Kitchen Characters....

Character Sketch:Chef P.N.

"Wow", "Excellent" & "Good"--perhaps these are the three words Chef P. used the most. I remember talking to him over phone, in the end of January, 2009, when I was desperately looking for job. After a light conversation, I assumed his looks-- a person, middle-aged, can be fair in complexion, possibly will have a moustache, intellectual & may be wears glasses!!

Date:Feb, 3, 2009
Time:10:00 am
Place:Undisclosed hotel,Chennai, India
I entered the Main kitchen, through the IRD [In-room dining] section, wearing a hairnet [too less hair to wear a hairnet!!] & walked upto the Chef's office. Well, contrary to my assumption on his looks, he didn't seem to have moustache, rather clean shave & secondly, he doesn't wear glasses. He asked me whether I had breakfast or no..I said "Yes" [Only a cup of tea...but I was hungry also!!!!!] & then I gave him my menu for the food trial. He said, thats fine...& then  I started. For my food trial, I made "Mushroom Cappuccino Soup", "Warm Pasta Salad", "Grilled fish with Pomegranate & Cream Reduction, Pommes de terre Ecrasse, & buttered Asparagus" & "White Chocolate Pannacotta with glazed strawberries".

At the end of the trial..he started tasting the food. He had a sip of the Soup from the espresso cups & said "Wow!!!!".
Rest of the foods he had in the restaurant with some guest & then gave me his feedback. He wanted the foods to be hot...instant service for ala carte & lots of ideas on plating & said he liked my food!!! Finally his question, "When can you join??" I replied, "After 1 month!!" He got pissed off, at least that was his facial expression but said, "Okk...I want to see you after a month or sooner"..

I joined after a month--I remember what I cooked in food trial. Cream of Green Peas with Mint Foam, Pollo alla Marinara with garlic mashed potatoes & braised carrots & onions, prawns in coconut gravy[Bengali style, as chef requested], & Yoghurt Mousse with Vanilla Jelly!!
Chef said food was good & after a brief interview with GM...I joined that hotel from the next week.
Well, initially he was good to me, often he would come to me & ask me, "Whats happening??"..Well if nothing is happening, what I can do???
Many things were f***ed up...I wanted to change, but the ass***** will not allow me. So I kept quiet trying to have a grasp over the operations.

Sooner after joining we got a big function for outdoors. We had to make vegetable lasagne & tenderloin stroganoff. I had to make grilled fish with mustard beurre blanc & mashed potato --on site!! It was hard but fun to cook for 1500 ppl!!!!!
It was successful though..
People used to tell me "Chef PN is nice to you now, but see him how does he change in a couple of months"--well, let them whisper. I am never prejudiced by anyone's opinion. I have my own ways to handle things, to handle people & treat them. If someone is bad to others but good to me, is good to me. However, once he is bad, is bad forever.
Things were going fine with him--& with me too. Except a little few shout.
However, the tough day came once...it was egg-white omelette. Damodaran told me later, "I have never seen Chef P. shouting in the kitchen like that!!". Perhaps Chef P. used all his abusive Vocab. on me....I was feeling really bad!! Is the problem with my ego???Yes...badly I have the ego of being "Mr. Know-all". I was being humiliated in the kitchen by abusive Chef P., specially if it is done in front of others. When I am treated in such way--I barely talk to anyone. Only my mother knows the remedy!!! My friends were trying to cheer me up, but I was not in a mood.


Anyways, days were passing fast...sometimes he was happy with me in the morning,  & on the same day he used to swear me in the afternoon. Again praising me in the evening.....
I remember, sometime in the month of June.He called me in his office & asked me, "Gaurav, why didn't you make Bechamel yesterday??", I replied, "Well, Chef, firstly, I didn't have milk at night [I was doing night+morning shift those days!!] & secondly no stockpot for me". He kept quiet & I left the office for quick relief.
I hate complaining & I hate those people who complains. For me kitchen is a place of co-existence & survival for the fittest. Complaining against someone shows immaturity. Why chef asked me these questions?Reason is simple that my colleague complained against me......

On another instance, Chef PN called me in his office. My heart started beating fast.."What is it now??", I asked myself.
Chef PN started blasting "You dont know anything & bla bla..."
Well, I know nothing!!!!
Chef PN continued,"You burnt the bechamel yesterday".
Yes, I did [I am talking to myself, but I am silent!!!]
"Where have you worked before??" Chef PN asked me.
"In Grand Hyatt, Mumbai," I replied,"In their room service kitchen".
"What did you do there??F*** around???", he asked me again.
I chose to remain silent. Else, its adding fuel to fire...
"What you used to make there??", Chef started doing his enquiry about my previous job.
I told him all..
"Make me a club sandwich as you used to make there", he told me.
"Fine..I will do", I replied & left the Office.
After a couple of hours I made the Club S/W as we used to make in Grand Hyatt & he said "Wow"!!!
I went on a week's leave to Kolkata from Chennai & then returned. Post return I was in night shift--for one month, when I had limited interaction. He would come up with sudden ideas & advices & questions..
"Gaurav, where is Ciabatta?" when I was serving a cream of mushroom soup. I was puzzled.
I said, "No ciabatta chef...". He would revert back as "Why no ciabatta??" [Well, How would I know..you are the exe. chef..]He went to pastry & told them to make ciabatta & advised me that Ciabatta to go with Mushroom soup!!Okk...


By August-September, I was on a "About to leave" mode. I dont know, why I have this poor record of job hopping. My mom is annoyed with me, for this reason...even she is scared today, that when I will get back to kolkata without notice...
In the month of September, I gave him my resignation, owing to an offer from Bahrain. He didn't accept the resignation as it was short notice period[I was ready for any compromise though...] & started telling me stories...
Again, at the end of September I gave him resignation, as I was planning to move to Dubai. He read my resignation, smiled at me & said, "Well, I cant stop you anymore. You are meant to go...all the best!!".
I learnt few things from him [Of course, I learn from all people around me...]how to cook steak & many other stuff.....
Mostly I miss his three magic words... "Wow," "Excellent" & "Good"....[He was badly abusive though!!!]


(Dedicated to Chef PN....)