Wednesday, February 21, 2007

fishy in phoenix

portland is on hold...again! i was all set to get going on a new adventure up in the beautiful pacific northwest with no job, no money, and no place to live. but determined i could make it work...until somewhat out of the blue an application to ra for a pt job to put some cash in my pocket before my move changed everything.....

the overworked angel on my shoulder has once again blown me away with presenting me with an opportunity to follow one of my dreams...sushi chef!!! yup. i said sushi chef! just how the hell i landed this job with minimal sushi experience will always be a mystery to me. could be the mysteries of the universe at work here...it is something i have in my "dream" book. this is better than going to culinary school to be in debt up the ying yang because i'm getting paid as i learn to be the best suchi chef i can be from the patient and nice fellow sushi chefs at ra. i say patient and nice because its kind of funny that being of japanese blood i can't speak it [yet] and i don't know much about sushi other than its fucking delicious!!! but seriously...the guys there are great and especially kick ass for their willingness to help me and take me in because i am a girl. i hope i can hang with the big boys!

i'm exctied and still in a bit of shock to have been offered such a coveted career opportunity!! and i have no idea about what i should and shouldn't be doing in terms of customer interactions and service. what are the rules of being a sushi chef?! if it were up to me i'd be bombarding the people that unfortunately sit in front of me with a bunch of questions, and i know my ignorance and inexperience may be entertaining and overlooked should said patron be filling up on sake bombers! i'm a little scared to be back in public with no kitchen to hide in...but happy that i'll get to do something i love for people that are obviously bad ass for having an open minded and adventurous culinary tastes!!!

so far i've survived 2 lunches...with the most challenging to come up this saturday and sunday. maybe i will be spared as matsuri [phoenix's annual japanese festival] is this weekend and may qwell the lunch crowd. but it has just been sink or swim for me as ra doesn't provide any take home manuals that i can study with...only one i can look at when i have time behind the bar. when i have time??...ha ha! what? you want me to make a philly roll? what's in that?? salmon and cream cheese?...oh yeah...i never order that because i can't eat the cream cheese. i trust that the "fast learner" attributes that have not failed me in the past will resurface and kick in...although i'd feel much more comfortable if i could "cheat" by studying at home. i'm truly embarassed that i don't know what's in a basic roll you can get anywhere...and could not tell one lady what the name of those yummy poppy flourescent orange eggs were!!! smelt. but i know now...i'll never forget! we'll see how long being an aloof goof works on the public..."i'm new!" [big smile] ...but i know despite any innocent facade...my cover is already blown with one look at my slanty eyes!

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