7
Sep 2010
2

Bonjour from Roanne

Posted by Garrett      
  

Bonjour Y’all! Wow it’s been a whirlwind since arriving in France. I set foot in Roanne in the afternoon and within a couple hours was working my tail off in the kitchen at La Maison Troisgros. Everyone here is super nice and has taken me under their wing to teach me what they know. Most of the cooks in the kitchen speak some English so that has been nice. I’m working hard at improving my French, but it is difficult.

Garrett Weber-Gale working in the kitchen of La Maison de Troisgros

Working with Precision

The third day I was in Roanne I dined in the restaurant, courtesy of Michel (the chef). Sixteen courses later I was blown away by the quality and precision with which they create their masterpieces. I can’t even call it food. Of course it is food but on a whole new level. I mean there are sometimes upwards of 15 steps that go into creating a single one of their dishes. If you’re interested in seeing what I’m talking about follow my twitter feed as there are tons of pictures I upload there.

My role in the kitchen is widely varied. Here’s a list of some of the thing’s I’ve done so far…

  • Sorted through hundreds of tiny wild strawberries.
  • Turned artichokes…considered to be one of the most difficult tasks in any kitchen.
  • Helped prepare the sweet pea soup, which is almost ten different steps.
  • Made croissants from scratch.
  • Melted and tempered raw chocolate.
  • Pan sauteed lobsters for the lobster dish (supervised of course)
  • Boned lamb shoulders.
  • Broke down pigeons.
  • Squeegeed floors
Olympic-sized training pool

Beautiful Facilities Indoors and Out

So many more I can’t even explain here. I’m loving my time in France so far. The work is super hard and gives me even more respect for those who work in kitchens. Working on your feet for 15 hours a day is tough! The city of Roanne is the perfect size for me…big enough that they have a lot to do but small enough for me to get everywhere on my bike. Tuesday and Wednesday are completely off. Swimming is going great here. The pool is my release from the physical toll of work. I’ve been swimming five days a week and loving it.

Hope y’all are well! Follow my twitter profile so you can really experience this incredible journey!!!

  • Filed under: Cooking in Italy, France, Restaurants, Food

    • 2 Responses for "Bonjour from Roanne"

    1. Michaela Hogue Michaela Hogue September 7th, 2010 at 6:33 PM 1

      It sounds absolutely fabulous! Have you thought about taking a year off after the next games and travel the world going to different restaurants and learning the cuisines and food culture??
      As far as being on your feet all day, try taking a Naproxen (Aleve) before your shift and enjoy a glass of red wine (not a huge glass…around 4-6 oz) at the end of your shift….it beats the alternative of fueling on caffiene and nicotine all day.
      Also…when you get back to the States…don’t buy chef’s shoes, buy a pair of Crocs (with out the holes). They by far are the best plus they are a lot cheaper and you can clean them easier than chef shoes.
      I hope these tips help you….they always work for me when working in the kitchen and in the office!
      Au revoir! Soyez sûrs!
    2. Janice Janice September 9th, 2010 at 5:22 PM 2

      Love that you are able to keep up your swimming while getting such an incredible experience of working in the kitchen there. Enjoy!

    Leave a reply



    Spam protection by WP Captcha-Free