Tuesday Link to heading
Morning Link to heading
Right at 9 a.m., my first day began. After a warm welcome, I sat down for a coffee with Head Chef Martin Elschner — we went over the plan for the week and talked a bit about possible future paths. Then I was thrown right into the action: a few small prep jobs here and there, handing over a knife, cleaning some vegetables.
Just before 11 a.m. it was time for the staff meal. After that, I joined the saucier, helping with the basics: unpacking meat and fish, getting ingredients ready — and most importantly, trying not to be in anyone’s way. Easier said than done when everyone’s rushing around with hot pans and sharp knives.
At 2 p.m., the “Zimmerstunde” began — the sacred break between lunch and dinner service.
Evening Link to heading
At 5:30 p.m. came the staff dinner, followed by the full evening shift in the kitchen. I was back with the saucier, this time with more specific tasks: reheating sauces, weighing out the venison stew portions, and preparing fish and meat.
Finally, the usual ritual — cleaning and scrubbing until every pan shone. By 10 p.m., it was time to clock out: my head full of impressions, my legs completely done.
Wednesday Link to heading
Morning Link to heading
The second day began with a short meeting. Then it was straight to the venison — trimming, removing sinews, tidying everything up. Venison was definitely the theme of the week. Later I helped with the staff meal: pork and veal strips in a creamy sauce. It smelled incredible — and the best part, of course, was getting to eat some myself.
After lunch, I was back helping the saucier until the 2 p.m. Zimmerstunde called again.
Evening Link to heading
After the staff meal at 5:30 p.m., it was back to the saucier station. Reheat sauces, weigh venison portions (by now I could do it in my sleep), prep fish and meat — and this time, I even got to fry some myself. Jordi, the saucier, had a surprising amount of trust in me — which was flattering but also slightly nerve-wracking. Luckily, nothing burned or exploded.
Then, as always: clean, tidy, done by 10 p.m.
Thursday Link to heading
Morning Link to heading
After the usual short meeting, today’s highlight was serviettenknödel — bread dumplings wrapped in cloth. A nice change from all that meat. Finely chop parsley, melt butter, add milk and eggs, mix with bread, season, portion, wrap in cling film, and steam. Sounds simple — turns out, it’s all about precision.
After the 11 a.m. staff meal, I helped the saucier again until the 2 p.m. break.
Evening Link to heading
In the evening, we prepared trout for Saturday’s banquet — a full 5 kg of it. Every fillet had to be handled carefully: remove the bones, soak in brine for ten minutes, rest for another ten, rinse, dry, portion (700 g per tray), and season with 7 g salt, 1.5 g sugar, lemon zest, and pepper. Then everything got wrapped tightly in cling film and steamed.
That night I learned two things: a trout has far more bones than you’d expect, and patience isn’t optional in a kitchen — it’s survival. Clean-up followed, as always, and at 10 p.m. the lights went out.
Friday Link to heading
Morning Link to heading
Friday kicked off with a quick meeting and a list of small but important jobs — the kind that keep the kitchen running smoothly. I spent most of the morning cutting mixed vegetables for sautéing and helping out wherever an extra pair of hands was needed.
At 11 a.m. it was time for the staff lunch again — a short breather before heading back to the stoves. Afterward, I assisted the saucier during a busy prep rush. By 2 p.m., the Zimmerstunde had never felt so well-deserved.
Evening Link to heading
After the 5:30 p.m. staff dinner, I started on parsley root — washing, halving, and… well, that’s as far as I got. Suddenly, nobody had time to explain what came next. So I drifted back to the saucier, where help is always welcome, and later gave a hand to the entremetier (the vegetable station) with some cutting and prepping.
The day ended with the familiar cleanup routine — everything spotless by 10 p.m. Saturday was already waiting, full of fish, vegetables, and who-knows-what else.
Saturday Link to heading
Morning Link to heading
The final day! And as expected, it was an intense one. After the morning meeting, we prepped savoy cabbage: removing the stems, slicing it finely, blanching it. Then the usual 11 a.m. staff meal. After that, back to finishing the parsley root — wash, halve, vacuum-seal (finally done!).
Next came spätzli — crack the eggs, mix the dough, measure, and press it through. After one batch, I was convinced: dough has a mind of its own.
At 2 p.m., I had my last Zimmerstunde of the week.
Evening Link to heading
That evening I helped on the entremetier station, chopping vegetables and prepping side dishes. Later, I even got to assist at the pass, helping plate dishes for service — a real thrill. A quick detour to the garde-manger (cold station), back to the saucier for yet more venison, and finally over to patisserie to finish the night with iced coffee and dessert boxes.
At 11 p.m., my week ended for good — tired, sweaty, but genuinely happy.
Conclusion Link to heading
After this week, I can say one thing for sure: cooking is hard work — in the best possible way. It takes focus, endurance, teamwork, and a good sense of humor when a pan boils over. I learned a lot, got an honest look behind the scenes of a professional kitchen, and gained huge respect for everyone who does this day in, day out.
Still, I decided not to start a chef’s apprenticeship. Not because I didn’t enjoy it — quite the opposite. But now I know what it’s really like, and I can make that choice with confidence, without wondering if I’m missing out on something.