Meet our Apprentice Chef Kat

While the running of a restaurant involves the work of many, it's often the dedication and hard hours spent behind the stove by our apprentices that makes everything come together.

By the very definition of their role in the kitchen, they are the ones that do the hardest and often the dirtiest work. They get pushed to extremes sometimes so that they can learn what life in a professional kitchen is really all about - and it's not always glamorous!

So let me tell you a bit about our second year apprentice, Katherine (we call her Kat). She's only pint-sized, but she's definitely got some gumption when it comes to cooking and as you'll soon learn, she really loves what she does! Under the guidance of our Head Chef Tony, Kat has already come a long way and it doesn't look as though she's going to stop. So here's a brief interview that I took with her recently in between making souffles and cleaning duck meat...

 

How much longer do you have before you complete your apprenticeship and what are your plans when you are complete?

I have about two years left and then I plan to do lots of travelling around China and other parts of Asia so that I can learn about street foods and find out about what they eat. The thing is about the Chinese is that they don't waste anything (of their food) and I find that really fascinating. I also want to meet the people there. I hope I will be able to work there for a while and bring what I've learnt back home with me.

Do you remember how it felt when you first started working at Lochiel?

I remember feeling like a little girl in a BIG kitchen. It was both nerve-wracking and daunting, but I knew it was the right place to be!

What do you enjoy most about working in a professional kitchen?

I think it's probably the "go-go-go-ness" of it. It's challenging but it's definitely not boring. Although it's hard work, I never get tired because I think there's a lot of adrenalin on my side! When it comes to actual tasks I love doing, my favourite would have to be cleaning up meat - finding your way around a piece of meat feels really good and I think this is a great skill to have.

What "section" do you work on in the kitchen?

I do the desserts, which means I help prepare the bits and pieces that go together to assemble a dessert and during service, when a dessert order comes in, I plate it up. It can be a stressful part of the kitchen to work in because when a wave of orders come in, it's pretty much all up to me, but I think I handle it pretty well. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I can get everything done.

What's something Tony is teaching you to do at the moment?

At the moment I'm being trained in honing my timing and multi-tasking skills which are things you really need to be able to do well in a kitchen. He's also teaching me how to make the meringue roulade dessert as well as a new chocolate dish.

What is one of your favourite Lochiel House dishes (to eat)?

The best dish I've tried here is the beef tartare because it has such an amazing flavour and with the warm egg yolk it's magical - it adds an amazing creaminess to the meal.