Restaurant Simulation ♥☺♥

Restaurant simulation occurs after a student finished all the levels in a course he enrolled in at Global Academy. I'm not gonna explain every aspect of our simulation, instead I'm just gonna tell my experiences through the photos if possible. For a brief explanation, it's like running a real restaurant for 3 days that consists of 21 students and a Chef instructor. The students are group into 3 so everyday there would be the group who will be the guest, another would be the servers and the last would be the one who'll cook. We're gonna be serving 6-course meal with an amuse bouche. ☺ 

I haven't brought a camera during the whole week so all of the photos here are grabbed from my batchmates/classmates and that is also the reason why some of my experiences weren't captured. ☺

It all started when we had our orientation on monday July 18, we talked about everything that we're gonna do and that we're gonna need. From the tasks to the music, uniform, etc. We even thought of the name of our 'restaurant' that day and some bought the thingamabobs needed for the decoration.

On the 19th, we started doing the prep work for the food but we didn't finish it because the food shall be finished on the day it's gonna be served. ☺

On the 20th, my group was the server and I'm the bartender. ☺ Sorry because I don't have a photo that day. I realized after being the bartender that it's no easy work. Really. 

On the 21st, I along with my mother and Tita Phola had been the guests. Every student when it's their turn to be the guest is entitled to bring 2 other guests. 30 pax each night because there are 9 VIPs. ☺

On the 22nd, we were the group scheduled for the kitchen. We started preparing at 9am and we finished service at 10pm. It was exhausting and fulfilling at the same time. You know the feeling that you're so tired yet you're so happy? That's what I really felt afterwards! 

The staircase with candles and rose petals. ☺

We named our restaurant Mangiare because it's an Italian themed and when translated, Mangiare means to eat in Italian. ☺

This is the bar. Where I stayed on our first night of service. I served brewed iced tea that I made, orange juice, brewed coffee and of course water. ☺

This is the VIP table. ☺ We were also the ones who ironed and put the tablecloth and the table napkins on! That's the hardest part of being the servers. 

The design of the 'hallway' to the wash room. ☺

Regular guest's table for 3. ☺

Closer look of the table with the menu and the green lamp. ☺

Capillini, the amuse bouche. ☺

Foccacia Bread, Balsamic Vinegar, Rosemary-Infused Olive Oil ☺

Cappucino of Home-Smoked, Vine Ripened Tomatoes, Prosciutto Crisp ☺

Pan-Seared Fillet of Fish, Sauteed Prawn, Olive-Caper Salsa Cruda, Insalata di Caponata ☺

Balsamico Grape Granita ☺

Stracotto di Manzo alla Millanese, Saffron Rissoto ☺

Tiramisu ☺

Chef Nino said I was the Executive Chef and he's just a mentor assisting us. I really was so nervous then!

Pressured to the nth power, before the service I repeatedly utter "I can do this" and "focus". ☺

The executive chef in our restaurant is the one responsible for all the plating needed. Though my team mates help me when they don't have something to do, I still had a lot to do. Team work is everything in the hot kitchen! Thank God I had a great team! ☺

I noticed that all of my pictures are serious, and they are all really candid! When you're so busy doing something important, you really don't care about how you look or if anyone is taking a photo of you. ☺

Presenting... my team! (L-R) Belle, Jarl, Em, Myself, Dennis, Chris and Rita ☺

Belle's Garde Manger, Jarl's the Sous Chef, Em's responsible for the soup, Dennis & Chris are the saute guys and Rita is the patissier. I'm at the middle and I'm the executive chef! ☺ They said our service was good job! *blush* It isn't perfect yet we're so happy that we did well. ☺

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The incomplete batch with Chef Nino. ☺

I learned a lot with this wonderful experience and I will be forever grateful that I had a chance to be with the people I worked with. Kudos to Chef Nino too for being a kind and at the same time great Chef instructor during the simulation! ☺ 

I don't know if I'm weird but I kind a love the pressure in the kitchen! I felt so nervous before the experience then I felt so relieved and dancing on air happy afterwards! It's so fulfilling to make a lot of people happy with the food they ate and I can actually see myself doing this in my entire life! ♥

I mentioned before that I love Baking and Pastry more than Culinary but after the experience, I'm sort of undecided again. I'm sure as hell that I belong in the kitchen but the question is, on the cold or hot section? We'll soon find out. ☺

"Experience is the best teacher though being in a good school is a great foundation."

Love,

A ♥