I had my trial interview at the bakery in the city last night, and while it wasn't completely what I expected, I think that it went fairly well. I showed up early for what I was expecting would be a 2-3 hour tops work trial, just to see how I'd fit in in their kitchen. For starters, I was blown away by how amazing everything looked in their storefront. Even though I'd arrived toward the end of their retail hours for Sunday, everything still looked delicious, there were a wide variety of breads, some with sweet or savory additions, as well as some tasty looking pastries. Unfortunately, the person I'd been told I'd be meeting with had left for the day. I was crestfallen at first, thinking I'd have to reschedule, but a minute later, the girl at the counter took me back to work with a couple of other guys in the bakery.
I'd never have guessed from looking at the storefront, but their warehouse/kitchen/bakery is huge! There was this massive expanse of space in the back, as well as floor to ceiling ovens, that I still can't wrap my mind around how they all work. Then the doorway to the bakery, which is in between the two giant sections of ovens, was flanked by these gigantic wooden peels (at least twice as long as I am tall) that stood like stationary guards keeping watch over the baking breads.
The guys I worked with were very nice, and at first I felt like, "this is going to be soooo easy!" There were only 2 other guys there, and all they had me doing at first was picking rosemary apart. So I'm standing their happily with green finger tips thinking it's going to be a breeze, and boy was I ever wrong! After that, the work level took a quick upswing and before I knew it I was portioning and shaping doughs, being taught how to throw wheat bran down a rack like a baseball, and lifting very heavy rubbermaid containers of dough. All of the sudden 6 o'clock had rolled around and the guys were asking if I wanted something to eat from the storefront (they also make and sell paninis). I joined them, but was a little confused. After all, if they're offering to feed me, that makes it seem more like a break rather than sending me on my way. So after I had a little something to eat, I tried to very casually ask how long the trial lasted for. The guy I was observing called the guy I'd been told I was supposed to meet and then came back to me and said, "can you stay till 10pm?" I had no idea that work trial meant that I'd actually be working a 6+ hour shift. Of course I said yes, because I didn't want to seem flaky, and I really want the job, but I had to sneak upstairs to call Dave to let him know that I wouldn't be home till much later than expected. I kind of get it, after all, what better way to see how I'll work out then by having me work a full shift. It just would have been nice to know that up front. Also, I have to tell you that it wasn't until about 4 hours into my shift there that another girl showed up. After a little while she and I were chatting and she asked how long I'd worked there for. While pleased that I looked to her like a regular employee, I admitted that I was only there on a trial, and asked her the same question - she had just started the day before. So then she asked where I was working now and so I explained that I was about to graduate from pastry school and this would be my first full-time industry job, so again, I reciprocated and asked where she worked previously. Jean Georges. Freaking Jean Georges! She's like, "oh I was a chef there, I didn't bake..." Oh yes, that makes all the difference. Don't mind me, I'm just going to go stand in the corner and think about the fact that you were a chef at Jean Georges! For those who don't know, Jean Georges is one of those super-important, super-fancy-pants places that Dave and I might go to if say, we had upwards of $300 to spend on dinner. I was stunned, I couldn't believe that there was a chance I could be starting work someplace with someone who had that kind of pedigree. It's the kind of thing that builds you up and yet makes you feel inferior at the same time.
By the end of the night, let me tell you - I looked delightful. I now fully understand why they have a full locker room and bathrooms with showers. Every time I shook out my apron I was literally surrounded by a cloud of flour. I had to beat the hat I'd borrowed from Dave out over the sink to get most of the flour off, and my jeans and sneakers were so coated, I looked like I'd been caught in the dust bowl of 1930! No no wait...I looked like look like I trudged through a field of cocaine! Or um...you know, flour...
I'm here all week folks. Tip your waitress, try the veal!
By the time 10pm rolled around, I was thoroughly exhausted. My supervisor dismissed me for the night and rewarded me with a pullman loaf of sourdough bread. Also, since I had to take a different train that night (the train that would've gotten me closest to the bakery was running on a different track due to repairs, etc. aka: MTA hates me), I decided to treat myself with a stop at the Tim Horton's 1 block away from the train and get myself an Ice Capp. Oh Tim Horton...I love you most of all...
My prizes, bread and a Tim Horton's Ice Capp
Dave was particularly fond of the bread and decided that it looked very nice as a mustache
I was so incredibly sore when I woke up this morning. I honestly still don't know how I made it out of bed at all. The good news is though, I got up the nerve to call the woman from human resources who had set the work trial up for me in the first place, to thank her and to follow up and see if she still wanted me to come in for a sit-down interview. As it turns out, she did! She told me that she'd gotten really positive feedback from the guys I'd worked with on Sunday, and that they'd conveyed to her that they would feel good about having me in the bakery with them. *insert squeals of excitement right about...here* So I'm going there tomorrow at 10am. Luckily, the Chef at my internship is so invested in me getting this job that he had no problem with me not being able to come in tomorrow morning. Hopefully it will all go well, and I won't say anything stupid. Thanks again for all of your support and for reading my little blog. It always makes my day to see that other people are actually interested in what I have to say and invested in my making it in the ever so delightful world of cakes, pies and breads.
p.s. I really need to learn Spanish
p.p.s. no seriously, where is Rosetta Stone when you need it?
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