My Coop experience at Tavern in the Park

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My Co-op experienceat Tavern in the Park

• Bo Li
• May-September 2007

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General information about co-op placement

• My coop placement is at the Tavern in the Park.
  It is located on the main floor of the
  Tudor-style Pavilion building in the centre of
  Assiniboine Park. It is one of the most elegant
  restaurants in the city. The original owners
  Heinz and Johanna Kattenfeld opened the doors
  with a contemporary continental menu which was
  proved to be a popular and welcomed addition to
  Assiniboine Park. It became a destination
  restaurant for travelers, business people and
  locals alike. The current Chef Joe Dokuchies
  precise cooking and pristine presentation put
  this solidly in the top tier of Winnipeg
  restaurants. The restaurant is well known for its
  seafood, meat and poultry

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General information about co-op placement

• Including the second floor function room and
  patios the restaurant can hold around 300
  persons. The restaurant also has great reputation
  for the catering, wedding and Sunday brunch.
• The total number of staffs in the kitchen is
  around 20 persons. The head chef Joe is taking
  charge of menu design, kitchen management and
  training. The two sous chef Nestor and Khanh are
  in charged of morning crew and evening crew

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My Responsibilities

• I worked as a line cook in morning shifts. My
  daily tasks were including preparation, plating
  and cooking. I also worked as sushi chef for
  Sunday brunch. During the period of coop work
  experience, I practiced what I had learned in
  college and adopted new skills and concept. I
  really appreciated the opportunity to meet the
  people who have a great passion in culinary arts
  which inspired my cooking concept

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Critical events experience

• At the end of the co-op term, because three of
  staff took vacation at same time, the morning
  crew only have 2 people are available to work.
• I have to took the work load normally 2 or 3
  people do for couple week.
• I had to with work with speed, multi tasking
  skill and organization skill.

6
Professional and personal gains

• Study and use variety of ingredients
• Reason as an oriental student, I have not seen
  some of the ingredients that are used in European
  and Continental food. I expect to learn how they
  taste and are cooked. The Tavern in the Park is
  fine dinning restaurant. They use variety
  ingredients in their menu. It is great place to
  expand my knowledge.
• Example
• - Use truffle oil in the mushroom chowder,
  give the soup an earthy aroma.
• - Zucchini blooms can be stuffed and breaded,
  serve as a vegetable dish

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Professional and personal gains

• Learn and practice different cooking methods
• Reason most oriental cooking involves with
  steaming, frying, stewing and stir-fry. Grilling
  and roasting are rare to use. It is very
  important to understand the common method of
  cooking used in Canadian kitchen.
• Example
• Oven steaming can be done with the parchment
  paper, it is great way to cook fish or seafood,
  by this method the food is very juicy and tender
  with full flavour .
• Smoking this method use low head and smoke to
  cook the food, by using the method give the food
  unique smoky flavour and soft texture.

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Professional and personal gains

• Enhance communication skills
• Reason I had some difficulty in communication in
  English since English is not my first language,
  in order to become a chef in future I need to
  improve my English and communication skill in
  kitchen environment. I also realize interpersonal
  skill is one of most important thing in this
  industry, therefore to develop my network is
  necessary.
• Example
• I try to learn some new words, such as the name
  of dish, ingredient and kitchen tool.
• I believe a good working ethic and friendly
  attitude can help to build my social network

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Professional and personal gains

• Working organized
• Reason In the restaurant business, we always
  face the deadlines, It is important to work
  organized and keep the quality. To achieve that,
  I need to learn how to multi tasking and work
  with a plan.
• Example
• At the beginning of the day, we always list of
  the tasks we have to finish for the preparation,
  by spread out the work, we work faster and more
  organized.
• To learn multi tasking, you have to understand
  the cooking process of the foods.

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Professional and personal gains

• Learn and experience kitchen management
• Reason I plan to open my own restaurant in the
  future, I understand a good kitchen management
  provide pleasant environment to work, and better
  leadership make the kitchen team work harder,
  more efficiency.
• Example
• As a chef you have to trust your crew, but always
  check their work.
• A good kitchen management should have certain
  policies and rules, someone have to make sure
  people are follow the rules

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Pictures at work
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Pictures at work
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Conclusion

• Overall it was a great experience to spending
  four months in the Tavern in the Park.
• I improved some of the skills I have learned in
  the college and expand my knowledge and concepts.
• I realized my weakness and strength.
• It is a treasure to me to met a group of people
  who work with passion and ethic.