Merry Christmas to all

Has it really been a year since I started this adventure? Almost doesn't seem possible.
But it has and my latest ship was sure different, it was a tug/barge combo.
Also a one man galley, so I did everything, cook clean bake linens the whole caboose.
It took4 days to get use to it, mostly because the day after I got there I came down with a bug that made me very ill for 24 hours. Unforchantly that got passed on to the whole crew one at a time.
But after it made its rounds it got better.

So I'm home for Christmas this year. What a great blessing.
I hope all the crews and ships have a great time and great food too.

To all Merry Christmas and a blessed new year!

Off one on another

Well today I get of the American Century, it's been a experience that I will remember for a long time, not all good, but the good outweighed the bad. I've met some wonderful guys and wish them all well.

I will be home for a short time then of to another companies ship, this time it's Grand River Navigations ,m
McKee sons, it's a tug,barge combo. Basically the rear part of the ship has been cut out and a tug now fits in that notch. Saves on crew members needed to run the operation.
Anyway I'll be on there for a while. New ship, new challenges , always a adventure!

Until next time
,ay you beans never bee stones and your rue never burn

Thanksgiving

Well it was thanksgiving this week, we had a 3 day meal
We were unloading all day on Thursday but we still did a traditional meal
Turkey, ham, dressing and all the trimmings

The next day we did it up all the way
Fillet minion, 10 oz lobster tails
Pumpkin pie, mincemeat pie, apple pie, pecan pie, mashed taters, gravy, shrimp cocktail, 5 times of cookies, apple cider
Then the next day prime rib and shrimp scampi

It was a lot of work but it was worth it to see the joy on the faces of the crew

Thank you vets

It's Veterans Day and I want to thank all those who have, are, and will serve our country.

As for life on board, it continues as it always does, the ship never stops except for fuel or to load or unload
It is a living breathing workhorse 24/7

The weather has turned cold and the deck hands are breaking ice on the bow as we get ready to dock at duluth MN.it's cold hard work, you need to keep that in mind when preparing the food.
We are just about ready on our thanksgiving planning, food order has been sent and waiting approval
It will be a very busy two days prepping for and cooking a feast for the crew but they deserve it and the look of satisfaction and the smiles will make it all with it.

The menu will be surf and turf
10 oz fillet minion with lobster tails and clarified butter, plus many sides and appetizers and deserts. I'll try to remember to post it afterwords.

Well it's back to work
Till next time
May your sausage never spoil and your onions never burn

Back at sea

Well I'm back on board after two weeks off, serving as second cook on the American Century, we have the regular chief cook on now. Competent cook but not my style 😄

We just weathered the storm sandy
Not bad we hugged the north shore of superior till we crossed over and anchored east of whitefish bay. Not bad waves, 10 to 13 footers
This ship rides them well

Back to the food, remember that a happy crew is a well fed crew
We are here to serve them
If your food doesn't satisfy them they won't work well or get along well
So remember you are in a Service industry!

Till next time may your eggs never break and your sugar never clump

Ps, my condolences to the crew and family of the HMS bounty that went down in the storm with the loss of two life's

Don't get stuck!

As I have been talking to the other chef on board, one topic comes up often. That is getting stuck in a rut if serving the same food again and again. Even the salads. If you start that it will soon become evident by the lack of enjoyment of the crew during meal times. I have noticed this since coming on board. When I first arrived the crew ate but dident really spend any extra time in the mess hall, after I started they spent a little more but not much, ( probably because I was still trying to adjust. ) now over the last month since the other chef arrived I have seen them laugh and joke and enjoy their meal times much more. You have to remember that a a well fed crew is a happy crew! A crew that just eats because they have to, don't socialize much because the galley just serves bland or dull food, is not a happy crew! And that will affect the work and every other aspect of life on board.
So keep them well fed and happy.
Till next time,
May your cookies never burn and your cake always rise.

