Sort of anti-climatic way of ending the unit, but exciting none the less! And we get to have Chef. Jergen for the first two weeks of level 3! Which is great, since it's advanced chocolate, one of the sections I care most about.
On an unrelated note, we went to a demo for the executive pastry chef from Aureole Las Vegas, and she was doing chocolate. It was fine, and though she had been working in the industry for a couple of decades, she had no formal training and was originally a savory chef. Not to say you need formal training (obviously, since several phenomenal chefs didn't). But there was a difference, and her chocolate technique was actually not that great. She has a cookbook and a line of chocolates. All of which are good. But, not great. And while watching the demo/tasting I had a bit of a realization. I didn't know how well we were being trained, or how talented we've become. What I can produce now (what most of us can) is well above industry standards. Like ganache I made a few weeks ago thatI think was on par to many top chocolatiers in New York City. It's hard for me to admit I'm good at anything, so to think just maybe I'm actually quite talented is a stretch. But its sinking in a bit, and I'm starting to believe the instructors when they say we are being "groomed to be the best in the industry." Perhaps there is a reason the vast majority of celebrity chefs who have had formal training are FCI alums. It is exciting! I know I don't need to be Jaques Torres to make it in the industry, but now I'm starting to really believe, this is something I can do, and quite well at that.
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