their main goal is to turn a profit, and if they can get more people to attend their school by cutting a previous requirement, they'll cut it. I'm not defending it. But in the end, people that can't take the pressure or heat or demands of the kitchen will get out of the industry. So if they still want to shell out thousands of dollars to realize that, so much the better.

Contacted the CIA through the externship director. They put me in touch with Andrew Roenbeck, executive chef at the Boca Resort and Spa (they have 6 restaurants plus two grills). I emailed him, and after a few quick messages back and forth, he asked me to call him to set up a meeting. I went down there (the resort is about 30 minutes from my house) and went on a tour of the kitchens. After about 30 min, he told me he would take me on Wednesdays, every other week, from 5-9. I'm in a couple orchestras (playing french horn) and I have rehearsals on Mon, Tue, and Wed. I tried talking my way into interning on Thurs or Fri, but he said he didnt want me in the way on those "busy" nights. I'll be applying to Cornell soon (school of Hotel Management), and I'm pretty sure I'll get in (1500 SAT score, taken every AP course from Physics to Latin to Calculus to Microeconomics, etc). I figure that during my four years at Cornell, i'll eventually hold a job in a kitchen for 6 months, so I'm not fretting over the work experience before i graduate high school.

I understand what everyone's saying and do agree with it now (the last two posts were the most helpful). The reason i went the "intern" route was because I applied for a job as a bus boy at a bunch of restaurants in the area. After a week of waiting, I went in and spoke to the manager of each one. They all said they were fully staffed and didnt need anyone. So then i thought "Hmm, mine as well offer myself in the kitchen for free" Gonna keep tryin to get a job. Somebodies gotta be hiring.

I just don't quite understand why it is a "risk" for a business to have an intern. Or why it wouldn't benefit them. Someone who is competent to do the task at hand offers to do it for no money. The company is essentially gaining an employee for free. If this were a Emergency Room or a Nuclear Reactor, it'd be a different story. But it's not. It's a kitchen. The equipment needs to get cleaned, the food needs to get prepped, the dishes need to get washed. Someone has to do those tasks. Why would a business want to pay someone to do that when they can get it for free (i.e. me). It seems like people who have replied to this post are assuming that an intern is an unreliable employee because they are not getting paid. But if they offered to work for free in the first place, the company should have no reason to think that they won't be reliable.

I get the feeling that a lot of people on this site are very touchy about people in the industry that don't really belong there; people that want to be t.v. stars or people that think working in a kitchen is an easy job. I am seventeen, but i'm not naive, and i'm not an idiot. I don't feel like I have to qualify myself to whoever is reading this post, but because there have been several reply's hinting that "If I want to be the next Tyler Florence, get the fuck out before the kitchen eats me up and spits me out", I will anyway. I don't want to be a television star. I don't think that working in a restaurant is easy. I am fully aware that it is a grueling job that requires a special kind of person. I know that to become proficient at the craft takes years of work. I want to attend Cornell University in New York and receive a degree in Food Science and a degree in Restaurant Management. Then I want to attend the CIA and receive an A.O.S. in Culinary Arts. I want to learn everything I can about the science of food and how to prepare it well.

Absolutely no interest in being on T.V.

Just to respond to some of the replies this thread has gotten: I'm going to keep shying away from chain restaurants, try and get into the kitchen, and keep pushing my "no pay internship" approach. I had a promising meeting today with a sous chef at a restaurant today and am going back to speak with the chef on Tuesday. Fingers crossed. Harry

I am seventeen and am a junior in high-school. This fall, I'll be applying for college, and have my sights set on Cornell/CIA/NECI. In order to apply to the CIA (for the CIA/Cornell dual degree program) I need to obtain 6 months work experience in a restaurant kitchen. I have approached five restaurants so far and have been rejected by all of them. This is what I have said: I'll be applying to college. I need 6 months work experience. I am not looking for a paying job, i'm looking for an internship. I will do whatever job you need done (sweeping floors, cleaning the bathroom, washing dishes, prep work, peeling potatoes, etc). I can work everyday of the week besides Monday and Wednesday. I can be at work by 4 and can stay until closing. I am simply here to learn and obtain the work experience. I have taken two years of a culinary arts class in which we have done banquets for 80+ people. I regularly make dinner for my family (4 days a week). I am an excellent student (always have had straight A's, and i'm currently in 5 college classes-calculus, physics, biology, economics, and english). I am a very hard worker, and I learn fast. Now, am I just young and nieve, or is that not a good proposition? I don't understand why these restaurants are rejecting me. WHO TURNS DOWN FREE LABOR? These are a few of the chefs responses: "I don't want another body in my kitchen", "I don't support internships", "You are too young", "Go get another job first, then come back", "You need experience first". Um, Yes chef, I am trying to GET the experience by interning FOR YOU?!?!?!?!?! Am I approaching this the wrong way? What do I need to do differently? Harry p.s. I am approaching actual restaurants, not chains like Red Lobster, Chili's or Outback Steakhouse.

So I want to do a play on a capresi salad (the one with tomato and mozz cheese and some basil). Here's my idea: somehow "inflate" a ball of mozzarella so I have an inflated ball with a hollow center. I then want to fill the "ball" with some type of tomato foam, and finish it with some crushed basil or fried or some other version of basil. I just can't figure out how to inflate a ball of mozz. I would think an air compressor would work, but I would need to heat the ball very slowly, until it was just able to expand. I was thinking maybe doing the process in a 250 F oven, so the whole ball was evenly warmed. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

So you poach the octopus and slice?

Yeah i tried the italian stew thing a couple months ago. You couldn't really taste the octopus. Texture was good, i didnt over cook it, but it didn't stand up to the tomato/basil/garlic. I might go with the grilled idea. I've been messing around with chilies lately, maybe do an interesting "salsa" or something.

Any good idea's for octopus? I found a place nearby (well, kinda) that sells whole octopus (in a wide variety of sizes). I've had calamari (squid, i know) and an octopus salad, but that's about it. Love to hear some suggestions.

I live in south Florida (about 30min north of ft lauderdale). Meal will be in late march. I have a great Asian store nearby as well as Publix, Wholefoods, and fresh market. I can get duck, its prepackaged breasts. If anyone knows of any good purveyors in the area please let me know. I'd love to do a dish with octopus, or maybe a rare red meat bought online (ostrich, buffalo, etc)