Le Cordon Bleu, here I come

Couple of years ago I was saying:

"If I would start my career from the beginning, I probably would not studying the computer technologies, I would like to become a chef" or "If I would have enough money I will study in Le Cordon Bleu" or "If I was younger, I would change my career".

Now all of those "IFs" are behind me and here I am. At the heart of London City, studying at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary arts institute - one of the best in the culinary world.

I'm going for the full study - Grande Diplome, that includes both Cuisine and Patisserie. I'm on my way to become a chef. According to the administration and the chefs - not everyone graduates, in the previous courses were some people that was not succeeded. I'm not going to be one of them.

The studies are very HARD - I remember what my friends were saying to me - "It's a very hard job - to be chef". Well, I agree with them. The first days of my studies were not easy. The typical studying day is one demo and one practical session, sometimes it's demo and two practices, it can be from 9:00AM till 19:00PM. It's 10 students in one kitchen where there are five large stoves and ovens and it's HOT (I mean really high temperature).

At the beginning I was asking myself: "Am I really want to do it? May be it was better if I was continue working at Amdocs, sitting near my computer in clean environment and doing what I was doing" - NO WAY. It's much more fun for me here.

Fun to create something beautiful and tasty!

Fun to see other people enjoy my food, and Fun to get a lot of compliments!

The school situates at the heart of the City of London. When I have a time between the sessions I'm using the opportunity to walk around and it's really very nice surrounding, although very expensive, but who cares! :-)

Here are some pictures from London City, enjoy!

Rich chocolate cake with raspberries

I feel that I have to share the recipe of this cake,
because it's always have unbelievable success.
Ingredients:
400 g chocolate (70% cocoa)
250 g unsalted butter
7 eggs, separated
2/3 cup sugar (125 g)
1/2 cup flour (85 g)
2 tablespoon baker powder
150 g raspberries

Frosting:
200 g double cream (36 - 40% fat)
cacao powder

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 deg C.
2. Grease the 26 - 28 cm cake tin or line it with a non-stick paper.
3. Melt the butter with a chocolate in microwave or use one pot that holds the chocolate that fits over another which contains about 200 ml of simmering water.
4. Beat the eggs yolks and add them slowly to the chocolate and butter mix.
5. Add the flour and baking powder, whisking.
6. Whisk the eggs whites until stiff, gradually adding the sugar.
7. Slowly fold the eggs whites in the chocolate mix.
8. Put the half of the cake mixture into the tin, then add the raspberries, add the rest of the mixture.
9. Bake at 180 deg C 40 - 50 min until a wooden pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with moist crumbs.
10. Cool the cake, whip the cream, frost the cake, spread unsweetened cacao powder on top.
11. Put the cake into the fridge for 5 - 6 hours or overnight.

The cake may be served with fresh raspberries or some ice cream.

Bone appetite!

No more secrets

The time to share our decision with others has come. (see the previous chapter for a details about the decision)
Honestly, there were a better periods in my life :-).
Basically, the people have been divided to the following categories:
Active negative (sort of - "Are you nuts?")
Indifferent ("well, good for you.")
Supporting ("Wow, amazing, great!!!")
I have to mention that the majority was in first one (active negative).
The reaction was: "Are you serious, you are probably kidding" - and the next sentence:
"That's what you really want to do, do you know how hard it to be a chef?"
I should have been taken pictures of those people, because their face expression were unforgettable.
After the moment of silence and the "interesting face" (opened mouth and a big question in eyes: "WHY?"), they have started to tell me "stories" about famous chefs, that at the beginning of their careers were washing the dishes and working up to 14 hours a day.

The second hit was when I said that my husband quit his job and start looking for a new one in UK. - "Do you know how hard to find a good job in UK, and how expensive the life there?"

In the second category (the apathetic one) were people that probably don't care about us and there was no some special response. - "good luck, you gonna need it."
And the very small group of surrounding us people was very supportive. "Wow, COOL, Great for you. You are going to have a great time in UK".

After several weeks we came to British embassy to fill a papers for a student visa. The council representative was very unpleasant with us. It seemed that she was angry on all of the world on that day. She read all of our papers and asked: "What are you going to learn? ", I'm answering: "The Culinary Arts". - And then she is almost shouting: "Cookery !??? WHY ??? I see that you are a Software Developer, why do you want to learn cookery???" . I don't like people are shouting on me, and I became quit. So, I'm answering "Because it's my dream - to be a chef". She said: "We have to interview you because it's a very unusual situation". And then were some bureaucratic issues and we cancelled our application for now. We returned to British embassy one month later. On that day there was very nice woman (she understands that people have a dreams and sometimes they are going after them), and we got the visa in a couple of hours. There is a theory (with a lot of books on it), that everything what happenes to you - doesn't happen by accident, there is a reason for everything. But this is another story...


We got a green light to enter UK.

To be continued...

A little bit of history

I always liked cooking! - (as long as I remember myself :-) )
I like the cooking shows on TV, I was buying a lot of cooking books. I enjoy the smell of cooking in my home, when the whole family is gathering for a dinner. It's always fun to meet with friends at home with good diner and wine. I used fantasying myself studying in Le Cordon Bleu and being chef.
After finishing my study (Computer Science) I worked 6.5 years as Software Developer in software development company. The last few years I was very unsatisfied at my work and every day I was coming from work complaining to my husband how unhappy am I with what I'm doing.
One day (I know that it is sounds strange) my husband asked me : "What is your dream? What do you really want to do most of all?" - and I am thinking to myself at that very moment - what did you smoked today? or Are you on drugs?
And I am answering - "Well, I don't know, I have almost everything...".
But he was (and still) very nagging person and kept asking me - "No, you don't understand me, what do you REALLY want to do with your life, and don't tell me that you want a nice house to buy, because if this is your dream, tomorrow we will buy one. What I want to know is what is your DREAM!!!"
And then, I looked deep into my self and then I answered -
"I want to learn to be a chef at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary school" (http://www.cordonbleu.net/).
After a long evening, I concluded that I have to do what I really want. We should go after our dreams and be 100% happy with what are we doing in this life.
The decision was made, and still, we kept it secret from all the people we know, because we realized - the responses will be very hard. For example: "What the hell are you doing, thinking and etc'. You both have a great jobs (two software developers with a good salaries) - why throw it away? You have a child (the punch under the belt) did you thought about her? and so on and so forth."
But more about it in the next chapter.

To be continued...