Having established a liking for food, cooking and the occasional drink I needed to decide on a post school activity. Having turned 18 overnight as I returned from a first trip to Canada I was met at the airport by dad who greeted me with the news I’d failed my A levels. So a proposed higher level course at catering college transformed into one at a different college level. The course covered running a restaurant, cooking as a chef, along with knowledge of food, drink, especially wines, as well as accounts, and some French. All very enjoyable, our gang was a range of personalities and we all had our quirks. Dressed in whites with the tall hats we were a site to behold. The chefs we trained with were strict and on occasion difficult to please.
Operating the college restaurant was more fun, dealing with proper customers. A favourite turn was to be the barman with the opportunity for a quick try of something we might not have tasted before. Apart from dealing with people the longest lasting non culinary expertise has been double entry book keeping and reading a balance sheet. Very useful whatever the amounts you’re faced with. As we were based in central London we soon learnt to be ready to pick up casual waiting jobs at big hotels, for a large banquet for example after the college day. Usually cash in hand. The best gig was at BBC television centre where if working late you were given a cab ride home as well as well paid.
Our two year course passed quickly and I was awarded a book token as a prize at the end of it. It looked like catering of some kind would be the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment