Firstly let me say how incredible my new AirBnB is! I’m in love. The flat has a private roof terrace and is totally self contained within a bigger house. Ideal as I can feel totally relaxed and then the lady who owns it (Joanne) and her little miniature poodle Matilda look after me. Tonight she went out and bought me all new pots, bread and apples! She’s making apple and ginger jam tomorrow and has promised me a taste.
Today was also my first Quintonil. What a rollercoaster. Having not been at all nervous leading up to my first day, I was suddenly practically fainting with fear when I walked through the front door. I walked into the kitchen and asked for Monica (in English) and they directed me to the office upstairs. I eventually found her and bought my apron and chefs hat (a wonderful pea green shade that looks very nice on me if I do say so myself!).
Monica shows me and the other intern around the restaurant. I have told her to speak to me in Spanish and so I understand about 75% of what she’s saying… I suspect that I am missing some vital bits.
I end up in the prep kitchen sheepishly asking if I can help anyone and I get put straight to work. In English I’m told to get cracking on taking the skin off all these half butchered chickens. I start at it with my knife – which I quickly remember that I’ve forgotten to sharpen. But I crack on and skin the chickens anyway… doing a bit of a hack job. Eventually the guy in charge of the prep kitchen comes up to me telling me in English to hurry up and I hear them tut-tutting me in Spanish for taking nearly an hour to do the 50 or so chickens. I eventually get sent off to find my other, sharper knife which moves things along.
I just felt like I had a never ending list of questions and didn’t know how to do a damn thing in this new kitchen. But I guess probably normal..
By the end of the day I finally found a few people who were friendly and welcoming and also speak impeccable English – which may come in handy when I cant understand the fast paced, slang filled Spanish I’m surrounded by.
Fist impressions:
There are way more women in the kitchen than I expected.
People in Mexico say “guey” (dude)…. A Lot!
Say “por atras” or “atras” instead of ‘Backs” maybe I can implement this at the pop up. Hehe.
I’m into this whole chef’s jacket, uniform look.