Advanced: Week Two

My second week in the Advanced Culinary Arts program at PICA allowed us to refine our poultry cookery skills further and laid the groundwork for the upcoming Skilled Trades BC practical exam, the first step toward obtaining our Red Seal certification. We first experienced the versatility of duck, learning to truss one for the classic duck à l'orange, preparing duck magret with green peppercorns, and observing Chef Ben create the slow-cooked and ultra-tender duck confit. Our service day involved executing three demanding courses, including one that I concocted: a modern beet escabeche. We then explored working with a new protein, rabbit, crafting the technical stuffed saddle of rabbit and hearty Île-de-France young rabbit stew.

We concluded the week with an essential practice session for the Professional Cook 1 practical exam, focusing on a perfectly braised chicken leg with mushroom sauce, herb and butter pasta, and seasoned broccoli. The session provided valuable insights into the organization required and how we could better prepare ourselves for success in our upcoming assessments. This week allowed us to become more comfortable with our new class environment and structure, improving our transitions and meeting tight deadlines within the service windows.