Table Talk

     Over the past few months I have been building. Building confidence, character, skills, and actually constructing things too. I am in a new house and was in need of new furniture and thought I might as well build it myself. This week I want to talk about what being at the table means to me and how much more I appreciate the act of dining when it's atop of something I created with my own hands.

     Eating is a communal act, it brings people together and having a good table to sit at to enjoy good food and drink brings a foundation to the experience. A table gives you the ability to create focal points whilst not obstructing the view of your guests. It is the centerpiece behind the centerpiece; the biggest supporter and also the star.

    When I considered building my table I took many factors into consideration: dimensions, colour, type of wood, and framing. I don’t have a lot of space and wanted something that could be transformed to fit the atmosphere of the room. I chose something not to big and not to small (4ft x 3ft), a nice medium stain for colour, a good hard wood, and a ¾ box frame. All fairly simple decisions based on my own preferences and space allowance, but how to make it transform? I decided that with the space restrictions a collapsable table would be perfect; a table that can accommodate dinner guests and casual friends. My table collapses from a height of 30 inches to a height of 16 inches and it’s a simple transformation. So now I have a table that does not just adjust to the atmosphere, but can completely change it. From casual living space to elegant dining room.

    Dinner at the table was not a big deal for me growing up it was just something that happened whenever supper was ready. As I got into my later teen years and family suppers became less frequent I began to reflect and realized how important that time was. Even when no one really spoke it was just good to be with my family. Holiday gatherings always consist of bringing multiple fold out tables and chairs and scrunching everyone together. Seeing a meal shared bring everyone together helped further solidify that cooking and food are what I love.

And now, I love nothing more than cooking a meal, making a drink, and sharing the experience with my friends and family, and now with you too!

cutlery close up

awkward angle but I wanted to get my painting in there

that finish though

cutlery lazy susan centerpiece

my lovely dining area

now it's a coffee table

full height table

table top :)

    I am so glad that I am able to share these brief notes about my life with all of you. I would love to know what you think of dining at the table and hear stories of wonderful meals (or horrible ones). Please let me know in the comments or e-mail me at s2cooks@gmail.com to share your story. Also, if you have any suggestions for future blogs or recipes you can send those to my e-mail as well. As always, it's been a pleasure and I am looking forward to the rest of the year with all of you!

-amuse bouche
S2

Culinary Ideals

In this incredible city, full to the brim with restaurants, cafes, lounges, bars, and clubs you would think that finding one to work at would be easy. Well in a sense it is. There are plenty of kitchen jobs out there, but finding something that truly makes me happy is a task and an adventure that can be quite stressful. 

When it comes to my idea of a perfect kitchen I really am an idealist. The perfect brigade with everyone working together. Everyone knows what they're doing but they're still learning all the while. No one scoffs at an idea and no one shows spite when asked a question. Experience isn't an expectation it's an attribute for the future. I have met cooks that have been in kitchens for 1 year that know more than cooks who have been "living the dream" for 10 years. The latter is due to a drive and a yearning for knowledge and skills. A resume to me is kind of like a really big business card, because in the end all I see on a resume is a name. To truly know what someone is capable of you must see it first hand. long live the "stage"! 

I am undoubtedly a supporter of the stage (prounounced staj) or a working interview. Seeing how someone communicates, how they flow, what their potential for growth is, how keen they are to learn. Even if someone is nervous or shy you can see the underlying desire to learn and that shyness and those nerves will lessen with time. I know this first hand because I tend to be very nervous during a stage. But nonetheless I am constantly observing the flow of the team, the dynamic, the morale, the hierarchy. All the details that help me make my decision; is this somewhere I would like to work. 

-S2

S2 cooks, how it all began

S2cooks

First off, I would like to acknowledge that I am not a "writer". There will be spelling mistakes, there will be bad grammar, there will be run on sentences and open ended comments. But, There will also be great conversations, wonderful information, and a whole lot of words that will hopefully make you hungry! Now that we have all the formalities out of the way let us begin!!!

Today I would like to talk about why I love what I do! Food and cooking have always been my passion and my purpose. From the young age of two I had the idea set in stone that I was going to work with food for the rest of my life. I never strayed from the idea. And here I am a many years later and continuing my journey as a Chef! But before we get to that, "Chef S2: A brief history"

2 years old - decision to work with food set in stone

2006 - First Kitchen Job at White spot

2007 - First FOH Job at The Hooded Merganser at The Lakeside Hotel

Spring 2011 - Awarded top senior foods student in my highschool graduating class

Fall 2011 - Started Culinary School 

2013 - Graduated Culinary School while working at Rogue on Broadway

Summer 2013 - Brief work term at Trafalagar's Bistro at Sweet obsession

Fall 2013 - Started working at Burgundy Restaurant as Chef de Partie

January 2014 - I assumed the role of Head Chef at Burgundy Restaurant

And that brings you up to date :) 

So as you can see I have had a hospitality filled life. There are other restaurants and hotels I have worked at in between all of the previous milestones in my life (I haven't worked at a milestones though!), and several stages (trial shifts) at some reputable restaurants that just didn't fit my personality. Nonetheless Burgundy was like home and the people I worked with are like my family. I was given a great opportunity at Burgundy and will cherish the lessons and experience it has given me for the rest of my career. 

-S2