The French Pastry School-Week One - Introduction

L'Art de la Pâtisserie Week 1

Monday
     I arrived at FPS (226 W Jackson Blvd) around 7:30 today, presented my i.d. and was issued a temporary security pass.  I took the elevator to the open area on the second floor and was greeted by the entire FPS team, minus  Chef Jacquy Pfeiffer and Chef Sébastien Canonne, M.O.F. who are in Brazil enjoying the world cup, signed in and received a name  tag.      Tables were set up in three long rows and we each had a specific seating assignment.  The rows were broken into streams.  I am in stream three so I sat in the third row.  Each seat held our paperwork, syllabus, text books and three uniforms.  
     Orientation began promptly at 8:00am.  Franco Pacini (Director of Operations) and Anne Kauffmann (Associate Dean) introduced themselves and the rest of the team.  We received an orientation to the kitchen, equipment, daily routines and student policies.  Time was allotted for lunch on our own.  
Communication:  Communication is the most important part of the FPS education.  The giving and receiving of information is at the core of the school's ability to guide us in the career direction we individually choose.  We were encouraged to connect with Franco and Anne on LinkedIn and to go to the Chicago Area Retail Baker's Association's website.    Professionalism:  Professionalism is important when things go wrong.  

Introductions:  Everyone introduced themselves, detailed their history, plans upon graduation and their favorite pastry.  An FPS staff member took notes during the entire process.  Their goal is to help us achieve our goals and that requires that we actively participate in the process by being specific and clear.  
Uniforms:  Our kit includes three white chef's coat with the FPS logo, three pairs of khaki pants, three FPS aprons and two baker's caps.  The chef coats have snap closures and are darted to be more attractive for women.  
We are only to wear our uniform and shoes while in the FPS buildings.  Aprons and hats must be removed before using the restroom.  Our pants must be hemmed half and inch above the should of our kitchen shoes.  Our kitchen shoes must be leather, black or brown and must not have laces.  Laces can harbor bacteria and won't act as a strong barrier to knife cuts or hot liquids.  Kitchen clogs allow for quick removal in case of emergency.   We will all strive to be safe, work clean and look exactly the same.  Socks are the only form of expression allowed.  Apparently, people compete to have the craziest socks.  

We will receive our official i.d. badges next week.  They must be kept on our person at all times.  All hair, including bangs, must be under the baking cap.  Makeup is to be kept to a minimum and perfume is not allowed.  We are encouraged to shower and use deodorant.   Our white coats can be dry cleaned but if they are washed, which is my intention, they do not recommend bleach but bluing or oxyclean instead.  The logo and piping washes out with bleach.  It also breaks down the fibers which leads to a softer more wrinkled coat. Next Monday we will start the week in full uniform, pants hemmed and on time.

Ventra Card:  Our Ventra card allows us to ride the local trains and buses free for approximately four months.  The Chicago transit authority (CTA)  covers most of the city.  A one way ticket on the subway or L is $3 so this will save quite a bit of money over the six month session.
Partners:  Each station accommodates two people.  Our partners and cleaning assignments rotate every two weeks.  Communication with our partners is key in keeping the work station efficient and clean.
Cleaning:  Embrace cleaning, help each other and excel at it.   Cleaning should be done on a continual basis but is specifically expected at the end of each class.  Clean equipment is functional equipment.  
Cleanliness and work ethic make FPS students standout.
Take Home Product:  FPS does not have a store.  Students are allowed to bring home approximately half of all work product.  It is up to us to provide bags or clean containers.  Each Friday a buffet of the week's work is arranged and photographed.  Food is dispersed after each Friday buffet.  
Break Time:  Chefs will dismiss students for 15 minutes.  Doors are locked at 16 minutes!  Aprons and hats should be placed on the shelf in the kitchen and not worn on break.  There are water fountains in each kitchen so there is no need for individual water bottles.  No food or beverages are allowed in the kitchens.
Absences and Tardies:  3 absences are allowed.  It must be for something serious; jury duty, unplanned doctor visit (sick), funeral of a direct relative or on a case by case basis at the discretion of the dean.  Communication is key.  If we are going to be late, we have to email the school with our full name, stream and whether or not we will be absent or tardy.  Telling your partner that you'll be late is unacceptable.
We are granted one free pass.  Any other absences will affect our grades.  Tardy students are locked out of class and receive an absence for the entire day.  Students are allowed one to two tardies, with proper email communication, but more than ten minutes late will warrant a meeting with the Dean.
Grades:  The program is broken into four sections.  Each section requires a written exam followed by three days of practical exams.  The practicals make up 50% of our grades.  Our practicals will be graded on taste, texture, appearance and whether or not we are team players.  Communication with partners is extremely important during practicals.  It will help us to organize our equipment and time.
Chefs will do verbal evaluations every couple of weeks.  This is a good time to communicate with the chef instructors on questions or concerns.  Self evaluation essays are part of our final grade and will be kept in the form of work journals.
Career Education Services:  This is a huge component of the FPS education.  It is ongoing and life long.  FPS has an alumni center which gives us exclusive entry to a job search.  The quality of networking and assistance is global and at a very high level.
Cell Phones:  No video.  Photos are allowed.  No photographing of intellectual property.  No texting or unrelated cell phone use will be permitted in the kitchen.
Stage List:  The stage, or job shadow, list is based on FPS's relationship with local businesses.  Stages are volunteer and unpaid.  Hotels are less likely to allow a one day stage.  They prefer longer term commitments.  If a business is not on the list, and it seems like it should be, there is probably a good reason it is not included.  Communicate with the staff to maximize the stage experience.  The stage offers insight and guidance.  One stage is required to graduate but it is recommended that we do several. 
Networking:  Networking means meeting and being met.  It allows for continued growth as a professional and should be taken advantage of during the six month term.  Spending quality learning time with the chefs, interns and visiting chefs is key.  
Social Media:  We are encouraged to follow all FPS social media platforms; Facebook, youtube, Pinterest, Instagram and Pastry Chicago .
Pastry Chicago:  Pastry Chicago hosts three events during our six month term.  An ice-cream social in August, the haunted cupcake competition in October and a brownie contest. We may either compete or volunteer.

