At home, I am a not a precise cook. In my kitchen, everything is nearby, so if I forget about an ingredient or utensil, I don’t have to reach farther than the nearest cabinet to grab it. I measure things into the same containers when I can, and even better if I can measure it out with my hand. I don’t mind when I’m off by a gram or two when scaling things out.
At the restaurant, I am trying to break these habits. There is an upstairs and downstairs kitchen and things are stored everywhere; if you forget something after one trip, get ready for more exercise. Everything is measured out in separate containers and labeled with a piece of green tape (cut straight with scissors, not torn). Everything must be measured precisely. I was tasked with making the brioche dough-based crisps, and I asked the chef a silly question:
“Chef, the recipe calls for 125 grams of eggs and I am at 109 after two eggs. Should I add a third egg and go over the measurement, or stick with two eggs?”
“Neither, chef [Side note: Chef calls everyone else chef, which is pretty cool]. I do not tolerate either. It says 125 grams, and I want 125 grams. Let’s whisk up a third egg and measure out the remaining 16 grams.”
The various proteins and gums have to be measured precisely, as well. The restaurant has a scale that measures accurately to the hundredth of a gram, and it is so sensitive that it starts to wig out if you so much as breathe around it or use it near a vent. The powders fly around everywhere, and it takes some effort to get them to land directly into your measuring container. It took me 5 minutes to measure out a measly 1.25 grams of xanthan gum and was quite possibly the most frustrating moment of the day.
I am cooking in a far different league now.
