Staffing Announcements!

Sigh, one of the downsides of this business is turnover. I love teaching my staff and I've worked with some wonderful ladies, but I have to confess, the pay is low and the hours, although filled with interesting conversation and motivating work, can be long.


As many of you know I share a kitchen with La Perla Bistro/Prestige Events. I had the unique opportunity of grabbing one of their servers and turning her into one of my newest assistants. Mary Ann is currently taking baking and pastry classes at American River College, and although she's worked in the restaurant industry, she is still quite green, enthusiastic, but inexperienced. I'm a firm believer that the best first project for any of my newbies is to focus on one task, but do it over and over and over. The order for Saturday is perfect for this 350 sour cream apple tarts! So Mary Ann has been busting out 4oz tarts like a machine. God Love Her!!!


I was also contacted by a local high school student with an interest in being an intern. Fabulous! Cearra's first night was last night and I got her going on some organization projects. (Side note: Why is it that whenever business is hopping my organization goes to @(#$*#$(& ????) The supply shelf and the glassware shelves were her babies last night. I also gave her the full tour of the kitchen and covered the mine vs. their stuff. It'll really be a learning process for both of us. I've worked with green staff before, but they always had some sort of restaurant experience. At this point, the biggest thing going for Cearra is her enthusiasm and willingness to learn. I'll slowly add more and more responsibility, but I also want to give her a good sense of the big picture of the business. It should be fun!


One of the most important things I've learned is that any good chef is close to 50% teacher. I shared this little tidbit with Mary Ann and told her that to experience this fact, I was going to have HER teach Cearra how to make the tarts! Perfect! We were all out in the dining room together and I was watching them work and do show and tell. I have to tell you, it was VERY satisfying!


Tonight I'll teach the two of them how to make Italian buttercream (one of my favorite things in the WORLD!) and have them make and scoop some cookies.


The business is growing, slowly but surely! October is still going to be a hectic month, but with a couple of extra hands it won't be quite so nerve wracking! (I might even enlist my hubby to do a delivery!)

I would happily have this man's baby...

Just catching up on some of my favorite reading:

Michael Laiskonis

He just sounds like such a nice man, in addition to being a pastry genius. There is such a balance in this industry between being a nice person and being able to get the job done... all the while maintaining professionalism.

That being said, I have on more than one occasion swore at (or in the general direction) of one of my co-workers in the heat of the moment. Of course I regret it. Of course I would never yell at one of my employees. The more you submerge yourself in the kitchen the more you come to understand the real value of those people working to the right and left of you. I cannot do everything! I need help! (It's like a twelve step program for a pastry chef.) As much as I want everything to be perfect I also need to teach and work with my team to get us ALL to the finish line and have ALL of us be thrilled with the end product. Each event gets better and more well thought out, which is one reason I get so excited about every couple I work with!

Tune in next week for a redux of this weekend's tastings (all four! between tonight and tomorrow afternoon!) and the Gold Country Weddings show.

Not quite there yet...

Well, last I wrote I was expecting that Friday would be a very big day for the business (new commercial kitchen!). Well, not quite. The negotiations continue. A little frustrating, but I have to keep reminding myself that Rome was not built in a day and neither is a strong, successful business.

On the upside I had a great day on Saturday. I met with one lovely couple for a tasting on Saturday morning and they chose to go with a really fun cake option. They are having a small wedding reception (25-35 guests) so they only needed a small cake. We're going with two tiers, but the top tier will be a large Napoleon! (Crazy side note: It's not uncommon for me to dream about desserts. I actually dreamt about this being an option!) The other fun variation is that the whole cake will be covered in gold tinted white chocolate modeling paste with black ribbon trim and black piping. It should be spectacular!

I also delivered an order on Saturday evening for a retirement party up at Sequoia Restaurant in Placerville. 100 tartlets! Very fun!

I have the honor of creating the Valentine's Day Dessert for Sequoia too! They will be serving Chocolate and Salted Caramel Mousse with Orange Confit and Vanilla Orange and Caramel Sauce. Here is the mock up that will accompany the final order. Very exciting... and very tasty!
Consider this your reminder: Valentine's Day is only 10 days away. Are you ready with dinner reservations? Have you placed your order for flowers? Picked out that perfect card?

I'm Back!

So, I'm back. Sorry I've been so negligent in writing.

Today could be a very big day for the business. I'm meeting this afternoon with a restaurant/catering company to see about renting space. I'm very anxious.... just a little throw-uppy. It'll be fine. These are nice people, but it's business.