8 Waiheke Weekender

19 April 2012

Epicurean Yes Chef!

Apprentice chef Justin Greer of Mudbrick Vineyard and Restaurant says working upwards in a demanding hierarchy is just part of the process of becoming a valued member of a restaurant kitchens team.
Justin Greer was happily working in the bakery department at the supermarket in Ostend when he saw a New Zealand Restaurant Association advertisement in Gulf News for chefs apprentice positions. On the spur of the moment, he applied and a week later received a call to say his application had been successful and he had secured a position with Mudbrick Vineyard and Restaurant in Church Bay, known for its fine dining and talented kitchen. The apprentice is employed by the Restaurant Association Education Trust while the restaurateur undertakes to provide work and in-house training. Apprentices are recruited and matched with restaurateurs by apprentice co-ordinator Peter Le Grice, who also takes responsibility for administration, mentoring and reviewing the apprentices progress. The Mudbrick kitchen has had two young Waiheke schoolleavers successfully graduate as chefs after completing their apprenticeship with the restaurant. We have another due to graduate next June and so are looking to take on another young Waiheke apprentice, says executive chef Andreas Lindberg. We are pleased to give young people the opportunity to get qualified while working in a reputable restaurant and working alongside Michelin Star chefs from around the world. Similarly we give young teenagers the opportunity to train in hospitality by working in our more casual dining area at the cellar door serving platters, light snacks and beverages. The managers mentor these teenagers while taking the time to train them and we see their confidence grow as they learn how to provide great service. peak season, with varying levels of hierachy. Often apprentices are barraged with instructions from more than one chef so the confidence to check which orders to prioritise is essential. He admits he had no idea of the volume nor the pressure a kitchen of this nature endures during summer months.

Justin Greer: Entering the bottom rung of a busy kitchen isnt for the fainthearted. Below Decadent sage butter.
Even if they dont follow hospitality as a career we believe it gives them a great set of life skills dealing with people from all walks of life. Many of our younger local staff have started as dishwashers or glass polishers and stayed with us, to eventually be promoted to serving competently in the formal la carte dining restaurant. Entering the bottom rung of a kitchen isnt for the fainthearted, Justin warns. It can be extremely hard work and the Mudbrick kitchen employs 13 chefs in

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On the odd night out he has responded automatically to a question with Yes Chef, Justin laughs. Its a term so etched in his mind these days that it results in a fair bit of flak from his mates. In the kitchen he has learnt to do whatever is asked of him and often, as the apprentice, he was given the crap jobs but says this is only part of the upward journey in a kitchen. Eighteen months after reading that advertisement in the paper, he is in his element and really enjoying life in the kitchen. He has developed considerable respect for Andreas, who has been a significant influence but also an incredible support when times got tough, he says. Competently and confidently amongst his colleagues, he prepares a dish from the Mudbrick menu for this weeks Epicurean column.

Butternut ravioli with apple and sage butter

Pasta dough 260g flour 3 egg yolks 2 whole eggs teaspoon salt tablespoon Waiheke extra virgin olive oil Tip the flour into a food processor, then add the eggs bit by bit, and lastly the olive oil and salt. Once it is all nicely combined, knead the dough together by hand into a ball and leave to rest for an hour or so. Roll the dough out thinly using a pasta machine or roller. Cooks tip: Rolling it out in smaller portions is much easier than trying to do it all at once. Lay the flattened pasta on the bench and use a cutter about 7 centimetres in diameter to cut out the ravioli. You need one each for top and bottom. Filling 1 butternut 3 spring onions, sliced 2 tablespoons crme fraiche 2 tablespoons pine nuts A pinch of smoked paprika Chopped herbs Salt and pepper Cut the butternut in half and remove the seeds. Place on a roasting tray and cover with foil. Bake in an 180 degree oven until soft, about 40 minutes. Leave to cool a little to make it easier to handle. Remove the skin and place in a bowl. Add all the other ingredients and season to taste. Place a tablespoon of filling on half of the pasta circles. Brush with a little water or egg round the edges and place the other circle on top.

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