Blog #2

From working in a large group consisting of many different personalities, the Culinary does a good job of immediately introducing you to the concept that not everyone learns the same. This was especially apparently to me during Skill Development classes, where the person next to you was composing an identical dish, yet had their separate struggles throughout the process. My externship not only allowed to me understand this notion even more, but more importantly to strongly grasp how I learn best.

I was worked in an environment that constantly provoked questions and curiosity. The management at my externship site was superb in that any frustration I had would be addressed and accommodated through verbal answers or never-ending demos. This attitude was displayed throughout the kitchen staff, which easily allowed me to pick the nearest cook’s brain at any given time. Just the sous chefs, line cooks, and even my fellow extern became familiar with how I learned best, I was becoming acquainted with how they taught. I learned that my questions could easily be divided by how I wanted my answers. Should as issue arise, I geared my solution by who I thought could best direct me. My one sous chef was a perfect source for a well developed verbal answer, which could be ideal in many situations. However he avoided demos for two reasons: he was a very hard person to get to stop moving; he wanted me to have the faith to execute his directions. On the other hand, my second sous chef insisted on showing me how to do everything. Though it was comforting to know that I could have a demo at any desired time, I would all out avoid him if I wanted a speedy answer. Often times I did not seek answers from either manager. I found that I worked in a similar fashion to one of the line cooks at my restaurant, and would occasionally ask him to explain the logistics of a task.

I feel it is imperative that an individual understands how they learn and work best. I believe one takes better to training in the work place and the daily lessons that define kitchens if they are comfortable with themselves. It is the responsibility of a manager to train an individual initially and also to recognize their flow of thought and work. An employee is going to pick your brain, but managers should return the act and gain a better understanding of how one learns best. In my experiences, I have found this to make each following lesson that much easier.