So that's what perfect looks like!?

Before I get to perfection, I have to say that the beginning to superior has been so much easier for me than all of intermediate. Aside from the first practical, I've felt in control the whole time. I know what I have to do and I just bang it out. I'm not as unsure as I was before, and it's so refreshing! I've done a bar en croute, I've done a quail-in-pastry thing that I'd rather not get into. I've done a Lobster Chartreuse, I've done rack of lamb and haven't had a problem! I've hate Cotte, Lesourd, Strill, Terrien and have felt like I really have a handle on this cooking thing.

We walked into demo this morning and saw Terrien setting up. We've have every other Chef for demo, but not him. He's a superior Chef but there have been loads of rumors going around that he's retiring, or reasons that he hasn't done a demo. As the Chef of Chefs, he gets a lot of flack. We're all scared of him and were intimidated when we saw him in DRC setting up...

...Then he started. I have never seen anything like it. I love Clergue to death (more on him later) and thought his demos were the be all, end all. Then I watched Terrien. Faces fell, no one spoke, we were all completely in awe of this 64 year old man and how he moves in the kitchen. Butchering a rack of lamb like it was nothing, making a 'real' jus, slicing, chopping, and just general knife skills were like music. Quick, deliberate and truly amazing. THIS IS WHAT IT"S LIKE TO BE PERFECT. I speak for all of us when I saw we walked out of there inspired. I wanted to be just like him- confident, deliberate and all-knowing. I can't decide what is more impressive- his absolute skill or confidence. He KNOWS he's the best- and while he's considered old school, no one can deny his skill. He's had about 40+ years in a kitchen and here he is teaching US about how to butcher lamb.

Thunderous applause met the end of his demonstration. It's amazing how inspiring the Chefs are and how much I want to emulate them when I'm finished. I'm assistant this week with Anthony so I bypassed the shitty Carrefour sandwich to get ahead on my duties. I was so excited to see Chef Clergue walk in the kitchen to proctor our practical. I was fine until my jus wasn't the correct color. It was too light. We were making lamb filet wrapped in brick pastry with a tian garnish and a jus. Jus are my thing- I always do well on that so when it was too light I was concerned. Clergue taught me this great trick and it worked, my tian garnish was a thing of beauty, my tomatoes were confit perfectly, and I had wrapped my filet absolutely impeccably....then I over cooked it. "C'est Dommage" Chef Clergue said to me. HIM of all people I wanted to impress and I blew it. What a bummer. I was depressed all through his demo and while my love for him as a chef hasn't diminished-as I know he's doing it to make me better, it's like disappointing your parents. You almost wish they'd just be MAD instead of disappointed at you. Here's hoping I can step it up and make him proud. Nothing would make me happier than hearing "parfait" from him.

I'm off to Ireland this weekend to see many friendly faces at Sarah Mitchell's wedding. I can't wait to escape the kitchen and not have to worry about stock, jus, butchering or presentation.

I leave you with some pictures of my creations... and the term "slainte" which means cheers/live well in Irish!

A bientot!