July 20th

Back at it again at Arola, the same restaurant, with the crazy Chef de Cuisine. He was actually really cool today, with me. He let me take a few pics! It was even more insane today, then yesterday though in the kitchen. The head chef wasn't even here today, and he was crazy as ever. One guy told me, who just got completely reamed by him, "Every day it is like this man.". Add few curse words in there, and imagine in Catalunian! I have no idea how to spell half of the words, but I'm getting better at understanding. As much as I like a lot of the things here that they do here, I am starting to miss my boss and my place. Just wish we had the commitment and discipline that they do here.

Started the day with the whole crew, puttin away the days produce and fish. What a concept?!? I've been sayin this for awhile at work, if everyone just pitched in, it would take no time at all. They were quick... Two carts of stuff, taken out of the box, and put into containers and in the fridge in 10 min. And their walkin is clean! Granted they have three, but still. Love it!

Then back to Macadamia nuts...I took the pervious days out of the dehydrator, and got to slicing some more! Got 74 usable from yesterday's work, and made about 150 today. Think they are a pastry item because I havent seen one go out yet. I understandably think they were just trying to keep busy prepin and out of their way. But it's ok, I was anxious to do something and not just observe!

Service was rough tonight. The chef de cuisine, was screaming, I mean, yelling... Over the smallest mistake. He thought the world was gonna end when one of the cooks didn't have his squirt bottle of Balsamic reduction filled up all the way... They messed up to app "pizzas" and so one of the cooks went to throw them away after he redid them (they throw away sooooooooooo much food here, not just at this place). Basically, "really!!!! Youre gonna throw away those crusts?!? You don't prep those?!? MF-ER, if you ever do that again?!? And it's with the servers too! If they have something in their hands, "Drop it! Run this! Like I said, think he goes a little far, but I guess I kinda understand, it's their names in the menu...

Actually bailed at about 11... Wanted to catch the train, and I could tell they wanted me off the line. All good, great learning experience, and the chef was cool with me today! Wish I had a few more days here to learn some more recipes, but kinda over the power trip.

Pics

Dry storage... Bunch of chemicals, but I dig it

Their eggplant dish... Smoked(not really, just burnt on the stove) then served with balsamic reduction, olives, pine nuts, and chives. This guys loves chives, puts them on everything!

Pretty brilliant idea. So simple, but these are things that i will use on day to day basis back home. We cryovac a lot of stuff, as do they. Take a dish rack from the dishwashers, and you can do 12 at once instead of one at a time!

Really cool deep fried ice cream. Not sure the flavor, could figure it out, but cool technique. Take a melon baller, scoop the ice cream in perfect sphere. Then place in this crazy edible Asian paper (like plastic wrap) and dredge in egg wash, the panko bread crumbs. And quick too, of course, so it doesn't melt. The paper forms a seal I think so you get a crispy crust and no leaks. Did about 100 of those...

The anchovy plate (top left), the eggplant (top right), and their tomato bread. It's like the best ciabatta bread with frsh tomato rubbed in top. Very popular here in Barcelona, and it is always served with the house Iberica Jambon. The best cured ham in the world. Better the restaurant, better the quality. Think prosciutto, but not chewy and so much better.

Karen, cleaning some fresh clams, done daily

The gazpacho, I prepped, yesterday, done daily

Basically, the starter. Flower pizza in crab crust. Two little cocktails, sweet I think. Cactus tartar in the bowls. Some oysters with some crazy small spheres, not sure, I think frsh horseradish. And "the bombas." cool play on a staple here in Barcelona. They are served everywhere as either fried potatoes, or fried mashed potatoes with a somewhat spicy red sauce and garlic aioli. Here they are little potato cups, with the two sauces in them, so good!