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Our former Cafe Society intern just decided to chuck college in favor of a real education: as a sous chef. In Under Fire, he chronicles his daily trials and tribulations in the kitchen.
In the industry, It's called "the dance" -- the natural reaction that comes from working with the same group of people on the line for hundreds of hours. If a plate appears in front of me, it's because of this dance (and my chef or Raul). If I put my chicken on a plate, and that plate is finished and in the pass before I turn around again, that's "the dance" at work again.
At the end of my meeting with Chef, she mentioned what happens when you finally get the dance, that overwhelming, amazing mix of adrenaline and being-on-the-same-pageness that leaves you thinking only: "That was cool."
I can type all day, but I still wouldn't be able to explain how the thing really works. I just know that I'm in the beginning stages of the dance right now. If you're frustrated during the day, a beautiful night on the line where things are pretty much done telepathically can render your frustration moot.
The fact that I can't help but come in a little earlier every day means both that A) we're getting a lot busier and B) this whole kitchen thing is pretty addictive when you begin to learn "the dance."