The view changes

Well as you know I'm now second cook since the other chef came on. It was a great blessing for Vincent to come aboard.
He is a talented chef and a great teacher, he had showed me many new things that when I am chief chef again will greatly help. It looks like ill be heading home on the 13th, for two weeks then back out on this ship or another fleet mate. But that should be till December if I heard right, maybe even till layup at the end of the year.
The company has said they want me back and will try to keep me working next year to. So if you want go sail the lakes and get paid real good. Drop me a txt or email and ill give your
Name to the office
Remember you Must have your TWIC card and MMC card Before you apply
To the company

Till next we meet
May your milk never curdle and you eggs always be fresh

Cinnamon rolls?

Well I tried my hand at backing some this week, I was very successful at the cinnamon rolls, why you ask? Because they were bought premade 😄
I also tried some chocolate drop cookies from the on-baking book from school, that was a total disaster
Spread to much dident bake even, just a bad day. But today I redeemed myself with chocolate butterscotch bars
I'm more rusty than I thought at baking than I thought. But that leaves lots of room for improvement. Till next time
May your flour never have worms and your yeast always bloom

Change happens

Well I was moved to the second cook position today, why you ask. Simple my second cook was done and the new chief cook has more company seniority than I do, thats ok. I can learn from him and when I get to be the top dog again I can use what I learned. He is very kind and well known. In fact when the crew found out he was coming they were very excited. The only drawback is I now have to do dishes and clean more, but he has even offered to help with that.
I will be able to use my baking skills more and that's a plus too, all in all it's just fine, oh and the pay difference is minimal also.
So it goes on a ship, never boring and always a new challenge , maybe I can get to posting those menus now 😄
Till next time
May you sauce never break and your butter never burn.

What's for dinner?

Well as promised I'm posting my menus for the first few days.
Sept 4
Breakfast
Eggs, omelets,pancakes,oatmeal, grits
Lunch
Burritos, hamburgers,clam chowder,salad, buttered carrots
Dinner
Orange sented beef short ribs, lemon pepper chicken,carrots and peas, rice
Apple pie

Sept 5
Breakfast
Eggs, omelets,pancakes,oatmeal, grits
Lunch
Blu cheese burgers, (I was allowed burgers 2 days in a row) grilled ham and cheese, cauliflower, fries
Dinner
Pork chops with apple sauce, parmesan walleye, cauliflower
Apple pie

That was the first two days pretty simple just getting used to galley and crew, that's not to easy, they eat at different times so you can't get a read on there likes or dislikes right away
But I'm getting there. More menus and thoughts and some pics to come

The trails and tribulations

Well I've been on board for over a week and it's been one of those weeks, in the first couple of days I forgot to make soup and my meals dident really go great. I had some good comments and some others. Just got in my shopping order, took 2 persons over a hour to put it away. Now figuring out the menu for the next few days, I want to do it for a week at a time but have been getting a brain block after 3 days. I know I'll get it sooner or later.
I have all my menus and when I have time I'll post them, speaking of time my schedule is like this, 5 am in the galley, 7 to 8 lunch, 8-10:30 prep for lunch and dinner. 11 lunch till 12. 12 to 1 clean up eat and off till 2 or 3 then back in galley for diner at 4 to 5.
Clean up shower fall in bed.
12 hour days with, hour or two off during the day.
It hard work but worth it in the long run.

