Pinch hitting at L’entre-deux campus Brome Missisquoi

On Friday morning, it was business as usual in the Campus Bromemissisquoi’s hairdressing school and salon. We were readying ourselves for our first practical class in the salon itself, going over what we had for the midday theory class and then the last portion of the day, where we would be in the salon again. Our class (the three-day per week group) were thrilled that we would finally be learning the uniform haircut on a mannequin head that had a full head of hair (rather than on the partial heads we had started working on, to learn how to first cut a single section straight).

We had all greeted our teachers, and things were about to get rolling when Christina, our practical class teacher for the morning came to call on me and one of my classmates – could we see her please? We left our stations and went to see what she needed.

We were greeted by Madame Lynda, a teacher in the Food and Beverage Service Program, and Eric, another management staff member for the school. Of the usual dozen students in that portion of the food services programs, only six had been able to attend school that day. ‘Tis the time of year when there is a lot going on, but that didn’t change things for the sixty-six reservations they had for that day’s lunch hour meal.

L’entre-deux is open on Thursdays and Fridays, and serves an amazing meal of several courses (and several choices) coffee, tea and dessert all for around the $14 - $15.00 mark, in a lovely atmosphere no less.

Madame Lynda and Eric had some to ask our teachers if they could spare a few students to help with set-up and food service for the day. My classmate and I were happy to oblige.

While the food industry is wellknown (in particular with the sensationalism on reality food television shows) for drama, hotheadedness and rather explosive personalities, we were fortunate to be welcomed into the team for the day. We helped with table set-up, and were taught how to fold the cloth napkins into a fortune cookie-type of structure that sat at each setting.

We learned the coat check procedure, and then went to the kitchen to learn how to call out orders for bread for the tables. (Don’t tuck anything under your armpits, hook your fingers through the metal baskets and you can carry two at once, pats of butter plated and carried in the other hand.) We learned the layout, the table numbers, and checked the chart for which server was responsible for which tables so we would know who to refer to if a client required something.

We were treated to dinner on the house – potage, a delicious veal, vegetables and rice dish, and fruit salad with just a hint of cinnamon.

Then we slipped on our hairnets and made our way back through the kitchen. The two chefs of the day were located on one side of the set-up for plating food. Chef André, always in full white uniform and tall chef’s hat, oversaw the entire group. The chefs shouted commands and the assembly line on the other side of the food installation station shouted responses, mostly “Oui, chef” in unison.

Guests began arriving almost as soon as the large glass doors were unlocked. We began coordinating coats and hangers, handing over numbered tickets for outerwear retrieval upon departure.

As soon as things slowed down for arrivals, my classmate and I made our way to the floor. We began watching for our cue – once food selection was made and menus were collected, we were to provide bread for the table.

In no time, it was clear that we needed to just be our toes and fill in wherever they needed us. Servers took care of serving the lovely cocktails, another student present as a student for the day filled water glasses, we helped to serve, learning to put “protein towards the tummy” – meaning that the meat should indicate the positioning of the plate towards the guest. We cleared plates, served more tables, and began coffee prep. All along, everyone was busy, from those cleaning plates to the cooking staff to the other servers, yet gracious. Students thanked one another, recognized help and stepped up quickly when something was missing, or when someone was in need of support.

Some guests learned of our transition from hairdressing to the restaurant for the day, and commented on how we had risen to the challenge. We hoped that one day some of the class would visit us in the salon.

At the end of our shift, a pair of guests even visited the salon with us, curious about making how the salon functioned, and interested in making appointments for themselves.

This is a time of year in particular, when many of us will be called upon to help out doing things that we might not be familiar with, or that we might not even have a single clue about, as everyone has a bit of a busier stretch with the approaching holidays. Here’s to expanding our horizons, and helping one another out. My classmate and I both agreed that it was a challenging, but fun experience, and that we both learned a few things we will take with us.

For more information on reservations at L’entre-deux, or to learn more about their programs, contact Campus Bromemissisquoi at (450) 243-7901.