Going to cooking school….feels like going to Hogwarts.

An owl brought me my letter. I’m going to cooking school! Ok, no. I decided after 5 long years to actually do it and stop talking about it. Like “magic” the stars aligned (basically money and time) and I will be starting the weekend program for 8 months and receiving a diploma on Culinary Arts.

I spoke to the admissions office, which had been waiting for me literally for 5 years, and got all my paperwork done, they gave me a folder with 3 receipts: one for my uniforms, another for my cooking kit and a final one for books and knives.  I did feel like going to camp for the first time, it makes me super excited to get all this new stuff that I have no clue how to use it.

So first things first I had to go pick up my cooking kit, which had at least 25 items, I recognized a few but half way through it I had no idea what the instruments were. Got to the store and gave the man the receipt, he said “wait here” and came back with a big bag and started counting and naming all the things so I could cross them off the list. Once he was done he passed the bag and wished me good luck.

My god was the bag heavy!!!!! but I had decided to go get the uniforms too. I swear I left my shoulder somewhere on my way to the store, proceeded to give my receipt and wait (secretly wishing no crocs please, no crocs please, no crocs please – the list was not specific it only said shoes). The shoes, they were not crocs, they were worse! They looked like they belonged to Frankenstein, but the lady from the store said: “believe me you will love them after being on your feet 7 straight hours”, that shut me up immediately, 7 hours!  Then they brought me the pants, innocent me asked for small, couldn’t get them up, medium where too big, so medium it was with the plan of having them tailored. Finally the jackets, the moment I was waiting for, my first chef’s jacket with my name on it…..and…..they did it wrong…nooooooooooooooooooooo! Yes. My name was not spelled correctly so I had to come back next week.

Went to pick them exactly one week after (I really wanted to have everything ready ahead of time), the lady at the store passed me the bag and offered me a chair so I could check each one (I get 3!). She suddenly said: “Chef Anabella” and I said “hopefully” she replied: “Hopefully? Not hopefully, you will do it, and you will be great! You can do whatever you want and you will succeed! So good luck!” I felt so touched, really inspired and excited, that sweet lady had made my day – she believed.

Everything is ready for this upcoming Saturday, I am ready to go and do it, so come with me and check my posts every week, I am looking forward to your comments and advice! I will be practicing with my knives the swish and flick!