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David Mori: Antarctica's Pastry Chef
OTR: How long have you been a CHEF? DM: I have been working in the culinary field since 1986, when I entered the CIA in Hyde Park, New York. I have a Master's Degree in Social Work, from Sacramento State University. I did not enjoy the jobs I was able to get in that field, so I ended up entering a vocational training program for baking, which was 4 months long, collecting unemployment benefits at the same time. I entered the CIA in August of 1986, and took the full 21-month program. I did my externship at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel, 6 blocks from the White House as a roundsman, working at all of the stations in the kitchen. What a learning experience. I remember making some dumb mistakes, like improperly trimming several steak loins, when I thought I knew what I was doing. Not. OTR: How did you get started with pastry? DM: My first job upon graduating from the training program was as a cake decorator for a bakery in a mall, decorating cakes in front of a window, where people could stop and stare. I loved doing that. I also had several other jobs while awaiting my starting date at the CIA. (They require at least 1-years worth of on-the-job experience before beginning classes.) I also did a stint as a baker at a hospital, and at a wholesale commercial bakery. I once messed up a whole 600 pound batch of cake when I had the digital scale set to measure pounds and ounces instead of kilograms! Whew. I also worked part-time in the bakeshop at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Greenwich, Connecticut. I remember the Pastry Chef there telling me that I was not a Pastry Chef. I somehow had the feeling that he was inferring that I never would be a Pastry Chef... But I have been happy with myself, and the turns my career has taken me on so far. I may never be a Pastry Chef in his eyes, but I don't care about that. I am very happy doing what I am doing. OTR: Do you prefer seasonal jobs? DM: I have worked many seasonal jobs over the last 10 years, mainly at beautiful locations in the mountains. Antarctica is the most unique place I have worked at thus far. OTR: I can imagine! There must be a variety of nationalities to cook for too, what kind of food do you serve? DM: We do some international fare here, pretty common, such as spanikopita, and eggplant/feta dishes for Greek nights, and Szechuan and sweet and sour dishes for Chinese night. Most of the people who work here are Americans, with some Kiwis mixed in. Many of the people are here for a new start, a new beginning, something different. As far as food service goes, everyone has a different idea of what good food is, and it is impossible to please everyone. OTR: Does everyone have their own tasks, or do you just all pitch in when it's time to serve? DM: I believe the dining room attendants have the most difficult job here, not to mention the lowest paid. But many of them are here more for the experience of being here and getting out to see things than they are for the money. But it sure helps to be making a little money, to help pay for things on the way home. OTR: How do you handle menu planning etc.? DM: We plan our menus up to 2 weeks in advance. For Thanksgiving desserts, we are doing chocolate cheesecake and Marjolaines. OTR: Is fresh food hard to come by, and how often do you get deliveries? DM: All of our food is stored in warehouses, both fresh and frozen. When we run out of fresh food, we have to wait for a shipment from New Zealand, once every 2 to 4 weeks. We also use lots of canned food. And we bakers here become very creative in menu development, when we run out of ingredients such as sugar or butter. As you can imagine the storage space here is very tight, and we cannot always get such ingredients from the warehouse right when we need them. And as flubs, we have very few, because we are usually able to find a way to make things work. OTR: What's the kitchen like? DM: We cannot have any open flames because of the danger posed if a fire got out of control here in this extreme environment. So we use steam kettles, tilting skillets, convection ovens, electric deck ovens, and slow cookers. We manage very well with these tools. OTR: Will you be celebrating thanksgiving there this year? DM: We will have three seatings, of 350 people each. People tend to dress up for the holiday meals, which in this case means nice pants and a collared, long sleeve shirt. We go all out. OTR: What are your plans after your term is up? DM: As for my own future plans, right now, I will probably be returning to California, to work at one of the resorts in the mountains that I have worked at before coming here to Antarctica. The money os good and the scenery is unbeatable. I would also like to be an instructor in a culinary arts program, perhaps at a place like Lake Tahoe Community College, where I have previously taught a bread-baking class a couple of years ago. I also love to do ceramics. I have sold several pieces back in the States. Interested in working at McMurdo Station? Here's a link to the Employment Center. For more on what it's like in Antarctica, visit The Ice. |
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