Culinary School Day 2: Mastering French Classics from Chicken Stock to Quiche Lorraine

The journey through culinary school continued with an even earlier start on my second day, demonstrating the demanding yet rewarding pace of professional kitchen life. Arriving at the academy around 6:10 am, I quickly changed into my crisp uniform and headed directly to the kitchen. Chef Brian’s recommendation for an early arrival proved crucial, as we immediately immersed ourselves in the foundational task of preparing the kitchen and commencing the all-important chicken stock.

Using the remarkable quantity of 100 pounds of meticulously trimmed chicken backs from yesterday’s prep, alongside tubs of leftover mirepoix (onions, carrots, and celery) and abundant cold water, we began the monumental task. It’s challenging to visualize the scale of equipment required for such an operation, so the accompanying image offers a glimpse into the professional-grade stockpots that define our daily culinary efforts.

The Foundation: Crafting Authentic Chicken Stock

Each student in Phase I will, at some point, take charge of the chicken stock production. The core principle behind a superior stock is minimizing fat content, which is precisely why we spent time trimming the chicken bones the previous day. This slow-simmering elixir can take hours, sometimes even days, to develop its full flavor profile, providing a rich base for countless French dishes. The sheer scale of the operation is impressive: a large hose on the top right is dedicated to filling the colossal stockpot with water, while a sturdy spigot at the bottom allows us to fill large tubs for subsequent kitchen production. This industrial approach to a fundamental ingredient truly underscores the difference between home cooking and professional culinary arts.

Beyond stock, another key preparatory task for the day involved grating an immense quantity of Gruyère cheese – easily 20 cups worth. This foreshadowed one of the day’s central dishes, and its importance would soon become clear. Collaborating with a fellow classmate, we tackled this labor-intensive task, ensuring every shred was perfectly prepared for its role.

Mastering Pate Brisee: The Art of French Pastry

With initial preparations complete, the kitchen transformed into a classroom for Chef Brian’s first demonstration of the day: Pate Brisee, or “Broken Dough.” This versatile, unsweetened, flaky pastry dough is a staple in French cuisine, primarily used for savory tarts, quiches, and pie crusts. Our immediate goal was to prepare this dough for a classic Quiche Lorraine – a traditional French quiche originating from the Lorraine region, famously featuring ham, bacon, and, of course, a generous amount of Gruyère cheese. It’s becoming evident that our lunches are embracing more indulgent, albeit delicious, flavors as the program progresses!

Pate Brisee is deceptively simple, requiring only four essential ingredients: cold unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, salt, and ice-cold water. The technique is paramount. We learned to precisely weigh all ingredients and work them on our stainless steel tables. Using a bench scraper, we carefully incorporated the cold butter into the flour mixture, aiming for small, pea-sized pieces rather than a coarse cornmeal consistency. The trick lies in not overworking the dough. Ice water is added slowly until the mixture *just* comes together, maintaining a somewhat dry, “broken” appearance – hence its name. The magic happens during baking: the water content in the cold butter turns to steam, causing the pastry to expand and creating those desirable flaky layers, while the fat “fries” the dough, contributing to its rich texture. Once formed, the dough was covered and refrigerated for at least an hour, allowing the gluten to relax and prevent cracking during the subsequent rolling process.

Culinary Classroom: Unveiling the Day’s Extensive Menu

After the hands-on dough preparation, we transitioned back to the classroom for a lecture and another chef demonstration, detailing the remainder of the day’s menu. While yesterday’s focus was primarily on French Onion Soup and a raw vegetable appetizer, today’s curriculum was significantly more extensive, indicating the accelerated pace of our culinary education. The day’s ambitious menu included:

• LA SOUPE A L’OIGNON GRATINEE (Classic French Onion Soup Gratinée)
• LA QUICHE LORRAINE (Authentic Quiche Lorraine with ham, bacon, and Gruyère)
• LA SALADE VERTE (Fresh Green Salad)
• LA SALADE DE CONCOMBRES ET TOMATOES (Refreshing Tomato & Cucumber Salad)

