First 'pâtisserie' experience

[fanny_the_fairy]

I will do a 10-week training period in a top-rated french patisserie next summer and i'm starting to feel a little worried about it.

Pastry is a real passion for me but i have no professional experience so i'm getting scared i will only do the washing and other 'non interesting' things.

I'm actually ready and aware i WILL have to go through this phase but i wish, on the other hand, learn from this practical.

Has anyone of you ever done a training period in a patisserie without having experience?

What should i expect?

- fanny

[Ke Kau]

Fanny,

Walk into the situation with an open mindset. Absorb everything you see and volunteer for any task that comes up, regardless of your experience level. Trying is the only way to truly learn. Have faith in your self. If pastry is truly your passion, every experience, good or bad, is beneficial. I wish you the best on your journey.

Shane Tracey

www.kekau.com

[fanny_the_fairy]

Fanny,

Walk into the situation with an open mindset.  Absorb everything you see and volunteer for any task that comes up, regardless of your experience level.  Trying is the only way to truly learn.  Have faith in your self.  If pastry is truly your passion, every experience, good or bad, is beneficial.  I wish you the best on your journey.

Shane Tracey

www.kekau.com

←

Hi Shane,

thank you so much for your answer.

That's pretty much what i needed to hear (well, read actually).

- fanny

[Truc]

Are you doing this stage in France? Or somewhere else. And how often are you going to be working there?

[MarkIsCooking]

Fanny -

You're going to do great. If you're with someone who is a challenging and smart manager, s/he will keep stretching your talents. You'll learn something everyday. You'll make plenty of mistakes and you'll come out the other side having loved the experience.

The hardest thing will be to keep from gaining 10 or 20 pounds!

Be sure to post and let us know how you're doing.

I'm a mid-lifer starting culinary school. Check out my blog if you get a chance at: MarkCooks.com CLICK on the BLOG page

I wish you all the best,

-Mark-

Edited January 11, 2007 by MarkIsCooking (log)

[Desiderio]

Fanny , like the others I can only tell you , be yourself , be humble and make sure you watch everything , keep an eye on everything ( most of the thing I have lerned I have lerned by see), dont be afraid to ask if you dont know something you are there to learn .

I wish you the best of the best , I am sure you going to do fine and have fun too

[K8memphis]

Fanny, I thought this was a very good thread on that topic.

Best of the best to you!!

[artisanbaker]

deux mots: oui, chef!

bon courage

[fanny_the_fairy]

Hi there,

thank you SO much for all the feeback.

I really appreciate it.

Truc - i will do my stage in France (Paris to be accurate) and will work there for 10 weeks.

Mark is cooking - I will keep you posted for sure. As for the extra pounds, i already have to take care because of my foodblog.

Desiderio - thanks for the sweet words. They really help me.

K8memphis - thanks for the thread. It's very interesting indeed.

Artisan baker - will start praticing the OUI CHEF from tomorrow!

Love,

- fanny

[Truc]

awesome paris is such a wonderful city. ALthough i haven't worked in Paris, i cannot give you any advice on how the people are because in the south of France the attitude are much different. Although, where can you get the most out of your stage then in PAris right? I think ArtisanBaker said it perfectly, BON COURAGE! C'est pas facile. WHen I recall my stage, i would describe it as the best and worst experience of my life, you'll meet alot of people and make alot of friends im really excited for you, im sure you'll do great.

[artisanbaker]

chere fanny

tenez nous au courant svp

please keep us up to to date

i'm sure with you have well chosen your stage and you will have lots of interesting things to report...

au plaisir...

robert

[aguynamedrobert]

Hey Fanny,

You are going to have a good time on your Internship...everyone has said some good things and they are all right...it might be tough, especially at first...but you will get the job down and when it's over you are going to be wishing you had more time(maybe lol).

And yes...you better gain weight or else! When I went through Culinary school for pastry and baking my whole class probably gain a few people...in the mid section that is...haha...

Either way you are going to do well...keep us all posted and let us know if you need any help while you are there...I'm guessing we are all willing to answer questions in the area's we excel in...but you will do great so have fun...

Robert

Chocolate Forum

[Truffle Guy]

Fanny,

I'm in a similar situation as I'm attending Andrew Shotts Artisan Chocolates class this week in Orlando. I don't have any professional training yet. I've spent 2 years reading, studying, practicing and exploring Artisan chocolates. I've gone to New York and San Francisco on trips to visit Artisan chocolatiers. I've spent time with Chris Elbow in KC learning all I can. But, like you I'm nervous about looking like an amateur and feeling like I'm over my head.

What I can say is that if you have a passion, you will grow more than anyone else. These classes are really not about what you know but what you want to learn. Your attitude and confidence in yourself (not your pastry skills) will get you to where you want to be. Chris Elbow is a great example. I don't think there aree are any truly innate talents to pastry/chocolate, it is all based on the skills you learn which is driven by your passion/creativity. I should qualify that I count a talent as a god-given ability that cannot be learned (how fast you run, hand to eye coordination, math aptitude etc.) and skills as something you can learn. Your talent will determine how far your skills can go but in pastry, as mentioned earlier I think anyone with passion and determination can be successful. For example, no matter how hard you enhance your skills you will not make it in the NFL as a running back if you are 5'4", 145 lbs and run a 5.8 40 yard dash. The physical talents of size and speed will always limit how far you can go....perhaps a decent high school player. Pastry/Chocolate has no such talent requirements, it is primarily skill based.

I'm taking this class as I've been working on getting my own chocolate company for some time and want to continue developing my skills. What I'm finding is that I'm learning less and less, what once was totally foreign to me (Invert Sugar, Pate de Fruit, Temper, Ganache etc.) is all now familiar. I'm still an amateur (I'm not getting paid) but the gap of knowledge is closing. My passion will take me the rest of the way.

