On Staging....Trailing

     Staging or trailing is probably one of the most important aspects in the learning process of an aspiring chef. It's when a cook or a chef works for a short or long period of time in another chefs kitchen in order to be exposed to new techniques and cuisines. It enables you to work alongside well known chefs and experience  the kitchen culture in that specific operation. You won't get paid; the payment for staging is knowledge.....it enables you to expand and hone your skills. It's not a time for boasting or showing off what you know, its a time to humble yourself and take in as much as you can from the moments that you spend along side the brigade of that particular kitchen. Staging for the most part is not a walk in the park, you need to have a thick skin and be ready for hard work. Make sure you leave your pride at the door. It takes great dedication and commitment on the part of the stagier,  but in the end these types of experiences are what separate a good chef from a great chef.
   Stagiaire  is a french term  for a chefs apprentice. It holds a completely different concept in european countries than in the U.S. In european culture, staging was a form used to train aspiring chefs....think of it as going to culinary school minus the tuition cost. As a stagier  you would spend an average of 12 hours a day involved in the preparatory tasks of a kitchen. Cleaning lettuce, washing mushrooms, scaling fish.....all the laborious jobs that no one wanted to do, but its during these moments that you have the opportunity to learn the basics of becoming a chef: learning about products, seasonality of produce, and a chance to  develop your speed. A stage  would last on average about a year; starting at the bottom and eventually working your way through the different stations of a classical french kitchen. After putting your time in as a stagier your chef would either offer you a highly sought after  but rare position in his brigade or he would open doors for you in other kitchens.
    In America, staging like in europe is also a time for learning and developing. Aspiring chefs for the most part go through culinary school  to get their training and learn the basics of cooking. A common misconception is that after you graduate from culinary school  you become a chef. It takes years of honing your skills  to get to the level of being able to run a kitchen. Upon graduation the aspiring chef will step foot in many kitchens and work his way up to the top, going through the ranks until he becomes a chef (years and years later).  Unless your current employer is willing to include your staging  as a part of your working year (this never happens) you'll have to sacrifice  time normally spent hanging out or relaxing on your days off. Another option, what I do is to wake up early and stage before my shift starts. Its very hard for a young chef to take time off to stage especially when he doesn't get paid, it takes a lot of dedication and determination on their part but the rewards are great.
    It is important as a chef or a cook doing a stage to remain humble and appreciative of the opportunity given to them. We have to respect the fact that someone was willing to open the doors of their kitchen for a day, week, month or however long your staging. Don't be concerned with getting crapy jobs, don't ever think that the work your doing is below the standard of your intended stage. More than likely  your going to have to earn their respect, do everything that they ask you to do as fast and as best as you can. If they see that they can trust you with small tasks they will eventually give you more important ones. Keep your eyes open, take notes when you can, and ask a lot of questions. You're not going to get paid so make sure you get something out of it. Don't waste your time, always try to leave the stage with something new learned. Isn't that the reason why your doing it in the first place? To gain knowledge  and to learn new skills. Heres a quote I read from an interview with Marco Pierre White, "You're not a doctor, and your not going to save the world. But you have  your head and your hands, and the more knowledge you soak up, the more valuable you become".
    Everyone wants to be the best at what they do.....but not everyone is willing to put the time, blood and sweat to get there. Being the best is always staying hungry, always wanting more, never settling for being an average or just ok chef. Stay focused on growing and reading; submerge yourself in the industry, and stage whenever possible.....knowledge is power.