Well Ive been on board for 6 days and cooking for 4. its not a easy job but it is worth the time. The only major problems I had are you must have a soup every day for lunch, well without fresh veggies to make it, thats not so easy. the previous cook, didn't make a full order before we left so Ive been scrambling to make soups. I havr to admit I will probably have to fall back on some canned soups now and then. Most of the meals have gone ok. A few glitches ere and there. I will post my menu's later this week. For any of you in menu planning class. PAY ATTENTION! Cost isent a big factor but planning and writing menus at least a week ahead is. you have to purchase or order your food only once per week, that means if you run out, your out of luck. Think you know how much butter to order, think again. Its a learning experience thats for sure. he crew is great and the most I have fed at one meal I think was 12. but that dosent mean you can slack of and under cook the full amounts. I havent run out of a item yet but i have been down to my last portion a couple of times.
Lunch and dinner must have 2 entrees and salad  plus the afore motioned soup. Also with this company the second cook cleans but isent required to cook, so Ive been doing deserts too. Thats also a requirement. Plus this crew loves cookies, not a written in stone rule, but you dont want to run out.
Im not allowed to repeat a item more than once every two weeks. Bring you cookbooks and recipes you will need them. BTW I start at 5 am, work till about 9 have a hour off then back till 2 or so, then back a 3 till 5 or 6. lots of hours but it can be done.

Well its 7:30 and Im bushed from today, Im going to turn in and wait till the am to do it all again.

Til next time, May your soup never be to salty and your captain be friendly.

The Call as Come!!

Well after 8 months of waiting I have received the call!
American Steamship called and I am to be Chief Chef on the M/V American Century.
Its a 6 week stint as a relief for the permanent chef.
So its back to menu planning and reviewing recipes for me. Have to make this chance count. Could lead to a permanent position on another ship. I'm supposed to leave somewhere between the 1st to the 6th. All depends on the schedule.
I was told one of the reasons I got the call was my education at the Great Lakes Culinary Institute.
That's very true because I applied to them in February and my information didn't have the last 2 jobs I held.
Im very excited about this and cant wait to ship out, Il keep the blog updated as I can.

Till the next time, If you see a 1000 ft black freighter it might be me passing by!

Remember the cost

I don't know how many who will read this have served or had loved ones serve, and sometimes lost them.
I had the honor of serving, I want to thank all of those who have , will, or will serve.

Remember freedom isn't free

Changing times

Well times change and so do jobs.
I am now at Bella Fortuna in Lake Leelanau. This industry changes very often and you must be ready to flow with the ebb and tides. With the loss of 30 jobs because of union changes this year, it's harder to get on board. But I will press on and it will be there eventually. I am also looking into military sealift command, gone a average if 4 months, longer than I want. We will have to see if it ends up there.
Till next time may your soufflé rise and your sauce never break.

Still waiting but working

Well the season has opened and almost all the ships running. There are fewer ships looking for stewards this season because another union took over one of the larger fleets. So I'll have to wait for a relief position to open. That usually doesn't happen to June , but I also have a possibility for a position on a research ship mid to late may time frame. That's a full season job. So I'm getting myself ready making out menus and gathering all the information I can.
In the mean time I'm working at the Western Ave Grill in Glen Arbor with Chef Jeff Rameriz, he went to the Great Lakes Culinary Institute a few years back.

New opportunity

I have a chance at a Sous Chef position in Florida. Going to check it out and see what happens. More in a few days

Off Season

Still waiting for the off season to end. But keeping busy, contacting companies and redoing reusme. Also re-reading textbooks and notes from the last two years. Its amazing what it brings back my mind. My first attempt of clarifing butter (dont ask) my first back box, and many others. this all makes me want to cook more and serve others. Matter of fact Im making gnocci today, we will have to see how it comes out.
More in a week or so

The look back

After coming home and having time to look back at this past month, I see the picture better. The job on board ship is great, the pay is great, the experience and benefits are great. The time away from home is not.
That being said, I will be going back just as soon as I can. The sacrifice is something my wife and I have discussed and decided it is worth it.
If anyone wants to do this and are married. Make sure it's a decision both of you are ok with it.

Home at last

Well my first venture on board ship is done. I left at the soo locks.
The ship will be going to lay up on the 11th if nothing else changes. So now I have to try to set up a job for next season. In contact with companies and am actively pursuing them. I must say that it was a experience I'll not soon forget. I look forward to next season.