I say this because I've experienced it personally. Passion/determination moved me past those with more experience/skill. I remember in 1995 saying to myself, technology looks like a good opportunity and without any experience got hired on a help desk (I could barely boot up a PC) and within months was the top tech and within 2 years was co-founder of a software company and then Director at a dot.com technology company that was featured in the USA Today. Obviously as I'm writing this now I was not one of the people who was able to cash in on the dot.com phenomena. But I learned many new skills that moved me in a new direction. With limited experience I joined a large company as a customer service rep answering incoming calls. I knew that my passion would move me forward and it did as today I run the department of 150+ employees with 9 supervisors whom I mentor, coach and manage. About 2 years ago I started working with Excel and without training became considered "a guru" and now have accepted a position setting up a new department that provides analytics and workforce management for all of our call centers. Of course all the while I've also been consumed with a passion for chocolate and moving forward on that front too.

Fanny, my point/advice is don't sell yourself short. When people point out others shortcomings it is a defense mechanism driven by their own insecurities. If you want it, you will get it. Laugh at yourself and the things you don't know and ask for challenges, don't accept the opinions of others. If they have you washing dishes, do it better than anyone else and then say "I'm here to learn pastry, what can I do".....any good teacher recognizes a good pupil pretty quickly. And don't confuse someone who is well respected for their work as a good teacher...it isn't always the case. A good instructor realizes it isn't what they teach that is important, it's what their pupil learns that matters.

I'm excited for you, what a big step. Remember how you feel now and who you are and don't lose it when you become an accomplished pastry chef. The thing I love about Chris Elbow isn't just that I think he is the best in the business, he remembers how he felt when he touched his first chocolate mold and what it was like learning about this new art. He also freely shares his knowledge, especially with those who have the same type of passion. He doesn't share his recipes which is understandable but he always will give insight on technical questions. He loves the art and I think appreciates kindred spirits and plays a role in their development. Keep that spirit as you learn more, inspire others. The silver bullet for success, in anything, is never the technology, processes, skills or systems, it's the people. Sharing your technology, processes, skills or systems won't prevent someone motivated from learning and it won't make someone without the right motivation successful. So, when you are working hard in Paris....and things get tough and you feel such a failure....take heart in knowing some day, you can offer the hand to someone else in that same moment and not only elevate them but yourself as well.

I will do a 10-week training period in a top-rated french patisserie next summer and i'm starting to feel a little worried about it.

Pastry is a real passion for me but i have no professional experience so i'm getting scared i will only do the washing and other 'non interesting' things.

I'm actually ready and aware i WILL have to go through this phase but i wish, on the other hand, learn from this practical.

Has anyone of you ever done a training period in a patisserie without having experience?

What should i expect?

- fanny

←

[K8memphis]

Truffle Guy, outstanding post.

Thanks, Dude!

[Tweety69bird]

I'll just add that you should have a decent camera and take alot of pictures. Later on you will be so grateful that you did! Enjoy, and I'm sure you will do great!

[fanny_the_fairy]

Hi Truffle Guy, thanks for your advice. I couldn't dream of something better.

Thank you thank you thank you.

- fanny

[LittleIsland]

Fanny, good luck, I think you're going to do great with all the advice! Since Kate referred to the thread I started, I thought I'd throw in my 2.5 cents.

Knowing better now, I don't think I'd have the gall to call what I did (and am still doing) a "stage" anymore . I now refer to it as my "kitchen attachment". I finally went in November for a couple of weeks and continue to do so once a week, but for only a half day. Since I was invited to do so, the baking pastry team at the hotel was extremely accommodating of my hours. Thank goodness it doesn't involve washing up, as a kitchen hand is assigned to do that!

What I learned and now continue to practise (the advice Chefette gave in the other thread was right on the money):

- Offer to help with anything and everything provided it looks within my ability, and if it doesn't, offer to learn. Always keep busy doing something, which won't be difficult, rather than just standing and watching (which is uncomfortable anyway)

- I weigh and measure ingredients, help them with prep work or mise en place, and if I'm a good girl I'm allowed to use the dough roller and roll and fold croissant dough or mix up a batch of batter, that sort of thing.

- I don't try to discover and memorise recipes as I figure there are enough of those out there; instead I try to observe, try my hand at and learn as much as possible about technique, "secret" tips and ways they have of doing things that are different or new to me or just stuff I haven't dared to do at home. I figure the "practical" stuff is more important than the recipes

- Observation, observation, observation - even while doing something... while paying utmost attention to what I'm doing at the moment, of course

- Ask lots of questions but not while they're looking under pressure

- Don't be afraid to show what you know but present it in a non-presumptuous way, if you know what I mean - because that enables them to figure out what they can allow you to do on your own or with minimal supervision, and put you on the right track to learning or improving certain skills

- Also don't be afraid to tell them what you'd like a chance to learn to do or to try

- When doing something in their kitchen for the first time even if I've been used to doing it at home, I will reconfirm quickly how they want it done (e.g. creaming butter and sugar) and how they want the final result to look, and never assume anything is the same as what I've been practising as a home baker

My husband asked me what value there was to spending my time weighing and measuring ingredients and I told him it was invaluable just being in the kitchen and able to see and listen. I know I have the unusual luxury of going in every week (until such time as the HR dept decides enough is enough, haha) so I don't feel under pressure to learn as much as possible in a given time, but treat it more as, perhaps, a workshop that I attend every week or even my personal leisure activity (that I don't have to pay for!)

If you go in with the attitude that, no matter what you are asked to do, you are going to be learning something new... then you will really enjoy your stint.