Culinary School Unfiltered: Mastering Advanced Techniques and Acing Practical Exams

Having successfully navigated the pressures of my second practical culinary exam, I’m thrilled to be back and share a detailed account of our most recent Wednesday class. While the intensity of the kitchen meant my camera remained tucked away, preventing “in-process” shots, the day was nonetheless packed with valuable lessons, demanding techniques, and unforgettable culinary creations. It’s a testament to the fast-paced environment of a professional kitchen – where focus on the task at hand often overrides all else. Each day at culinary school brings a fresh set of challenges and opportunities for growth, pushing us beyond our comfort zones and solidifying our understanding of classic and modern gastronomy. This particular Wednesday was no exception, a true deep dive into complex preparations that truly tested our mettle and preparation.

Arriving bright and early – though, truthfully, it was still pitch-black outside – on Wednesday morning, there was a quiet hope among us students for a slightly shorter menu. With another practical exam looming just around the corner, a little breathing room would have been greatly appreciated. However, the culinary world rarely grants such luxuries, and our instructors are dedicated to preparing us for the intense realities of a professional kitchen. Our daily menu proved to be even more extensive and intricate than usual, featuring numerous components that demanded meticulous preparation and, critically, required finishing a la minute – precisely at the last minute before plating and service. Chef Brian, with his characteristic pragmatism, reminded us that this fast-paced, high-pressure environment is the very essence of fine dining, a rhythm we would become intimately familiar with as our training progressed. It’s about mastering the timing, the coordination, and the execution, all under the clock, a truly invaluable lesson for any aspiring chef.

Our culinary journey for the day commenced with a classic appetizer: fresh mussels. This marked our inaugural attempt at preparing this delicate shellfish within the school’s kitchen, and the approach was elegantly simple yet foundational. We created a vibrant base using finely sliced leeks and celery, gently sweated down before deglazing with crisp white wine, allowing the mussels to steam open and absorb the aromatic flavors. While the celery is a traditional component in many classic mussel preparations, I found myself contemplating its flavor contribution. It’s fascinating how different palates perceive traditional combinations, and how personal preference often plays a role even within classic frameworks. Despite my personal note on the celery, the dish as a whole was a valuable exercise, demonstrating how minimal ingredients, when perfectly executed, can yield delicious results. Thankfully, this particular preparation required relatively little hands-on attention and a manageable amount of mise en place, offering a gentle start to what would quickly become a more demanding service. It served as a great warm-up to the more complex dishes that lay ahead.

In stark contrast to the straightforward mussel preparation, our main course presented a significantly more intricate challenge: perfectly pan-seared pork medallions. This dish highlighted the essential connection between different aspects of our culinary training, as we utilized premium cuts from the pork we had diligently butchered in the previous day’s meat class. The ability to break down a primal cut and then expertly prepare its various components is a cornerstone of professional cookery, emphasizing nose-to-tail philosophy and maximizing yield and flavor.

The pork medallions were meticulously pan-seared to achieve a beautiful golden-brown crust and a supremely tender, juicy interior – a fundamental technique that requires precise heat control, a keen eye, and impeccable timing to avoid overcooking. Accompanying this succulent pork was a rich, deeply flavored jus. This isn’t just a simple sauce; it’s a reduction, a concentrated essence of flavor meticulously crafted from roasted pork bones, the classic aromatic base of mirepoix (carrots, celery, onions), fresh sage, and a medley of other carefully selected aromatics. Deglazed with crisp white wine and fortified with a robust veal stock, this jus was simmered for hours, allowing its complex flavors to develop before being carefully strained to yield a clear, unctuous liquid that elevated the entire dish to fine-dining standards. The depth of flavor achieved through this process truly transforms a simple piece of meat into a gourmet experience.

Adding another layer of complexity and vibrant flavor, just before the final plating for service, we swiftly prepared a vibrant pan sauce. This quick sauce began with expertly sautéed shallots and garlic, infused with more fresh sage, then deglazed with a splash of white wine to capture all the flavorful fond from the pan. A touch of Dijon mustard provided a subtle, pungent tang, and a hint of apple cider vinegar brightened the flavors, cutting through the richness. To this aromatic base, we incorporated the intensely strained pork jus, allowing it to gently simmer and reduce, concentrating its flavors into a luxurious, glossy consistency that beautifully complemented the pan-seared pork. The interplay of sweet, savory, and acidic notes in the sauce was a testament to balanced flavor development, a hallmark of professional culinary execution.

