Comments on: 14th Week: The Chocolate Chip Caper

By: Gumbo girl

Gumbo girl — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 12:14:44 +0000

I was looking for info on Mexican food in Paris and ended up in this post. Crazy story. Good luck. I’ll keep reading.

By: Nico

Nico — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 17:38:50 +0000

This story brought a really big smile on my face. I’m checking in on your adventures after being too busy for a while, and I am glad to see that you are still rocking the Parisian underground 😉
Hold tight!
–nico

By: parisbreakfasts

parisbreakfasts — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 14:18:01 +0000

Here’s a tip from a chocolate expert (well, a chocolate thief expert is more accurate).
First line yr pocket with a plastic baggie..do they have these in Paris? I didn’t see any. Then stuff the chocolate inside! Besides spattered Boar’s blood falling into yr chocolate chip cup is not a great idea. Rotten luck that these two bosses are fighting over you. They’re probably both crazy in love with you but don’t dare show it…

By: nardac

nardac — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 12:38:04 +0000

100EU/head lunch tasting menu and they’re not paying you? I’d at least steal a bite of that baby boar.

By: riri

riri — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 04:08:01 +0000

Ms. Glaze… Keep your chin up.. you are totally, awesome and I think of you as superwoman.. =)
One more gal who sends you lots of encouragement all the way from Seattle =D
PS I think your boss ought to keep many bars of chocolate for you.

By: Ms. Glaze

Ms. Glaze — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 01:33:21 +0000

Thanks for all the words of encouragment and I love hearing about other peoples kitchen tales!!!
Bisous, Ms. glaze

By: scotty

scotty — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 01:18:51 +0000

Hopefully Eric is up to the evening service to take your mind off things. 😉

By: adrian

adrian — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 11:38:51 +0000

You need a drink at the end of your shift.. let me know..

By: David

David — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 09:06:21 +0000

All women need chocolate! Even the French know that.
Glad the chef realized it to, and gave you the good stuff…

By: Anita

Anita — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 15:47:34 +0000

You are much braver and stronger than most of us – congrats on sticking with it and keep your head up! I am so glad that your bosses seemed to understand a little at the end!
P.S. I have accumulated burn scars at an alarming rate since I started working pastry – it hurt my vanity at first but now I just say “oh well!”

By: misschrisc

misschrisc — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 14:53:59 +0000

Oh that sounds like a horrible day. Boo nazi chef! Doesn’t he understand that chocolate feeds the soul? What an ass!
Don’t give up yet. You are having some fabulous experiences, even if as you say you are in a French version of hell’s inferno. Your stories are priceless and I was horrified and laughing hysterically about you chopping up those little birds. Keep the faith! Don’t give up yet 😉

By: Sedulia

Sedulia — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 07:30:36 +0000

Great post (as usual!). Don’t get too discouraged. They know they are very lucky to have you. My guess is that the Nazi chef feels dissed by having a woman in the kitchen (loss of his prestige if women can do his job!) and that the old chef was only annoyed that you got caught by the N.c. It’s bad luck to work with the N.c. but I suspect everyone will be nicer to you for the next few days. You should maybe tell the Englishman how you feel about a few chocolate chips vs working unpaid: he can pass along the word….

By: abby

abby — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 05:46:20 +0000

great post ms glaze – i was so angry on your behalf and then my heart melted as the olive branches were extended.

By: Sigrid

Sigrid — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 15:04:53 +0000

Good Evening Ms. Glaze 🙂
Thanks for the kind attention! I must say that I have something like 3000 parisian adresses I should visit (I had the very stupid idea to ask my readers for some parisian adresses and the result is I should eat four or five times a day, every day, the whole month, to get a look at everything they suggested me :-)) But, and I promise that, I’ll try to hop by! (Anyway I’ll surely let you know… and I hope they’ll also let you leave the kitchen at end of the dinner so we can meet!) Thanks again! 😉

By: Kari Hoffman

Kari Hoffman — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 12:10:58 +0000

Oh my goodness. First off, the photo on this blog is hysterical. Although I felt terrible for you and the mess that you are in, this blog definately made me chuckle out loud in the middle of the library. Everyone seemed to want to know what was funny, and when I replied “She’s the choclate caper” I definately got some strange looks. I miss you!!!

By: will

will — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 11:34:24 +0000

I detect a modicum of understanding from your chef; who had you hack a couple of birds to bits (beats hacking chefs to bits – I guess). You’re doing alright. Better than 92% of the cooks out there. It’s pressure, sure, but if the dude says he wants you there for 6 months then you’ve _really_ accomplished something.
6 by 13 is a bit much though. I’d advise asking for a 4 day “weekend” – – to avoid burnout (a resto “weekend” of Monday, Tues, Wednes, Thurs).

By: ChrisLate

ChrisLate — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 10:14:34 +0000

Ms. Glaze:
It’s my first time reading your column. It evoked many times in my own life when I’ve wanted to revenge myself on bosses who were injust. Still, it’s a great adventure you’re on…keep on!

