I was first introduced to Chef Massimo Bottura in my freshman year of Culinary School at Johnson and Wales University, on the first episode of The Chef’s Table. While not in person, I was still able to view his essence and true purpose in culinary arts and international gastronomy. As the show progressed, I gained more insight into the mind of a Chef who had enough courage to turn a dropped lemon tart from his Chef de Cuisine into one of the most famous and creatively freeing dishes of all time. What was a major inspiration to me was his viewpoint on philanthropy and truly making a difference through food, to not only inspire world-wide change but also to put action towards it. After one of Italy’s worst earthquakes, he made the smart decision to save hundreds of thousands of Parmigiano-Reggiano wheels, using them to help the economy and inspire a program he and his wife, Laura, created to feed people around the world. As a young chef viewing this, even from thousands of miles away, I was determined to work for him at Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy, one day.
As an intern, my core responsibilities at Osteria Francescana included assisting in the daily preparation of core dish ingredients for the a la carte and tasting menus, including: protein fabrication, knife work, creating of sauces, stocks, and accoutrements, as well as bread and pastry work. I had to maintain a clean and sanitary kitchen environment adhering to the guidelines set by the Osteria Francescana Chef Team, and assisted the culinary team in the plating and execution of dishes during both lunch and dinner services.
What I learned to embrace the most, and what was the most intriguing aspect of my internship, was the idea of collaboration. Italy is extremely proud of their cultural amenities, especially its cuisine. What I learned was that to efficiently operate an outstanding restaurant, full collaboration is required, and for everyone who is working there to buy into that collaboration. That level of buy-in is not easy to achieve. This collaboration taught me a wealth of new techniques aligned with my own cooking philosophy, as well as innovative approaches to ingredient sourcing.
The most intriguing part of the internship I experienced was called, “show me who you are.” In this exercise, interns are paired with a kitchen team member, and they must concept, ideate, create, test, plate, and present a dish that speaks to who they are, accept criticism and feedback from the senior chefs and dining staff, and at times even Chef Massimo himself. I looked forward to this exercise the most, as it was a fantastic opportunity to concept something from scratch and turn it into something worthy of a three-Michelin-star dining room. With the help of my Chef mentor, Shu, I plated my dish in front of the senior dining room, senior chefs, and the entire kitchen team, and presented what this dish meant to me.
I made a wild boar mosaic with a fermented banana and cocoa crisp which was inspired by a stewed Guyanese dish called Pepperpot that my grandmother used to serve me, my brother, and my cousins when we were little. It was a great achievement. The sauce I made to accompany the dish was so well received that I had to make it again and create a recipe for it to be utilized in the restart for future use. Small accomplishments like this not only cement my love for cooking, but also my love for people and cultural differences. Any shade of difference is set aside once food is enjoyed together.
No doubt this wonderful experience has sharpened my journey as a chef. It has inspired me to take on new challenges and be an ambassador to other young chefs to always pursue their goals and dreams. I have been extremely blessed to do a wealth of culinary activities, from being on the Bocuse d’Or Team USA to the World Association of Chef’s Societies Culinary IKA Olympics competitor, to even being a champion on the Food Network. Each experience, much like this grant opportunity, has opened an updated version of me and inspires me to share that experience with others to excite and entice them to go after their dreams and goals.
Thank you again, Ment’or! This was an amazing experience.