Undoubtedly, the Quiche Lorraine and the revisited French Onion Soup were the most time-intensive dishes. Although practicing French Onion Soup again might seem redundant, Chef Brian emphasized that repetition is a cornerstone of Phase I. This deliberate practice allows us to hone specific skills, correct previous mistakes, and become intimately familiar with fundamental techniques. For French Onion Soup, this means repeatedly practicing the precise caramelization and deglazing of onions until we achieve that deep, dark, complex flavor profile that balances bitter, sour, and sweet notes.

The Vinaigrette & Emulsification Secrets

For the green and tomato & cucumber salads, we delved into the art of creating a classic vinaigrette. This essential dressing typically comprises sherry vinegar, finely minced shallots and garlic, a blend of extra virgin olive oil and canola oil, and a touch of Dijon mustard. The key technique here is emulsification: holding a mixing bowl steadily in one hand, while continuously whisking with the other, as oil is slowly drizzled in. This constant agitation allows the oil and vinegar to combine into a stable emulsion, preventing separation and creating a beautifully cohesive dressing.

During these vital demonstrations, we are expected to observe every detail – the order of preparation, the plating techniques, and the chef’s movements. This meticulous observation is critical, as we are tasked with recreating these dishes in the kitchen following the exact same sequence. A unique aspect of L’Academie’s teaching, which I am growing to appreciate immensely, is the chef’s deliberate omission of exact ingredient quantities. Instead, vague quantities or precise ratios are provided, such as “1 part vinegar to 3 parts oil” (using half canola, half olive oil). This approach emphasizes judging by taste, sight, sound, and aroma, rather than blindly following a written recipe. It cultivates adaptability and creativity, crucial skills for any professional chef who must constantly adjust to varying serving sizes and ingredient availability in a dynamic kitchen environment.

Back to the Kitchen: Production and Practical Application

With the demonstrations concluded, we returned to the bustling kitchen for the production phase. The first item on our agenda was retrieving the Pate Brisee from the refrigerator, rolling it out, and carefully fitting it into tart molds. To prevent the crust from puffing up excessively during baking, we pierced the bottom with a fork, a technique known as “docking.” The next critical step was blind-baking the crust – a process where the pastry is partially or fully baked before adding the filling. We used dry beans as weights, lined with commercial kitchen-grade plastic wrap (designed not to melt under high heat, unlike household saran wrap – a crucial distinction, so definitely do not attempt this at home! Parchment paper or even coffee filters are safe alternatives). This ensured the crust maintained its shape and achieved a perfectly crisp texture.

We were assigned to different worktables with station partners, fostering a collaborative environment. While we are ultimately responsible for plating as a team, the workflow ensures that each student contributes to every component of the day’s menu at various stages, maximizing learning opportunities.

Next, we resumed work on the French Onion Soup, prepared the salads and vinaigrette, and began assembling the components for the Quiche Lorraine. We learned in the lecture that a perfect quiche comprises three distinct elements:

1. The Filling: In our case, diced ham and crispy bacon.
2. The Custard: A delicate mixture, typically a ratio of 1 cup heavy cream to 2 whole eggs.
3. The Crust: Our freshly prepared Pate Brisee.

The custard is gently whisked, seasoned with salt, pepper, and a hint of nutmeg, then strained to remove any potential lumps, ensuring a silky-smooth texture. My task included cooking finely cubed bacon until crisp, then sautéing the ham in the rendered bacon fat to eliminate any excess moisture – a crucial step to prevent a watery quiche. Once our blind-baked tart shells were ready, we sprinkled a small amount of grated Gruyère on the base, followed by the bacon and ham, and finally, poured in the meticulously prepared custard. The quiche then bakes for 15-20 minutes in a convection oven at a very low temperature (275-300°F) until the custard sets but still retains a slight, characteristic “jiggle.”

