So the first of my Culinary School quarters is now over. I am not sure how I feel about it. Statisically I did OK, I guess. I earned 3 As and 4 Bs. The most annoying part is that all 4 of the Bs were high 80s, like 87% or higher. I know i could have easily pulled in As in all 7 classes, had I time to sleep and study. But as I pointed out in the last chapter there wasn’t much time for either. So considering this I now have some more decisions to make. School, work and sleep: can’t they all just get along?

School: for my tuition each quarter we can take between 12 and 19 hours for the same rate. So me being the frugal minded guy that I am I don’t want to miss a chance to take all 19 hours worth of classes.

Work: if I take 19 hours of classes I could only work Wed. (coming in at 4:30pm), Thu., Fri. and Sat. from 2:30-CL. That would get me my minimum of 30 hours a week I need just to pay my bills and eat.

Sleep: well here again is the kicker. So classes from 6am-11pm M & T, with small nap time between 2 and 6 in the student lounge (not really sleep by the way). W: 6am - 4pm school and work 4:30pm-11:30pm, with travel and wind-down time gets me right back to the 4 hours of sleep I have been getting. Th, F and S: 6am - 2pm class and work 2:30 - CL, lucky to get 4 hours with the busier nights. Plus I lose being able to sleep in Saturdays, and now only have Sundays for that, plus doing all the homework I need to get done/make-up, relax and watch some TV re-runs and maybe even visit C2C, maybe.

So, I can drop some hours of school but the only class I really don’t want to take is quantity food prod (working lunch in the cafeteria). But I know I could learn even from that class. I don’t really ever see myself wanting to work in that kind of environment but there are surely other applications for the methods. It is also only 5 of the 10 weeks, Baking and pastry is the second 5 weeks, and I am taking that. I could drop the mid-day M & W class but that would only give me more time to get to work earlier or a couple more bad nap hours in the lounge. Or there are the electives: Cuisine of the Levant which intrigues me greatly, or Adv. Sauces which you couldn’t pay me to drop. Adv. skills is on Saturday mornings filling up my sleep catch-up time, but I must take that one.

Each qtr. is only 10 weeks but by the end my fatigue was showing in my attitude and tests, both written and practicum. Work could only sense it towards the end of the qtr. because I some how had a second wind each night when I was working and could look past the troubles. Things have gotten a little bit better there, but still are far from ideal. I dare to think about getting back home (2 hours away) to see my girlfriend, friends and family. I still have about another 2 weeks to decide since we have a little breaks between qtrs.

The other thing that runs through my mind daily is my internship. As part of the accelerated program we must do our internships during the 3rd qtr. I have looked into going back to France but have all but ruled it out since I have no money saved (rq’d for visa), no insurance (rq’d for visa) and it is almost mandatory for it to be 6 months, which would be very costly after considering the first 2 items just mentioned!

The 2 main places running through my head right now in the US are a place here in Chicago at which I did a 3 day stage and absolutely loved. Great food, great reputation and business and the place is the kind of place I can see myself working. It is unpaid and I don’t yet know if they even have a space for an intern at that moment. The other is place near my girlfriends hometown in Michigan. I have not yet been there but check the website often to see the current menus. The chef seems to be a near celebtrity chef who still cooks almost daily. he seems to be a great chef to learn from, as he is also an chef-instructor at a local culinary program (at which I would love to take his charcuterie class!). His restaurant is also popular and busy and someplace I can see myself working. I don’t know if he even takes on interns or if they get paid.

Did I mention how badly I would love to get out and stage at some of these great restaurants we have in this city. I am gonna try to grab a couple over the next 2 weeks before that schedule starts up. Tomorrow I have volunteered to help (they’re calling it a stage!) at a wine and cheese pairing dinner hosted by a local resto with a guest chef/cheese shop owner from NYC. I actually can’t wait, to learn, to meet people and maybe try some of the goods! OK, thanks for listening, not sure when I will find time for the next chapter. I would really like to add more now about all the things I have learned over the past 10 weeks, but I need sleep now. Maybe a chapter 4.1 is due. And don’t worry, I am not about to break!

Darrin