Day 2
This time, I didn't make the mistake of getting up quite so early but still arrived on time and ready to work. I also managed to do the buttons up on my whites slightly quicker and learn the name of the pastry chef, Phil, who I spent the day working with. I worked on similar things this time but instead of just helping with them, I was allowed to do them by myself. Not too much to say this time but another good day :)

After a pretty boring morning, I soon began loving working there and helped prepare little cakes and pastries for afternoon tea-including open macaroons with lemon curd, choux buns with lavender icing and violet cream and scones with clotted cream and jam. I also helped with the sandwhiches and in order to have perfectly clean bread, they cling film the surfaces to prepare them and cut each filling very finely to create a smooth sandwhich.
I finished at 2.30, tired and with a very dirty apron but looking forward to my next day...

Day 1
So I got the nice and early bus ready so I would be there on time (so early that I ended waiting about half an hour for the second 5 minute bus journey!) and I met Amanda, the chef in charge when Daniel the Head Chef isn't in, and she found me some uniform. I never realised how complicated the buttons were until then as I was there for about 10 minutes getting ready- she probably thought I died and gone to heaven by the time I was in the kitchen to pick up my apron and trusty cloth (which I was told never to get wet or else it wont actually act as a guard through hot objects)! I was assigned to my first station and person who I forgot the name of immediately and couldn't understand due to his accent so kept having to say pardon to him, a great start really! I thought I would just spend the day watching them and preparing a few things here and there, which I was right with to start with as they gave me a very large crate of spinach to prepare in freezing cold water! It's one of those jobs no one really wants to do but someone has to, so I got on and did it relatively quickly with red raw cold hands at the end. Pleased that I had saved him a job that he didn't want to do, I followed my chef to his 'mains' area and chopped a few onions and things but as service was getting under the way, he didn't really have much for me to do so, (thankfully!) passed me on to the pastry section where I was amazed to see them create all these beautiful dishes ready to be served that were all immaculately presented and showed such care and attention. Immediately I knew, this is were I wanted to be.



Hartwell House

So I've decided to start this blog after my family kept nagging at me to make a record of my volunteering at Hartwell House and my sister suggested this be the best way. I am a keen cook with an ambition to be a pastry chef and so after entering a cooking competition was offered a chance to volunteer. I don't yet have my own uniform so my plan is to borrow theirs until I get my own, though I do have these 'beautiful' catering shoes which are must to work in the kitchen...