Pork I Can Get Behind

In Trial Run, Chipotle Heads to the Farm – washingtonpost.com

Chipotle is the only fast food restaurant where Lisa and I can actually eat meat.  She and I have been trying to follow a pasture/natural-raised meat diet.  Unfortunately, that means we end up eating vegetarian most of the time when we eat outside of the home.  However, Chipotle brings some hope that pasture-raised meat can become more prevalent in restaurants.

Timing is Everything

One of my concerns about moving back to Seattle is that I will have a hard time finding a job. Well, that’s not quite accurate. I’m concerned about finding a job that really interests me. See, the problem with Seattle is that while the restaurant scene is continually growing and improving, there still isn’t much space for pastry cooks. Sure, restaurants offer desserts, but they are usually made by someone who is also doing pantry work (aka garde manger) and not specifically focused on pastry. Very few restaurants can afford a pastry chef. The ones who can are the larger restaurants, possibly associated with a hotel. These are restaurants that are not doing the innovative type of cuisine that really interest me. I want to work in a small-ish restaurant with a focused and dedicated group of people who are passionate about food and pushing the boundaries of modern cuisine. There are a few places like that in Seattle and only a couple of them have a pastry chef. My friend*, Dana, at Veil is one of them, and even there she has to pick up some shifts doing pantry work just to stay full-time.

So imagine my delight (and frustration) when I see this posting on craigslist –

Pastry Cook/Chef Needed for High End Contemporary Restaurant

We are looking for an individual that is fired up about pastry. We are a small contemporary restaurant looking to do some of the coolest food in the city. We like to use crazy cool ideas and crazy cool, fresh ingredients like pop-rocks, yuzu, and cabernet grapeseed flour; making everything from scratch. Experience with foams, gels, bubbles, and all of the cool new techniques is a plus. If you are an individual that likes to push the boundaries of what pastry and restaurant desserts can be, and like to work in a professional, organized kitchen please let us know.
You would be responsible for the production and oversight of all pastry and sweet products and some of the fun savory things that also fall into that realm. You, along with the Executive Chef, will write and execute the dessert menu and all of the fun little things that go along with it. Most of our desserts are intricate and contain 10-15 components.
If this interests you please respond to this ad via the email provided. Please remember to include a current resume. Thank You!

Damn, why couldn’t they have needed someone about three months from now when we’re going to be back in Seattle!? I did decide to email them anyway just to make a professional contact. Besides, who knows, maybe they’ll still need someone in a few months.

*Dana and I have emailed a few times and met in person once at Veil. I hope she doesn’t mind me referring to her as a friend!