Last week was what I thought was meant to be one of the true tests of bulk cookery skills - feeding the troops for ADF lunch. Depending on the Chef of the Day, and whatever's kicking around the coolroom or section fridges, there is typically a lunch selection on offer that includes at least one vegetarian option, two omnivorous options, a salad, and some kind of fruit in either platter or salad format.
With a team of three, it's usually a case of divide and conquer, with things made even easier by handballing salads to larder and most people taking into consideration simple yet effective recipes when forming their Chef of the Day menu. On most days, as long as the ordering was all done correctly and the trolleys were sufficiently supplied, we managed to tear through the dishes we had to do, and then some.
Some days we could badger patisserie for some scrolls, rolls, and extra breads, or even something completely different for dessert. I don't know who it was that thought to pull out some jelly as a novelty, but it stretched as far as going three different colours, adding whipped cream and fruit with hundreds and thousands, and baking a sponge and adding custard to make a ghetto trifle. Who knew that hooves could taste this good?
There's something quite satisfying about putting gastronorm after gastronorm tray of food out for service. I used to be awed by the mere sight of bulk sized ingredients, but now I am even more impressed by seeing what all those trolleys full of ingredients can become when combined in the right manner. The two hours or so that ADF lunches have to be prepped in just fly by, but in that good way. The menu changes every day, so there's not much leeway for improvements on efficency and effectiveness in terms of particular recipes, but I like it.
Sure, by the end of working a week in a section of the restaurant, you pretty much know your two or three dishes like the back of your hand, and unless your section is particularly pumped, it's almost boring by comparison to have to produce the same thing day in, day out. Keep in mind this is only four days, and there are no doubt restaurants whose menus change seasonally, or seldom if never!
I was definitely up for the challenge of not getting a chance to sit on my laurels, thinking that every day was different, so I couldn't think for a moment about feeling too comfortable. It was kind of like how I felt about getting out of patisserie... I had learnt enough about bread to know that every dough is different, even moreso as a novice, and it takes time to become more predictable. In some ways, ADF was actually easier than restaurant service, because despite having less time and greater quantities to pump out during the day, all the chaos was over by about 1145 and the rest of the day is the comedown from the adrenaline, washing dishes still kicking around, and the organisation of dry stores and coolroom after service.
To be honest, I didn't feel particularly organised in the ADF section as I thought I should or could be. However, we still managed to get through with flying colours, all the food looked good, was garnished, and presented for lunch on time each day. It makes me wonder how disorganised previous groups must have been to have run late for three or four dishes by 1100!
I think the only thing cooler than happy customers is happy peers. The one thing about feeding ADF is that there's no holding back when it comes to feedback, whether it be positive or negative. They're an honest if not brutal lot, the military trainee population. Especially when it comes to food, and personal perceptions thereof. I believe that our ADF team did a fantastic job when we were on, and considering that it's probably the section that best reflects what our actual working lives are going to be like, I dug it. A lot!
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