Return of the M.A.K.

Thought I wasn't coming back?

Just because I completed culinary school doesn't mean I'm calling it quits on The Chopping Block. Obviously the blog's format will be a bit different than the first six months, but the concept will remain the same. The way I see it, the culinary arts is a never-ending educational opportunity; there's always some new knowledge to acquire. I plan to continue learning through recipe testing, restaurant hopping, book reading—and then relaying it all to you.

One of my goals is to amp up the recipe coverage. I'm always experimenting with new techniques, ingredients and flavor combinations, so why keep it all to myself? If you trust my palate, you won't have to do the dirty work. Friends and followers are always asking me to share recipes, so it's about time I get to it.

My immediate mission, however, is to land a full-time job. That's where I've been directing most of my energy. But it hasn't been all work and no play—I returned yesterday from an amazing 10-day vacation in Costa Rica with Ryan. It was well needed (and deserved, I might add). We did a lot of hiking, sunning and, of course, eating.

Now I'm back in bitter cold Manhattan, but I can't complain. As nice as it's been to have someone serve me for a week straight, I'm ready to return to cooking. Plus, I could do with something other than arroz y frijoles. My shoebox-size kitchen and miniature stove await.

New York, I've bean missing you.

Tall Dream

Graduation Day

I'm officially a chef!

I received my tall hat today and wow, not only does it have height, it's also ridiculously large. I feel dwarfed by its size. (By the way, ever wonder why a chef's hat—also known as a toque—has pleats? The folds are believed to signify how many ways a chef can cook an egg. Most toques have 101 pleats.)

At graduation, one chef handed us our diploma while another placed the toque atop our heads. We made our way through the line of chefs, each one hugging and congratulating us. There were a few speeches as well as an awards ceremony (I received an outstanding volunteer award) and a surprise slideshow made by two classmates. Afterwards, we toasted with Champagne.

That night, my friend and fellow classmate—along with our significant others—celebrated in the fanciest of ways at Del Posto. Five courses plus an extra pasta, bellinis and two bottles of wine were just what the new chefs ordered.

Six months passed by so quickly. It's hard to imagine why I ever debated not taking time off to attend culinary school; enrolling was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

I've decided it's best to just go with your gut.

New Year, New Career

Days 105-110

Happy New Year!

Seeing Jan. 1 on the calendar brings to my mind two things: 1) Graduation is a mere two-and-a-half weeks away and 2) I need to find a job.

With all the breaks recently (Christmas, an extra day due to the East Coast blizzard and New Years)—not to mention a forthcoming three-day weekend for Martin Luther King Day—my schedule is out of whack. The last five-and-a-half months of school, I've felt the right amount of momentum needed to learn; practicing techniques and dishes without much of a break helped cement the information in my brain. Now, I'm feeling a bit out of tune.

It doesn't help that I got sick in between Thanksgiving and Christmas or that I'm feeling ill again. My nose is completely clogged, so I have to ask a teammate to taste every one of my dishes for seasoning.

That's not to say I didn't practice during my time off. I spent Christmas cooking for my in-laws (Polish sausage—homemade during Thanksgiving with my mom—with sauerkraut and spaetzle); the day after Christmas cooking for friends (rosemary-and-paprika goat cheese pasta, Sicilian cauliflower, and kale salad with roasted butternut squash); and New Years Day cooking for my brother (pork ragu with gnocchi and mussels steamed in white wine and saffron and tomato butter).

The next couple weeks I intend to keep my nose to the grindstone. Hopefully, my nose will give me the chance to smell and taste again.