What makes a kitchen great?

Certainly everyone has some notion of what makes great food. The parameters of a great restaurant are also fairly well defined. But when it comes to exploring what sets great kitchens apart, the ground is fairly un-trod. Perhaps the truest sign of a great kitchen is cleanliness. Nothing instills ownership and excellence in young cooks and chefs than the responsibilities of thorough cleaning between shifts, not to mention the massive floor to ceiling detox done every week! It also seems to create respect and partnership between young bucks, cocky on the line, and the seasoned veterans holding down back rooms like butchering and receiving. Within my first hours at Chapter One I found myself wiping the walls behind counters, taking apart slicers and sanitizing every square inch of surface space. This operation occurs in some form approximately every 6 hours with abbreviated versions occurring between prep and service….impressive, indeed!

I’ve never witnessed a team (in any professional setting) that works quite as diligently and jovially as the folks at Chapter One. They are relentless in peeling, chopping, wiping, rolling, vac-packing, roasting, poaching, saucing, plating, sweeping … smiling. It is a marvelous work environment, described to me today as “a less rigid brigade built on respect and camaraderie rather than fear.” I think it is this reality combined with systems that are practiced and amended until perfect that makes it possible for the kitchen to include such a diverse group of people. Communication occurs almost without speech and movements are smooth like a dance. When the morning’s first ticket scrunches up from the machine, the kitchen is already immaculate after a post-prep wipe down and all chatter hushes to silence. The rest of service will be conducted in this quiet zone of delicate motions, even the lighting will be dimmed for performance as suspended heat lamps are pulled low to spot each dish. Every plate has its moment on stage.

Ross was there today. And like every Michelin starred Chef he brings an air of magic with him when he walks into the room. He is warm to his staff. He is focused, never losing his train of thought as business matters storm at him. He demands perfection … of every sauce, every garnish, every plate. When he is there the cooks perform as an orchestra. Though I am sure they know these dishes inside and out, they move to his commands as if the glance of his eyes, gentle words, or motions of his hand were the strokes of a baton. No one is ever “in the weeds.”

I think it was these scenes of excellence that gave me the courage to be bold about my time here in Dublin. In the afternoon the girl from Le Cordon Blue, Atlanta and I met with the chef de cuisine about the “program” they had mapped out for us. It was light, to say the least … limited hours, loads of vacation, and “chaperoned” experiences around the different stations. Abby from Atlanta was thrilled. I was grateful. I am in a Michelin starred restaurant with virtually no kitchen experience, I am grateful to be here. I was also disappointed. So in a more appropriate moment I asked Cathal if I could “have a word.” I explained to him how much I loved to work and just be in such a beautiful kitchen. I explained how I had no money to “vacation” and my sole purpose this trip was to be in Chapter One in any capacity that wouldn’t be a nuisance. He studied me hard and I thought he might laugh, instead his eyes twinkled and he said, “Music to my ears! You work whenever you like. If you start to go crazy and we can’t get rid of ya, I’ll tell ya to bugger off. Otherwise I’ll see you at 9 am tomorrow and we’ll work ya into “the pass” on evening service next week.” My eyes are watery just sitting here recalling the conversation. His words were music to my ears.