A SWISS CHEF'S CAREER: THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE YUMMY (3)

Chapter 3

Newly renovated KURSAAL BERN

                My plan for the immediate future was simple. I was already one year behind with my military obligation to the Swiss army. With 19 all Swiss male have to report to a athletic and physical check up and they will assigned you to a military unit they think you will fit best.

                Since I was still in my apprenticeship they gave me permission to go the year after, also in 1964. So I got the letter to report the second week in July at Thun, a nice little town in the Berner Oberland. I packed my stuff in Lausanne and went home to my parents for a week before going to the military.

               Unfortunate it is not going always like planed. The weekend before entering in to the army I played soccer in the backyard with my brother, bare feet I hit accidentally the garden hose instead of the ball and broke my little toe! Of course, the military will not accept you with broken bones and I had to be excused again. That was not a problem but now I had to call the job I had already lined up for after my service and see if they accept me right now and give me leave of absence later. Lucky for me they agreed. For the next two week I could only wear sandals and you are not allowed to work in a kitchen with open shoes. I had on extra two week vacation at my parents house! My Father and Mother didn't seem to mind! I guess they knew that I will be gone for along time after.

                  End of June 1964 I took the train to Bern, the principal town of Switzerland. I did find myself a little apartment near where I got the job. Everything looked great again, my first paying Job and because of my extended apprenticeship also well payed, my foot healed very well and the establishment is one of the best in Bern and well known!

I started my Chef’s career as Chef de Party (Saucier) in Kursaal Bern

Original building  in 1964 when I worked there

The kitchen brigade consisted of 30 to 35 people. We been open 6 days a week, closed on Monday, Executive Chef Jean Henri Bernink became my idol for the future. He was creative, a top organizer, and everything he produced tested delicious, out of this world, he was fair and a superior leader. Right of the bat I got along great with everybody. In the meantime my friend Heinz from Montricher finished his apprenticeship too and I was able to get him a job here in the Kursaal as chef de Party (Entremetier).

Executive Chef Jean Henri Bernink

at this time he was 63 year old

1964/1965 Kursaal's first class kitchen brigade after finishing a banquet

Same group on an outing in our favorite waterhole the Restaurant Spitalacker.

                We where international, the Garde-manger was from Yugoslavia, the Chef Patissier from Austria and we had Commies, (kitchen term for beginner cooks), from Japan, Italy and Germany. Our cuisine was 100% old fashion French-Swiss! Let me explain, French because its based on Escoffier, Swiss because we really perfected the taste with better ingredients and traditional Swiss dishes. I am talking about Chateaubriand, Carre d’Agneau, Filet Wellington etc, etc. all dishes where accompanied with 8 to 10 fresh vegetable all served in a designed arrangement of glazed duchorigionaless potatoes. We had first class meats, produce, charcuterie, dairy products and other specialty items to work with thanks to Chef Bernink.

                 Beside a beautiful Restaurant seating 80 people, we had a giant theater style show room seating 500 people featuring artists every weekends and holidays and also for holding conferences. The big attraction was the sinkable stage big enough to hold a big band like Benny Goodman plus some dancers. On several occasion we brought the stage two floors down to the Kitchen area and set up incredible beautiful looking buffets on stage and ride up to the dinning room and serve the guest. Needless to say, we got always a standing ovation by the patrons and this gives you a great immense good feeling (part of your Pay) .

                             Its time again for the promist recipe, I like to coordinate and share a recipe from every place I worked. We cooked so many incredibly delicious items and after all it is now 50 years ago, but I still remember Items that were always in demand!

                Here we go:             

                                  

Swiss Oxtail Soup

Perfect amount of oxtail for about 8 to 10 portion of bisque

Ingredients:

1 lb Oxtail cut in chunks

2 oz olive oil

2 ea medium onion cut in small cubes

2 ea medium carrots peeled cut in half and diced

2 ea medium celery stick cut in half and diced

1 ea small leek thoroughly washed, cut in half and diced

3 small pieces Garlic diced

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 ea bay leave

6 oz tomato paste

2 cups red wine

2 tablespoon flour

2 Quart water

4 cubes Knorr beef bouillon

2 med russet potatoes, peeled and finely diced

For Garnish:

5 oz sour cream

4 oz Gruyere

sauté cut up oxtail in olive oil until golden brown, add onion, celery, carrots and

leek and sauté them until there get also brown and tenter. Add tomato paste,

mix well and sauté for about 3 to 4 minutes until paste gets dark. (this will

add nice color to the sauce) Declace with red wine. Reduce until nearly dry,

add flour, stir well and add water and beef cubes, bring to boil and let simmer

for 2 hours. ( stir occasionally and add a little bit of water if necessary)

remove oxtail and let cool, remove thyme and bay leave.

Strain remaining liquid to a fine sieve , ad the potatoes and put back on the the stove until

potatoes are tender but not mush! Remove all meat from the bone, dice and return to soup.

Season with salt and pepper if needed.

Serve soup with grated Gruyère and sour cream.

Finished Product