Tool Kit:  The best part of the day.  Interns passed out our tool kits.  The bag has straps that work like a backpack and consists of three compartments with interior pockets for our tools. Our kits include, several knives, spatulas, a rolling pin, digital thermometer, kitchen shears, bowl and bench scrapers and are generally awesome.  We are required to mark our tools by next Monday.  The only two acceptable methods are engraving or wrapping handles with duct tape.  I ordered an inexpensive engraving tool from Amazon.  I hope it works because I am not keen on taping the handles of my beautiful new tools.
Lockers:  Our lockers are in the basement changing room.  We may store our tool kit, books, uniforms and clean containers.  Food may only stay in the lockers for one day.
Tuesday
No School
Today is one of two days of sanitation training.  I earned my certification at MATC and did not have to attend.   We received an email informing us of our first career education assignment.  We must read the career services handbook, write a resume, cover letter and thank you note by this Friday.  It is a pass/fail assignment.  We will receive feedback in three weeks.  They will give us a week for rewrites. 
Wednesday
No School
I spent the day researching my job opportunities, organizing my resume information and signing into the alumni center website.  Stage opportunities are updated weekly and job openings are updated daily.  The list is global in scope and very extensive.  
Thursday

Chef Joel Reno led the lecture today.  Here are my notes:
It is important to make the French Pastry Connection.  Can I make things taste good, look appealing, manage costs and manage people?
The challenge is how to end a meal on a high note.  Dessert should compliment the chef's food.  The whole meal has to make sense.
Put ego away.
Have an open mind, don't think you know anything, because you don't.
It's a lifetime journey.
Work on technique.
Ask good questions.
Don't be afraid to fail. 
Learn the rules.  Know the rules before you start to break them.
Have dignity.
Don't make anything gross.
Don't take things personally, we're here to learn.
Details.
Relax.
Don't talk back.
Be organized.
Develop your palette. 
Don't eat McDonalds.
Read recipes ahead of time.  Spend thirty minutes a night preparing for tomorrow's recipes.
Read In the Pursuit of Perfection by Heston Blumenthal  The author references other chefs and their books.  
Being a chef is about being a problem solver.
We will not be chefs upon graduation.
It is not the teacher's job to teach us the recipes, we have to want it.
Have elegance and style, cultivate yourself and believe in yourself.
Keep a log of cookie dough, royaltine and a par baked pizza crust in the freezer at home for easy, last minute entertaining.
Chicory, which is used as a coffee substitute and flavor enhancer,  is the root of the Endive plant.  I did not know this.
When building a dessert, use diversity of taste, be creative but approachable, keep sweetness under control (earthy, bitter, sweet and salty) and think before you begin.
Form an opinion of your own work before sharing it with others.
Never serve sub-par deserts.
Start a flavor and parings chart as a personal reference tool.
Use a fruity olive oil in pastry.
Conceptualize a dessert and then make it come to life.
Our time as students at FPS is not the time to be creative.  It is the time to learn discipline and rules.  The worst thing we could do is to be creative.
Let your work speak for itself.
Taste everything.  
Think seasonally.
Rules for a stage:      Don't talk to the chef, talk to other people.      Don't talk.        Work hard.      Ask what to do next.      Only do what you are asked to do.      Don't act like you know anything.      You do not know anything.      Be attentive.      Relax.
The recipes in our FPS books are perfect.  Do not get creative with them.  Focus.
Organize questions and then write them down.  Ask to speak to the chef and be prepared.
Don't get ahead of yourself.  
Mandatory one-on-one session regarding finances, career services and work experience opportunities.
Immediately following Chef Joel Reno's lecture, I went to the fourth floor to meet with the administrative staff.  I received a piece of paper with each person's photo.  As I met with them, they would cross off their photo and send us to the next person.  
I signed up for two production volunteer days and one French Pastry Experience Saturday, worked with Renée in financial aid and learned what was expected of our resume, cover letter and thank you note assignment.  
Franco Pacini met with me personally to address some questions I have regarding my specific goals and career path.  
We received our Ventra passes and I activated it, by phone, before I left the building.  I stored my books in my locker.
Friday Chef Patrice Caillot led the lecture today.  Here are my notes:
Learn classical music before you play rock n roll.
Use first quality ingredients.
Learn the basics and the foundation.
The less you touch the ingredients the better final product you will have.
Practice at home.
Learn proper technique and then learn speed.
Ask questions.
Read and re-read the technology sections of the book.  Get ahead.  
Plan ahead for the next week's work by reading the recipes and corresponding technology pages.
Ingredient functions for milk, butter, sugar, wheat, starch, eggs and yeast.
Dismissed for the weekend;
I brought my uniforms with me today and left them in my locker.  It is very difficult to carry so much on the train.  There is a Cubs game today and the subway was very crowded.  The conductor was very vocal in his displeasure on the situation.