So from this Friday I become Chef de Cuisine (and plongeur, sous-chef, restaurant manager, sommelier and commis de rang) at Chalet Bertie, http://www.thepeacefulgiant.com.
I am responsible for everything to do with the kitchen, from menu writing, ordering and shopping to peeling the potatoes and serving the food. And taking the blame.
It’s a good step up from Les Agassins but one I’m looking forward to tremendously.
Delphine and I had a great week in Guadeloupe at the beginning of the month – I heartily recommend holidays, I fully intend to take at least another one as soon as I’ve finished up in the Alps – after I did three interviews/cooking trials in the UK.
The first trial was bizarre; when I got there it turned out there was already a chef in the job and the owner just wanted me to spy on him and work out if he was nicking stuff; the second one was for the job I’ve accepted up in Morzine and was great – good people, unlimited food budget, I get to do what I want; the third trial was in a tiny flat near Chelsea Harbour for six, no seven, no make that 11 people. No we’re 10 now. Anyway, they loved the food and promised to get back in touch and let me know by the weekend. They still haven’t, two weeks later, and bizarrely neither has the agency which sent me up there – despite me sending them several e-mails. So don’t go looking at Alprecruit if you need a job.
I do recommend Natives. They found me this job and presented me for several which pay decent money – it seems that most people work up in the Alps because they want to go skiing, not because they want to cook. Well, a little skiing now and then will be very welcome, but cooking is what I’m going for.
Cheers.