It has been a crazy couple of weeks here in New York. I've been working hard and tried to find the time to write but with no success until now. My knowledge and responsibility continue to grow at wd~50 all the while mantaining my "stage" status. I have been moving upstairs almost 3 nights a week now and I am summoned from the depths of the prep kitchen when they get busy. I am one of three people on the garde manger or cold foods section, working just a few feet away from the mighty Wylie. The hardest part is trying to be as fast and as clean as possible while upholding Chef's high standards.

Since there are two separate menus to learn (the tasting and a la carte) it has proven a challenge to pay attention and learn all the necessary components that make up the plate presentations for each dish. I have almost mastered the arrangement and timing of the tasting menu and have started to become versed in the a la carte.

The way the kitchen works: servers seat guests and take their order. The ticket that they ring in is then printed on our individual ticket machines with the list of dishes in the order that the guests would like. Tastings are easy as they are always in the same order but timing is everything as each course has to be appropriately spaced apart. For the tasting menu, my station is in charge of the first four courses but of course we don't do one table at a time. At any given time the surface area of our prep table can be completely covered with tasting dishes meanwhile having to complete separate a la carte orders as well. We send the dishes with any available server in the order the tickets were rung in (for the most part) or in order of the table that was cleared first. It is like a well-orchestrated dance that requires many moving parts and people to be fluid and run smoothly.

If I don't have the priveledge of working a dinner service I am once again down in the prep kitchen doing an odd assortment of tasks that seem to get more menial everyday- but I am still learning nevertheless. In an effort to absorb as much information as possible I have been deemed "protein queen" because I volunteer to clean anything from venison racks to bags of chicken thighs to breaking down beef brisket (and loving every minute of it). Except for Ben (the 6 month stage here from England who is now a full time line cook) I am one of two interns in the prep kitchen. The other girl is named Sari and she is working till January completing both a savory and pastry stage. Despite the fact she has never worked in a kitchen before she has done well acclimating herself at wd~50 (with my help of course) and continues to learn everyday.

It still amazes me to see the passion and and devotion around me. Everytime I experience a dinner service I have increased repect for the capability of my co-workers and can only hope that one day I will have the talent, confidence, and fluidity that they display on a nightly basis.