Cenador de Amós is located in Villaverde de Pontones, a town of less than three hundred people in the Cantabrian region of northern Spain. Cenador is a three-star Michelin starred restaurant set in an 18th century baroque style palace. The interior has been given a modern design without losing the foundation and heart of the past; this ethos is reflected in their tasting menu. I chose Cenador because of its unique location, to accomplish one of my career goals of spending time in a three-star Michelin restaurant, and to challenge myself by stepping outside of my comfort zone.
During my time at Cenador, there were roughly 20 interns/practicantes from all over Spain, Mexico, China and America. In the beginning days, we arrived at 9am and collected the gisantes lágrimas (teardrop peas) which grew in a garden at the back of the restaurant. This garden also housed artichokes, lettuces, tomato vines, herbs (rosemary, basil, mint, thyme, etc.). Gisantes are a delicacy in Spain as they are seasonal, possess exceptional flavor and are time-consuming to process.
After the peas were picked, we assembled in the cold kitchen for the morning meeting. The chefs reviewed their notes from the previous service and spoke directly to those who worked on the station at issue in front of the whole team. Feedback consisted of time management, specific components of a dish that needed tweaks, and discussion regarding ingredient changes. Stations were set by 12pm, family meal at 12:15pm, and service began at 1pm. Each chef de partie was responsible for cooking for the staff one day of the week, and it was mandatory for everyone in the restaurant to eat together. I really appreciated this aspect of Spanish culture.
I worked in the Snacks station which began the guests' meal. The greatest challenge of service was keeping pace and paying attention to modifications and allergies. As part of the guest experience guests got to spend a portion of their meal in the Snacks room to observe how we worked and spoke with the chefs. This was intimidating at times, but it was essential to be professional and never let the guest suspect there were any issues. As service and after-service prep were completed, everyone worked together to clean.
My experience at Cenador de Amós was incredibly unique. I was exposed to new seafood, ingredients, and products I had only read about. I also had the opportunity to be a part of a few events while I was there, one of which was an offsite five-hundred-person wedding. I was amazed at the level of production. Because my chef de partie was at an event in Vietnam, I was given the responsibility of pseudo chef de partie. It was intimidating at first, but I learned more about what it means to lead a team, how to keep your cool when things aren't going right and how to support your fellow teammates to achieve success.
This opportunity would not have been possible without the Ment’or grant, and I am forever grateful for this program. I wish for more young chefs to have the opportunity to expand their horizons, and push themselves to seek other parts unknown.
