With a full week at school I finally feel settled in and have my feet on the ground (or just in the snow). My apartment is set up, I already found my gourmet market (Adams Fairacre Farms!), my new gym, and have gotten to know my unique (to say the least) neighbors.
They don't mess around here at the CIA but it is truly one of the most amazing places I have ever been. Extremely strict dress/uniform code. I had to go out and buy "work" clothes to go to school. Never had to buy them to go to work (I did push that boundary just a bit...).
So long to the days of going to class in sweatpants in Angell Hall in Ann Arbor. All absences (except Jewish holidays :) are unexcused. Yes, this includes if you are extremely ill and even rushed to the hospital. Did I mention that they never close even when it snows?! Like this morning when I dug my car out of 9 inches of snow in dress pants with a broom (see picture above). But I made it to class on time as it has been ingrained in my head that a chef always shows up!
Classes thus far are great. It is so good to be in a classroom where everyone is interested in the same thing I am. The library of 80 some thousand volumes is full of books that have to do with food and every aspect and angle of it. The meals are all cooked by the students and eaten by the students. Not too bad when I eat roasted salmon for lunch and sirloin for dinner.
My classes for the first six weeks include Culinary Math, Introduction to Gastronomy (the science of nourishment including history of food movements, the cultural differences of how/why we eat what we do, and prominent individuals who changed the industry), product knowledge (literally identifying every piece of produce, seed, and nut that grows, being able to identify the growing season/ where it grows during the year, how to order the products, what to look for, etc.), and Food Safety (learning about all sorts of wonderful things including Salmonella, E-coli, Shigella, hepatitis A, and the parasites Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidia). Yummy! I have about 4 hours of class a day and spend the rest of the time studying and reading for classes. If your looking for me at 7 a.m. I'll be on the loading doc at school with the delivery trucks for the day.
For my first block (or 6 week schedule) I am required to eat in the banquet and catering dining room for dinner. In order to ensure we get a seat, we get in line at 4:30. I feel like I am in Boca. Three courses (sometimes four) every night with unlimited cappuccino, Pellegrino, and ice tea. Life is pretty good! Tonight I had a divine dark chocolate cream pot for dessert. The warm dark chocolate custard melted in my mouth with just a touch of whip cream and a fresh raspberry. Best dessert I have eaten here thus far.
The campus has a wonderful vibe. It is full of life and vigor. Everyone here is driven into this business for a reason. Because we love it and we can't get enough of it. I am going to soak up everything I can from this school and I can't wait to see what will come my way next.
Check back every so often as I am going to do my best to update this blog to keep everyone in the loop!
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