So my final exams have been postponed. The CIA is going through a full time student expansion-spurred by all the food-related TV shows that make chefing seem exciting- they are utilizing the CE kitchens and voila-no space for the practical exams. SO, no finals until July 5th. UGH. Need go home and keep the excitement up for another month. But maybe that is good. Time to regroup. During my last week, we did a test run of the test (yeah, I know redundant) and I blew up spectacularly. So here’s how it went:
The Practical Test:
Each test taker is given a 3 course menu, chosen by the teaching staff each day for the next day’s test. Each dish – soup, salad and protein with a starch and vegetable – demonstrates a competency in a specific area. The menus for the most part are not duplicated among test takers.
The testees spend the evening (post 8PM) researching the recipes and techniques, scaling recipes for 4 servings, writing a game plan/approach, equipment list , recipe cards and studying for written tests.
Early in the morning the candidates choose and polish appropriate service plates from the dish room and wrap them in plastic wrap. The candidates must be ready to enter the kitchen (run) with your dishes, knives, recipes, lists and hand tools at the assigned time and go to your assigned station to begin.
Time: 2.5 hours to collect pots, pans and equipment, “shop” for food in the coolers and cook. You better be prepared and pumped!
The Station:
Part of the score is organization. The goal of a clean work station is that NOTHING should be on the countertop except the tools, food item and cutting board you are currently using. If you leave your station to wash lettuce at the sink, there should be a question if anyone working is there. A “good” station is next to your range and offers under counter storage for unused/dirty equipment. A “great” station also has some additional shelves on the wall next to the range. I get neither. I get the station that has no shelves and who’s under counter storage contains the kitchen’s onion, garlic, potato and tomato stores. It takes me about .5 seconds to absorb this while I am running and a knot is tightening my stomach.
The Judging:
3 kitchen judges, who watch technique, efficiency, organization, food utilization and sanitation during cooking.
2 tasting judges who….taste. Blind – they don’t know who the chef is. They can taste a scorched vegetable that was in a pot weeks ago, never mind you trying to get away with it today. Eye appeal is paramount too, as is appropriate temperature.
My Menu:
Cream of Broccoli Soup: Demonstrating creamed soup and green vegetable knowledge.
Salad with an Emulsified Dressing: Demonstrating salad creativity, technique and knowing what makes an emulsified dressing.
Shallow Poached Sole with Vin Blanc: Demonstrating shallow poaching technique, fish cookery and cuisson (poaching liquid) utilization.
Barley Pilaf: Demonstrating grain cookery.
Buttered Tournéd Root Vegetables: Demonstrating tourné speed and ability and root vegetable cooking.
