Salad Bar: Carving Workshop & Showcase

Carving Workshop & Salad Show Case:

Time was going on well... with new topics in course... Mr. Sudhir Anand along with our class coordinator has come to our class to make an announcement.. it was abt carving workshop.. from our class i.e 1st year they have picked the following people...

Raghu Naidu,
Hudasha
Gogoi
Umesh
Naresh

It was a 5 day workshop on last day all the participants need to carve and display their works and salad and soup fest in the name of salad bar.

The class started at 4:00 Pm

On the first day of the program Chef Megi (Meghnath) has briefed us on how to select vegetables and fruits, equipment for carving, how to sharpen knives and using the knives. Being 1st year students we didn't received our kitchen kit so after the class me and gogoi  went to food world in maranhalli to buy knife and then next to ashirwadh stores there used to be a small fruit shop where we went was checking fruits as we need to take for next day's carving class.. its was quite funny, when i remember that situation now.. me n gogoi don't know Kannada and that shop vendor is nt good at hindi and major issue for him was we are taking all the apples an seeing is the apple having even color... as chef megi said that apple should be of even color. some how we managed to buy 2 apples, 4 carrots, spring onion, beetroot and button radish..

Day 2:
karuna mam's was teaching us F& B Production and it is quite familiar to my friends if they listen "Dig your Own Grave Yard" ha ha ha ha... she used to say this when ever we don't listen to class. we took permission from mam and went for our carving workshop.. we learnt how to make simple carving of carrot flower, potato, beetroot, and we were also thought to make palm tree with carrot and green pepper, after the demo chef has asked us to make and show him... we all started to carve carrot & green pepper palm tree.

yeppiii.... we did palm tree and vegetable flower bouquet... we were instructed to get  Watermelon, papaya and apples

We followed the routine me and gogoi has gone to food world n then fruit shop... bt we didnt find good papaya that what we are looking for.. we are in search of papaya where it should be firm green skin with yellowish orange ripe inside... little difficult as we get plenty of fully ripen papaya in every store. so, we decided to explore jaya nagar 4th block market. quickly we took an auto and went. u know it was Rs. 7 Minimum that time.. very soon they hiked it to Rs.10. small brief on auto fare in blr... it is like with every appraisal of software engineers in blr the fare is also hiked..

Finally after checked all the papaya at every store in market.. we got some best pieces for our use.. then happily we came back to our BHM Boys Hostel, Puttenhalli.

Its great that i missed to have dinner in College Mess.. i jus went to matha darshini - it is a udipi style tiffin center on puttenhalli road. Masala Dosa was my fav.. it is made to perfection crisp, with red chutney on internal layer and potato masala with a dot of butter on top.. wow.. i jus got good amount water, trust me... if u are around there.. try n have it..

Day 3:

It was grt as we were ready to carve center pieces.. Chef Megi has started to show us how to carve a 3d peacock on papaya.. it was cool... then we started to carve the same.. it was easy bt if the fruit is ripen there would be chances of neck break. and then we were thought to carve apple bird... knife must be really shape and u must have control on knife. with the tip of knife we got to cut a v share wedge which will be used as neck n this give as base for the bird to stand and then on sides make insertions in 45 degree angle to make a v cut, then carefully repeat the process in layers this look like wings. take the wedge we have already cut and   make it look like head n neck n use a whole mustard as eye. and fix it.

Without watermelon carving we couldnt close the day and it was pretty late 8:30 pm we completed the day.. and we got to get raw pumpkin for next day. i remember seeing pumpkin in 4th block so without wasting time we rushed to market and we took 2 pumpkins.

Day 4:

Pumpkin carving. it is difficult to peel the pumpkin.. n all of were taking time.. n it was nt just happening.. then  i look at my friend working on next table... it was raghu.. i was zapped seeing him peeling the pumpkin... soo fast and perfect.. it was sight of impressive work... and then chef has shown us how to carve flowers on pumpkin. then we have to carve our innovative carving.. some how i always find mermaid most fascinating creature.. and i have seen the sculptures of mermaid in my home town at park entry.. n that flashed into my mind when i have carve my creative.. i picked up a wooden toothpick and given outline on pumpkin n carved  a mermaid.. n chef megi appreciated for the idea...

Hurrraaayyyyy..... we have completed the carving workshop.. n now it is time for us to start the prep for salad bar showcase... good news is that i have been taken into kitchen team and we started mis-en-place for soups 1. Tomato Shorba and 2. Yekhni Shorba. we cleaned the bones and prepared stocks while we were working on stocks. Our Chef Balaji Singh and Megi has cooked chicken in brown sauce and organised bread.. we all enjoyed and left for the day.. As tomorrow is gonna be a big day where we will showcase our carvings, salad displays and soups.

It was almost 9:30 pm  when we left college so i quickly picked up some carrots, green peppers, spring onions and radish along with apples, watermelon for my carving display.... reached my room in 2nd floor of BHM Hostel.. my room is kitchen, they just managed to fix a bed in it, to my passion towards cooking even the room in hostel was turned to be kitchen... i started to carve some basic flowers and carrot palm tree then did center piece with watermelon with flowers onto it, u will never realize how fast the time goes while u carve.. it was around 2 pm.... ohhhh it is too late n i cant skip sleep cos i need to work in morning.. so i took quick nap for some time n woke up at 6:30Am and got ready n reached college by 7 Am.

we kick started to work on salads and soup, while i was in kitchen work on soups with my seniors.. other batch mates have started to set the our Basic Training Restaurant for the showcase.. ones my friends came to work in kitchen i had started to set my area. we all have set our carvings on tables nicely frilled arranged to the wall.. in the center of our restaurant elegantly carved ice into swan by chef Megi was displayed as center piece and we displayed all salad dressings and salads around the swan.

it is about 12:00 pm the showcase is gonna open for the visitors.. n being in kitchen we could see lot of people from science department and bbm are waiting to see the carving showcase.. i was made to take care of the Yekhni shorba.. now the doors are opened and students from all other departments and faculties has visited and appreciated the work put by all of us.. n i still remember HOD - English of Science Department she was really happy to see all the students showcase displayed and she enjoyed the salads and soups. How don't like the feeling when some one is praising you... it was that great moment for our faculty and principal..

With Hip.. Hip.. Hurrraaaayy..... we have closed the carving workshop and showcase...