This low-temperature baking technique is vital for proteins like eggs. Cooking slowly at a gentler heat ensures the protein remains tender, retaining its moisture and fat. Conversely, rapid cooking at high temperatures causes proteins to constrict quickly, expelling moisture and fat, resulting in a tough, dry product.

We also completed our delicious French Onion Soup, topping it with a robust crouton (defined as completely dry toast) and a generous layer of grated Gruyère cheese. The secret to a perfect gratinée is to fully cover the crouton with cheese before placing it under the broiler. This ensures the cheese melts beautifully and browns lightly, forming that iconic crust. “Gratinée” simply means to brown or crust on top, a culinary technique that adds both texture and flavor.

The Unsung Hero: Kitchen Cleanup and Teamwork

Once all our dishes were meticulously plated, served, and enjoyed, the daily ritual of cleaning the kitchen from top to bottom commenced. And by “top to bottom,” I mean an incredibly thorough and rigorous process. My assigned table, along with two others, was tasked with comprehensive kitchen cleaning, which encompassed sweeping, mopping, sanitizing all surfaces, and even scrubbing each individual gas burner until it gleamed. It’s an exhaustive but essential part of maintaining a professional and hygienic culinary environment.

A less glamorous but equally vital responsibility is emptying all trash. As fate would have it, today’s trash duty included the formidable task of removing the substantial gunk – a mixture of cooked bones and vegetable bits – drained from our massive batch of chicken stock. This heavy, often unwieldy waste weighs an absolute ton! A fellow student, Tasha, and I were assigned to transport this to the dumpster. Despite our combined efforts, lifting it proved to be a genuine struggle, highlighting the physical demands of kitchen work.

While this is undoubtedly my least favorite part of the day, I can already sense our team becoming more efficient. We are slowly but surely learning the layout of the kitchen, the location of supplies, and the most effective cleaning procedures, though reminders and questions are still frequent. This collective learning process is a significant part of the culinary school experience.

The Recipe Notebooks: A Culinary Student’s Journal and Grading Cornerstone

The final hour and a half of our day were spent back in the classroom, focusing on our recipe notebooks. These notebooks are not mere journals; they constitute the largest component of our overall grade during the program. The academy director himself personally reviews and grades each notebook, which must be submitted at every exam. These detailed records document our learning, observations, and culinary journey, serving as both a practical guide and a testament to our progress. I look forward to delving into the specifics of these crucial notebooks in more detail in upcoming posts.

Having penned what feels like a short novel already, I’ll refrain from adding even more intricate details to this particular entry. However, to summarize, today felt significantly more comfortable and productive than my initial day. While yesterday was exciting, it also brought a degree of overwhelm – navigating an unfamiliar kitchen, absorbing a torrent of information encompassing dishes, school regulations, and rigorous clean-up protocols. Even a minor incident like cutting myself early on didn’t do much for my confidence.

Today, conversely, felt remarkably more familiar and reassuring. I’ve already absorbed an incredible amount of knowledge and technique. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to connect with more of my classmates, which undeniably enriches the entire experience. My confidence has grown, and it’s still surreal to think that this vibrant, challenging, and exhilarating new life will be my reality for the next six months. I often find myself in awe of this transformative journey.

I genuinely hope you are enjoying these detailed accounts of my culinary school adventure! I find immense joy in writing them, not only to offer you an insider’s perspective into my daily life but also as a personal chronicle that I will cherish looking back on throughout the program and well into the future. Your comments and feedback have been incredibly encouraging and inspiring. Thank you for being a part of this journey!

While my typical class schedule runs from Monday through Thursday, tomorrow we have a make-up session for this week’s standard Monday class. This means, once again, it’s time to prepare for another early start and another day of immersion in the fascinating world of French culinary arts. The learning never stops, and neither does the passion!