By: jeorg

jeorg — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 10:03:42 +0000

i agree, a little chocolate in compensation is only fair. i do envy that you got to pulverize a chicken to unleash your inner thoughts. that must have been the most gratifying feeling after being yelled at.
your permit will work out. keep the faith and if all else fails see if they will pay you under the table until it comes in…

By: tinfoiled

tinfoiled — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 09:28:41 +0000

Wonderful, Ms. Glaze! I’ve been following your adventures as well.
While I’m sorry to hear that you’re having a bit of a stressful time, I’m delighted to hear you recount it all so vividly!
I hope the work permit is sorted out soon. The stereotype of French bureaucracy has a bit of truth behind it… Call, call again!

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 01:35:48 +0000

Ms. Glaze, I truly admire you.
You are handling yourself wonderfully in a difficult situation. I’m sure it doesn’t feel like that now because of the fatigue, but I’m sure that you won’t regret this experience. Hang in there.
Who would have thought that chopping birds into little pieces could be therapeutic? Although those bird heads still wig me out.

By: Beatrice

Beatrice — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 23:32:23 +0000

You show a lot of bravery in exposing yourself and your vulnerabilty not only in the kitchen, but online to countless strangers as well – which is so admirable.
I am a female line-cook as well and have had many similar experiences – ALL of which occured in almost full male kitchens. The daily practice of taking your frustrations out on each other is a common one – harder to resist the longer you are there. And by being a female in an all-male kitchen, not only are you automatically “separated” because of your gender, but it feels that you must overcompensate your toughness, agressiveness and culinary capabilites just to have respect. Its a hard position to be in – but you’re handling the situation strongly.
I once worked in a kitchen in which I was working the pantry station – all the desserts and salads – for a 200 seat restaurant. I could handle it – barely (seeing as i was still in cooking school) – and the executive chef comes over to my area. He starts screaming at the top of his lungs about “how dare we send shitty quality food out” while holding a bowl in his hand. He then slams the bowl onto the ground, and it smashes into a hundred pieces – and all the whole room goes silent (did i mention it was an open kitchen?). He then storms off — i was perplexed – because we didn’t serve desserts OR salads in bowls… i looked down and realized it was a bowl of fried calamari… FROM A DIFFERENT STATION. Apparently it was a lot easier for him to yell at me than it was to yell at the line cook at the fryer station.
Needless to say, i didn’t work there for much longer.
It seems like you’re doing great – with such an incredible opportunity!
it’ll only get easier!

By: Gillian

Gillian — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 20:28:51 +0000

Great writing, you took me there from the start to the end and that sweet little chocolate bar. I’m now working in an Italian restaurant-as a hostess-although the head chef has shown interest in getting me inside the kitchen. “But I can’t make you put your hair in one of those hats,” he said. I told him he had to look at me another way and get me in there. Time will tell, for now I remain a hostess, but you give me hope.

By: Bea at La Tartine Gourmande

Bea at La Tartine Gourmande — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 18:09:52 +0000

Oh my poor thing! What a story! Hell! How can they treat you like this?? Btw, really bummed we could not meet in paris when i was there. If only you and I had had more time….I should have kidnapped you from the nazi chef, and tell him in French, mais quel con celui-la alors!

By: Alison

Alison — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 12:50:09 +0000

You are very brave and strong. I don’t know if I could do what you’re doing.

By: Ms. Glaze

Ms. Glaze — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 12:24:25 +0000

Sigrid – you must come in and eat!!! I promise I will make it worth your while. If you make a reservation make sure you say you are a friend of mine and email me the date and time of your reservation.

By: Sigrid

Sigrid — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 12:15:08 +0000

Keep uìon going Ms. Glaze! ;-)Iìm following you parisian adventures since some months now and you’ve already shown so much strenght and determination, I’m sure you’ll get over the hunting period as well…
ps: I’m coming to paris for a month thiss fall and I must say I’m considering to come and have dinner at Guy Savoy, not because I’m such a fan of his cooking but because of the blogger in the kitchen 🙂

By: Ms. Glaze

Ms. Glaze — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 11:41:04 +0000

Thanks Nelson. I really appreciate your comment! That makes it all worth it. You should come into the restaurant for dinner or lunch. We do a hundred euro lunch menu that is a LOT of food and totally worth the experience.
Green Fermina – Thanks! I managed to hold my head up Saturday and no one yelled at me. The entrée chaud chef got yelled at instead. It seems to rotate around the restaurant.

By: Nelson

Nelson — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 11:31:04 +0000

What a fantastic bit of writing! Thank you for sharing your story with us, both the frustrating parts and the fun parts.
I’ve been living in Paris for a few weeks and have had my share of frustrations too. But about once a day I think of your blog posts and ask my friends “so, where can we get game in Paris?” Other than your fine restaurant, that is. Anyway, it’s a lot of work but those of us who can only eat food, not make it, appreciate your efforts greatly!

By: Green_Fermina

Green_Fermina — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 07:41:59 +0000

I’ve been reading your blog for a while now – don’t give up! You will be so richly rewarded for your hard work, and it’s obvious you are learning a lot and doing well. Don’t let the chocolate caper get you down 🙂