For my Ment’or stage, I spent two months at Gaggan in Bangkok, Thailand. During my trip I experienced all the emotions that come with moving internationally and starting a new job. I was challenged in many ways, which is exactly what I was hoping for. Initially I wanted to stage somewhere significant to my heritage (Germany or Eastern Europe) but after much thought and research, I decided to follow my desire to learn more about molecular gastronomy. I wanted to put myself in an environment where I could learn as much as possible and that was different from what I had learned so far — I knew Gaggan could provide that. I discovered through my stage that Gaggan profoundly impacts the cooks and guests that walk through its doors, and that you will come out changed.
The first morning of my stage I walked down an unassuming city street in Bangkok. Once I entered the restaurant, I was surrounded by windows, decorated by twisted metal and a disco ball. I soon found out that when service begins, the dining room becomes reminiscent of a night club, a science lab and a theatre. My daily life at Gaggan followed a routine: wake up at 10am, sharpen knives and walk to work. Bangkok is an amazing food city, so there was always a bite to eat from a shop or street vendor on the way. At work, I’d set up my station, handle prep tasks like precise knife work and inventory, and aim to finish as much as possible before the Chef de Parties arrived. Depending on the station, it was a good time to shadow a CDP or Commis and learn a new prep task. I was grateful for the opportunity to see and touch so many different components in that kitchen.
After staff meal, the kitchen began service set up and the stages completed more daily tasks. We worked together to get them done, regardless of which station we are assigned. At 5pm we tidied up once more for the preshift and made our way to the dining room to listen to the run-down for the evening. During the latter half of my stage, I spent most of my time working in the dining room. This was so nerve-wracking! At first, I watched the flow of service and watched to see cues for the stations to plate or prepare a dish. After I watched a few, I was welcomed to help plate and eventually serve the guests. Chef Gaggan or our CDC Fabio ran the show, opening the night with ice-breakers, warnings and “rules”. Initially, the guests are a bit timid, but the first dish – Yogurt Explosion (a Gaggan signature) – placed into their hands immediately sparks a lively atmosphere. Twenty-four courses follow, each one more creative than the last.
During the dinner, Chef Gaggan/Chef Fabio introduces members of the team, inviting them to spiel the dish or teasing them about their genius abilities in the kitchen. The stages were not safe from this! In the last “act” of the dinner, the entire team was in the dining room singing and clapping along to the songs that Chef Gaggan had picked. It is truly unusual, but so much fun. As time went on, I started to really take pride in contributing to this energy. As the only American on staff, I was chosen to lead “YMCA” at one point.
As service wound down, we celebrated any birthdays/anniversaries/honeymoons as a group. One cook would throw fresh rose petals on unsuspecting guests, another would follow with an additional stunning dessert all while some 2000s era love song played at max volume. Afterwards, we would shake the hands of every guest and take photos. Once the guests were gone, we cleaned and reset for the next service. There are two services every night. On the night's final service, the entire team closed down the kitchen in less than thirty minutes. This took us to midnight, when we had one more meeting to round out the night.
Gaggan has high standards, long hours and a small team. In the restaurant profession, morale can sometimes be fragile. I thought Gaggan would be a great place to see how they managed to keep their team happy and perform as Asia’s No. 1 restaurant. What I observed is a leadership team who works alongside the cooks. The leadership has just as many, if not more, prep tasks throughout the day, is engaged in everyone’s prep, and is always checking in. Everyone on the team gives their all for each other and the good of the restaurant. Another important thing I observed was leadership asking for help. In a profession that thrives on the idea that you should be capable of doing everything, these chefs leaders were asking CDPs, commis and stages for help. This promoted respect and trust within the team. When Chef asked me for help, I always wanted to provide and impress. These lessons were invaluable to me.
I was also fortunate to find a model of strong leadership on my first day. A Sous Chef named Lada showed me the entirety of the building, and had me spend my first day on her station. She was kind but had a serious energy, one that didn’t intimidate me but demanded my respect. I looked to her during much of my time at Gaggan as a very strong mentor. I hope to be able to embody the leadership qualities I observed during my time.
At Gaggan, consistency was drilled into me. I learned this by measuring carrot julienne to 5cm daily. I messed this task up a few times, but really dedicated myself to consistency. It required new thinking, as I had never been held to this exacting standard and it required me to slow down quite a bit. Although this lesson didn’t come easy, it has stuck with me. Without consistency, a restaurant at this level cannot be successful. When 14 people are being served the same thing at the same time, things must look and be the same. Two guests must be served the same experience. Focusing on the fine details allowed me to slow down and focus on the details of the work, getting comfortable with the techniques. Moving forward, I see consistency as integral to professionalism.
Being away at Gaggan, and being in a city as rich in culture as Bangkok, helped me to hone in on what my professional values are and what I want to do in the future. In the short-term, I will share the stories and experiences with my team at Olamaie, and will approach my job with a newfound respect and humbleness. I am extremely grateful for the support of my Olamaie team for allowing me the opportunity to grow and learn, and to the Gaggan team for making space for people like me to learn and grow, for their warmth and hospitality. Finally, I am eternally grateful to Ment’or for providing me the resources to travel far and learn at this level. This opportunity has not only shown me what kind of chef I want to be, but what kind of leader I want to be. I will hold this experience near to my heart.
