Hwaiting!
As my first pre-shift at Atomix finished, the entire staff bellowed the word “Hwaiting” in perfect unison. I was confused and more than a little startled, as I followed my teammates back to the kitchen pondering what in the world just happened. Hwaiting, which is pronounced ‘fighting,’ is a cheer of encouragement. One final moment before doors open and guests come streaming in for the whole team to smile and collectively cheer each other on. My experience at Atomix was enlightening. I had never worked in a Michelin starred kitchen before. The dedication to excellence and passion from the entire team, while jarring at first, quickly became one of my favorite aspects of the restaurant.
I had been following Atomix for a while. During the pandemic my chef and mentor, Rene De Leon, showed me a list of excellent American restaurants. We were working in Alaska and I was immediately drawn to the aesthetic and seemingly simple dishes of Atomix. When they won the San Pellegrino’s best restaurant in North America award, it cemented my admiration for their style and philosophy towards dining. Now, thanks to the Ment’or Grant, I had a chance to experience Atomix for myself.
When I started at Atomix I was introduced to their style of service. The format was very different from what I learned and had been accustomed to. I had worked in traditional à la carte kitchens where tickets came rolling in at five and didn’t stop until the last guest was served. At Atomix it was a tasting menu only and always two turns of fourteen guests. Much less volume but we are able to be more controlled and precise with dishes and plating.
During service everyone has an exact role. Every moment of service is planned and mapped out, and everybody knows their role and executes it like a rehearsed dance. With a small kitchen and the team working with precise timing, it was difficult for me to jump in and help without throwing off the flow of service. After a few days of learning this new style, I was moved to an earlier shift where I could help the prep team in the mornings. Some of my responsibilities included breaking down chickens, putting away and cleaning produce, and starting on stocks and sauces so that when the dinner team arrived those projects would be done. If I had any time between projects, I would take a look at the prep lists for each station and start taking any tasks I could from their lists. Once the team arrived, I would make my way around and take tasks from their lists to try and learn more about each station and dish.
For my last few weeks at Atomix, I moved to the bar tasting menu and helped prepare and execute the upstairs dining experience. Atomix offers two experiences, The Chef’s Counter menu and the Bar Tasting menu. At the bar, we serve six guests twice a day. I was in charge of projects for that station along with one of the sous chefs. Because it was a bar, not only did I help with food but I also assisted with service which I had never done before. Learning what it takes to run service from that side of the restaurant was amazing. Just like the dance in the kitchen, service had its own unique cadence. There is a flow for when to drop plates, clear plates, refill glasses and interact with guests during lulls in the meal. All of it done with elegant, smooth movements and demeanor.
My time at Atomix was an all-around tremendous learning experience. Not only did I learn what it takes to cook at one of the best restaurants in the world, but also about excellent service. The last two months have truly been an outstanding opportunity. I was able to touch so many aspects of Atomix and it felt like every few weeks I was introduced to new ingredients and techniques. With that came some growing pains. Nobody is perfect when doing something new for the first time. While there are some allowances, Atomix is looking for perfection. The restaurant only seats forty people a night. With that in mind, sometimes you only have just enough mise en place for service. There is not a lot of room for mistakes.
That is part of the beauty of it. Nobody works at a place like Atomix expecting to be comfortable. You are going to get pushed. You’ll be asked to do things you’ve never done before which will put you in unfamiliar situations. You’ll be rushing, almost running, trying to snag the last stock pot to start your sauce. Or you will run three loads of dishes just so you can clean a Vitamix to puree spinach for an oil. Weaving through cooks busily cutting, chopping, and sauteing while dangling a sizzle tray with tasting spoons to the nearest sous chef praying that there isn’t a problem, all while planning the next steps. You’re not alone though. There is an entire team of people all absorbed in their own projects who are meticulously making sure that everything is as it should be. All just to feed forty guests.
Working with a group so dedicated to food and service is a special thing. It’s amazing what a passionate team can accomplish together. I was blessed to be a part of it. I will take that same mindset with me as I continue my career and remember that all it takes to create something extraordinary is a few incredible people and a fighting spirit.
Hwaiting!
