True Life: I’m a restaurant intern.

Sorry it’s been a while since my last post.  I was not particularly fond of my final class of the term, and didn’t care to think about it after class each day hence no blog post there.  And I was able to go home for two and a half weeks to spend time with my wonderful family before starting my internship last week, and there wasn’t much to blog about there either. 

So yes, I am now a restaurant intern although I feel more like an apprentice.  I’m learning so much already, and I feel spoiled to have the opportunity to work with such wonderful people every day at Cook & Brown Public House.  If you’re in the Providence area, go.  If you’re not, I’m sorry because you’re missing out.  The restaurant is what the chef/proprietor likes to call “super-seasonal” and it is just that.  The menu changes a little from week to week depending on what seasonal ingredients he’s able to get.  This past week (my first week) we got in lots of cherry tomatoes, green tomatoes, red globe tomatoes, TONS of peas (snow, sugar snap, and English), wonderful wild greens, several varieties of kale, chard, asparagus, strawberries and the list goes on.

I’m so impressed with what the staff prepares in house.  Just about everything is from scratch aside from the bread that they serve during service.  And they don’t waste anything, which of course is typical in most restaurants.  Citrus rinds are candied.  Asparagus stalks are juiced.  Herb stems are used for stocks.  Celery leaves are used for salads.  Daily I’m learning new ways to get the most out of every ingredient I buy. 

Of course I can’t reveal recipes or cooking secrets from the restaurant, but I can show you pictures of the food which I’m able to take during service.  Keep in mind that I only have a few seconds to snap pictures before the plates are carried out of the kitchen so the quality isn’t that great, but you get the idea.

Sirloin tip steak, cherry tomato-bread salad, grilled scallion relish and parmesan

Fried green tomatoes, house-made Tabasco mayo, and mizzuna

Pan roasted chicken, lentil salad, shaved fennel salad

Steak tartare, brioche, mixed greens 

There will certainly be more updates with details to come, but for now I’m off to bed.  My 6 day, 65 hour work week starts back up tomorrow so I’m going to get some sleep.