To accompany our exquisite pan-seared pork medallions, we curated a trio of complementary side dishes, each designed to showcase specific techniques and flavor profiles, demonstrating versatility and attention to detail in plating:

1. Glazed Turnips – One of the most visually appealing and technically demanding sides was the glazed turnips, which required us to master the intricate art of tourneeing. This classic French knife cut involves shaping vegetables, typically root vegetables, into elegant, barrel-like, seven-sided ovals. It’s a skill that speaks volumes about a chef’s knife proficiency, precision, and unwavering attention to detail. The process was particularly challenging with the turnips we had, as their somewhat spongy internal texture made achieving perfectly smooth, consistent facets incredibly difficult. Each slip of the knife could ruin the shape, necessitating starting over and often leading to significant trim waste – a valuable lesson in efficiency. After successfully tourneeing what felt like an endless number of turnips (a painstaking task, as shaping 15-20 pieces demands far more time and patience than one might initially imagine, especially when aiming for uniformity), we proceeded with their cooking using a method called etuvee. This involved gently cooking the tourneed turnips in a saucepot with a touch of butter, a pinch of salt, and a very minimal amount of water, then covering the pot with a cartouche – a parchment paper lid. The low heat and sealed environment allowed the turnips to slowly braise in their own moisture, resulting in beautifully tender, subtly sweet, and perfectly glazed vegetables. This technique ensures even cooking, helps to preserve the delicate flavors of the turnip, and maintains their pristine tourneed shape, transforming a humble vegetable into a refined accompaniment fit for any gourmet plate.
2. Steak Fries – Known in French as “pomme Pont-Neuf,” these substantial, thick-cut fries derive their name from the Pont Neuf (New Bridge) in Paris, a nod to their robust and iconic shape. Unlike their thinner, more delicate counterparts, steak fries offer a satisfyingly meaty texture and a larger surface area for that coveted crispy exterior. Achieving the perfect “pomme Pont-Neuf” involves a meticulous two-stage cooking process: first, cutting the potatoes into uniform thick batons, then blanching them in oil at a lower temperature to gently cook the interior until tender. This is followed by a final fry at a higher temperature, which crisps and beautifully golds the exterior. The result is a wonderfully rich, potato-forward fry that provides a delightful textural contrast to the tender pork, offering both comfort and culinary refinement.
3. Sautéed Brussel Sprouts with Bacon – This dish, while seemingly simple in concept, was executed with precise culinary considerations to ensure optimal flavor and texture. The key to perfectly cooked Brussels sprouts lies in proper preparation to ensure consistent tenderness and vibrant color throughout. We began by carefully scoring the bottom of each sprout – making a small X-shaped incision – which helps heat penetrate more evenly into the dense core and allows the core to cook at the same rate as the outer leaves. These scored sprouts were then par-cooked in generously salted boiling water. The salt not only seasons the sprouts from within but also helps to maintain their bright green, appealing hue. After a brief plunge in the boiling water, they were immediately shocked in an ice bath to halt the cooking process, preserving their ideal texture and vivid color. Finally, just before service, the par-cooked sprouts were quickly sautéed with crispy, rendered bacon, infusing them with a savory, smoky depth that perfectly complemented their earthy bitterness. This combination is a perennial favorite for good reason, demonstrating how simple ingredients, when handled with expert care and technique, can yield spectacular and memorable results.

Concluding our elaborate meal, and serving as crucial *extra* practice for the imminent practical exam, we revisited the delicate art of preparing floating island, or île flottante as it’s known in French. This ethereal dessert is a masterpiece of textures and temperatures, comprised of light, airy poached meringue “islands” floating on a velvety crème anglaise, all elegantly drizzled with a rich caramel sauce. It is inherently a dish that demands impeccable timing and precision, especially during the final assembly and plating, which, much like many main courses, must be done a la minute to ensure optimal freshness, temperature contrast, and stunning visual presentation.

Despite its inherent complexity and the various delicate components involved – from whisking the perfect, stable meringue to gently poaching it until set yet cloud-like, then preparing a silken, smooth crème anglaise, and finally crafting a flawless caramel without crystallization – I felt a significantly greater sense of confidence and mastery during this second attempt. The repeated practice clearly paid off, allowing for smoother execution and a deeper understanding of each stage. While our caramel, in a minor critique, turned out a touch darker than the classic golden hue, I personally found this a fortunate accident. The slightly deeper, more robust, almost bittersweet notes of the darker caramel provided a welcome counterpoint, subtly cutting through the inherent sweetness of the meringue and crème anglaise. This experience highlighted an important lesson in cooking: sometimes, minor deviations from the classic can lead to unexpectedly delightful and balanced flavor profiles. It’s about understanding the core principles and then knowing when to embrace a subtle culinary improvisation, trusting your palate.

The intensive morning culinary session transitioned into an equally crucial afternoon, dedicated to a comprehensive review for the impending theory and practical exams. These review sessions are vital, cementing our understanding of both the conceptual knowledge and the hands-on skills required to excel in professional kitchens. The anticipation for these exams is always high, a mix of nerves and excitement for the opportunity to demonstrate everything we’ve learned and to see how far we’ve come in our culinary journey. Rest assured, I’ll be sharing all the details about those challenging yet rewarding assessments in an upcoming post, giving you an insider’s view of what it truly takes to pass at this level.

Each day at culinary school is a journey of discovery, pushing boundaries and refining skills under the watchful eyes of experienced chefs. This particular Wednesday was a vivid reminder of the dedication and precision required to master the culinary arts, from foundational preparations to intricate plating. It’s a thrilling, demanding, and incredibly fulfilling path, shaping us into the chefs we aspire to be.

Happy Friday, everyone! Stay tuned for more culinary adventures and exam insights!