Inside a Restaurant's Kitchen as an Unpaid Intern
Working for free as an intern or "stagiaire" in a professional kitchen, known as staging, is a controversial yet transformative rite of passage for many aspiring chefs. I recently completed a six-week stage at Le Bernardin, Eric Ripert's acclaimed Michelin three-star seafood restaurant in New York City. It was an opportunity to be fully immersed in the intense environment of a world-class kitchen brigade. In return for peeling potatoes, cleaning squid, and enduring the heat of the stoves, I gained invaluable hands-on training that no culinary school could provide.
You'll see that while the work was grueling and the hours long with no pay, the skills I developed made it worthwhile. I'll also provide advice for culinary students considering staging to decide if it aligns with your career goals.
Getting My First Kitchen Stage
I chose to stage at Le Bernardin specifically because I wanted to eventually work at a Michelin-starred restaurant. The idea of training under a legendary chef like Eric Ripert was the realization of a long-held dream. After cooking mainly American and Italian cuisines during prior restaurant jobs, I hoped to expand my skills with Le Bernardin's intricate, technical seafood dishes.
The staging application process took persistence. I researched about twenty esteemed restaurants before settling on Le Bernardin. After calling to confirm they accepted stagiaires, I emailed my culinary school credentials and resume to the chef de cuisine. Weeks passed before I got an interview, where the chef grilled me on my experience preparing seafood. Finally, he offered a prime summer slot where the kitchen bustled with seasonal ingredients.
Key Factors in Choosing a Restaurant
Selecting where to intern is critical, as you dedicate significant time for little tangible reward. Beyond Le Bernardin's cuisine and reputation, I factored in the fast pace typical of a Michelin kitchen. The small, compact layout meant I could rotate smoothly between stations to learn various roles. Interestingly, while many renowned restaurants have three-month stage durations and 60+ hour weeks, Le Bernardin capped mine at 45 hours per week for six weeks. This intensive yet shorter term structure allowed me to push myself while avoiding burnout.
My First Day Staging
On my first day, the chef de partie orientation covered the kitchen dynamics. Each station like fish, meat, sauces, and garnishes played a specialized role analogous to a hospital ward. My work helping the eight-person team would contribute to harmonious "service" for up to 120 diners per night. The executive sous-chef demoed proper knife handling techniques to julienne vegetables and debone fish flawlessly. She reiterated crucial rules like arriving 30 minutes early for the 2 p.m. start time, keeping our uniforms pristine, communicating clearly, and accepting criticism.
Rules and Standards
Staging immersed me in the strict discipline that drives Michelin kitchens. The hierarchy ranges from interns like me up to the god-like executive chef. Uniforms with the restaurant insignia reminded us that playtime was over as we now represented Le Bernardin's esteemed brand. While renowned chefs like Gordon Ramsay rant at subordinates on reality shows, Ripert's team rarely needed scolding to meet exacting measures. We measured ingredients to the gram, arranged microgreens with tweezers, and wiped up spills swiftly. The inspectors awarding Michelin stars clearly set these high benchmarks which daily reinforcement imprinted as habitual.
Typical Day-to-Day Responsibilities
Food Prep Tasks
My days began by 8 a.m., getting set up before the senior chefs arrived. Donning an apron, I'd start in on the never-ending mise en place essential for smooth service. Think Cinderella singing "a dream is a wish your heart makes" while friendly mice, birds, and other critters help with her chores. Similarly, chopping vegetables, cleaning seafood, and preparing stocks provided tangible value to the kitchen crew. Following standardized recipes for sauces and condiments like Le Bernardin's famous smoked tomato jam also expanded my culinary range.
Assisting Line Cooks
Around 11 a.m., activity kicked into high gear as we prepped for lunch service. Items produced in advance took center stage, needing reheating, seasoning, and combining. My usefulness increased as I shuttled ingredients from the fridge to the stoves on cue so the chefs rarely paused. I tried my hand at decoratively arranging a few dishes before the executive chef inspectorily adjusted my sloppy microgreen placement. His gnarled hands moved with quick, efficient strokes that revealed decades of daily perfectionism.
Additional Cleaning Duties
The most frequent complaint you'll hear about staging is the sheer quantity of cleaning involved. Imagine a sorcerer's apprentice scenario with pots endlessly filling the sink until it overflows. During rare respites, I furtively nibbled meals standing up in the cramped hallway. Production permeated the environment as floors were scrubbed minutes between lunch and dinner shifts. My fingers wrinkled after endless scouring, but observing the senior chefs power washing debris revealed how cleanliness enables creativity.
Biggest Challenges I Faced
Long, Physically-Demanding Hours
My glamorous visions of effortlessly preparing stunning dishes quickly faced reality. Imagine hours racing around a hot, noisy kitchen slammed with orders having eaten nothing but some yogurt six hours earlier. My feet throbbed after the tenth hour hauling 50-pound sacks of onions to my station in dress shoes providing zero support. Adrenaline repressed exhaustion during service then once home, I passed out instantly. Staging builds an "Iron Chef" resilience requiring both mental strategy and physical endurance.
High-Pressure Environment
Michelin kitchens conjure up images of military units, sporting events, trial lawyers - fields requiring peak performance under extreme pressure. Expect chefs de cuisine as exacting as drill sergeants. Every night held the potential for disaster if anything less than perfection emerged. Hearing "Oui, chef!" continually affirmed that every contributed effort. My pulse raced learning to balance speed with meticulous garnishes where one dropped microgreen ruined a $50 dish. Veterans displayed Jedi-like calm despite chaos, demonstrating why stages test one's mettle.
Lack of Job Security Protections
Staging's controversial aspect lies in its unpaid status lacking protections employees enjoy. Without a contract, dismissal could happen over minor issues without recourse. Veterans sometimes resented trainees getting opportunities they coveted themselves. You realize stages mainly benefit restaurants needing grunts, yet the supply of starry-eyed Novaks like me persists. Burnout is rampant in this career, making you question if you possess the resilience. Fortunately, my stage only aimed to ascertain suitability for this challenging yet rewarding occupation.
Most Important Skills I Developed
My trove of treasures after six weeks primarily consisted of new abilities I can list on my resume. Chopping items like onions, shallots, potatoes and carrots to precise dimensions quickly became second nature. I can now break down fish and meats adeptly from watching the masters endlessly. Cooking items in small batches also boosted my speed, efficiency and organizational skills. Tips like resting tongs on pot edges, wiping drips instantly, and planning sequences ahead with military precision streamlined my performance. Most valuably, observing Executive Chef Ripert's grace under the constant pressure has shown me how with passion, talent and discipline, kitchen chaos can produce beauty.
My staging experience, while challenging, reaffirmed my commitment toward becoming a chef. I encourage culinary students to consider applying for this intense internship. Have clear goals going in regarding what skills you want to develop and styles of cuisine to explore. Prepare physically and mentally for long hours doing grueling kitchen work - it will push your limits. Consider shorter stages like my six weeks to avoid burnout before securing post-stage employment or references. Staging tests if you can handle restaurants' demanding conditions so use it to determine if this career suits you before investing in culinary school.