Allison staged at Otium in Los Angeles because it offered the chance to immerse herself in an entirely distinct experience from her hometown in the Midwest.
I was drawn to its contemporary menu combined with rustic open-fire cooking and an open kitchen concept. I was utterly blown away by the combination of culture and social gathering that happens at Otium. The menu brings people together with their love of food, and is best experienced with others as the service is family-style. A meal at Otium is an experience that is meant to be celebrated, talked about, and shared.
From the moment I walked through the doors at Otium, I was treated just like any other member of the team and openly welcomed. They gave me some freedom to bounce around the kitchen and work with different Chefs and at different stations. I loved having the flexibility to control and decide my own experience, while learning from many different people with different backgrounds and passions for food. Some days I worked on small prep projects and on other days I manned a station on the line for service. Each day brought a unique combination of learning and excitement! The chefs who run Otium’s daily operations make it a point to unite everyone as a team and treat everyone with integrity and respect. This makes for a strong group of people who support each other, cheer each other on, and have a tight knit bond. Being a part of this team meant working with integrity and never letting one another fail.
Coming from a small town in the Midwest, I wanted to get the full experience of living in a big city, so I chose to stay in Downtown LA, close to the restaurant. I started each day walking a mile to the restaurant through the hustling city while enjoying the beautiful weather and the fun people-watching. Once at Otium, I would check in with the chefs in charge of family meal and help with chopping vegetables, frying eggs, or collecting ingredients. This was a great way to use up any leftover products and control waste. After family meal I would check in with the other line chefs and see if anyone needed extra hands to be prepared for service. I liked this casual approach as it gave me the freedom to work with everyone at one point or another. After helping with projects, I would either set up a station on the hot-line for service or do tasks to help with upcoming events and next day prep. I spent most of my time jumping between the wood-fire station and the pasta station on the hot-line. I really enjoyed this and loved the experience from both stations. The wood-fire station had unique challenges that a typical station would not, and I found the challenges exciting and fun to master. Working with wood-fire requires a lot of planning, maneuvering and you must be quick. When the fire is blazing and the orders are coming in, things move fast. Keeping an eye on every item that goes into the fire is a must because things can burn quickly, and the space gets filled up. You also must control the fire for all of service, keeping the heat, flames, and ashes at all the correct levels and in the right spots. There was a lot of technical skill involved, and learning to control it was a fun challenge.
After working to master the wood-fire station, I was able to move down the line to the pasta station and work with a whole new level of challenges and techniques. The pasta station was a very different experience than the wood-fire station. I had to learn to slow down, let the food cook, and trust the process. Although it was a little less intense without the heat of the fire and fast cooking that was wood-fire, the pasta station was a much busier and tougher station to master. There were more dishes, more ingredients, and typically more food ordered during each service from this station. Learning the science behind each sauce and getting the timing of each dish down was one of the most rewarding parts of my internship experience. I had to be intentional with each movement and learn how to control each ingredient to make perfect emulsions, and learn what was needed for each sauce to come together with perfect balance and harmony. I liked learning the technical skills and understanding what was behind each part and how it all worked together. Each chef had their own personal technique for being successful in this role, and gave advice and tips for me to come up with my own plan of attack. I loved being able to combine and build upon their levels of knowledge and skill, and figure out which one worked the best for me.
I learned a lot of technical skills during my time at Otium and each chef did an outstanding job teaching me not only what they were working on but why they were doing it a certain way. Each dish was thoughtfully created from the ingredients that went into it, and executed on the line perfectly every time. There were no corners to be cut and the ingredients were treated with respect and integrity, following the changes of the season. Chef Aric even foraged for some of the freshest spring ephemerals the region had to offer. Each task and station were run with intention and skill. I learned to focus on what I was doing and about how the process works. Doing each step in repetitive order helped me achieve the same outcome and perfect the timing, and I eventually gained speed and precision with my cooking. I learned how to tune into myself and ignore the hustle and bustle that can get distracting in an open kitchen. I learned to stay calm under pressure and always put on a professional face even when the struggles and heat of the kitchen were setting in during a busy service.
I also learned a lot about my limitations and how to overcome them quickly. This was especially true being two thousand miles away from any comfort zone I have ever known. Living in a big city and walking into a brand new setting was tough at first, but I learned how to overcome those feelings quickly and focus on the task at hand. Quickly learning the kitchen lingo, different style of service, different types of ticket systems and slight language barriers all helped me to be successful in this new environment. The chefs who work at Otium are all such smart, driven, and kind people. Every single person gave me a helping hand, allowed me to ask questions, and encouraged me every single step of the way. They truly work as a team and encourage each other through every obstacle. It was not a competitive environment like some other kitchens I have worked in before. Each chef is celebrated for their individuality and work together as a tight knit team, confident that each member is important for the team to succeed.
Working at Otium advanced my skills by teaching me to be adaptable and coachable. I witnessed a different style of service and how each moving part worked together in harmony. Each team member focused on their role and executed their part to the best of their abilities every single time. Each dish was made with precision and perfect timing before it was brought out to the guests. The expeditors gracefully conducted the kitchen and used open communication to keep everyone focused and aligned to make sure the service would run smoothly. This type of service and experience was brand new to me and allowing myself to fully embrace it and learn as much about each role as I possibly could was a huge achievement for me, and a skill that will advance my career.
I am so happy that I chose to complete my stage at Otium, and all the toughest parts are the ones I will miss the most. By the time my experience was over, it felt very bittersweet as I felt like I belonged on the team. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity and could not have picked a better restaurant or group of chefs to work with!
