On lunch table today, we were just discussing about the dormitory facilities available in Indian IT companies, (That could be a separate discussion all together), which lead to the training time, and various interesting training programs that took place when we joined the company. One of the most interesting was the cross cultural training and the attraction in that training is; you get to experiment on real continental food. Though the usage of silverwares was highly emphasized, in my little over three years stay in US, I did not care to remember the correct sequence of using those as were trained. The point is, if you are at a group lunch or dinner, you can always wait a few seconds before someone starts and as long as we are blessed with the ability to emulate, every trivial act is pretty manageable. And, if you are eating alone, you are the king of your world, you set the rules, and you are good to go. Okay, discussion on food always stops me longer that it generally should, the cross cultural training course somehow missed out a vital point back then. The accent. Immediate course of actions were taken when the crucial issue of Indian IT professionals’ inappropriate accents was identified, and a new training program was born. Accent Neutralization.
In India, the English we speak, we call it British English. Though it sounds nowhere near to the English that the real English speak, but the grammars, usage of words are pretty much same, it’s considered as one of the farewell gifts the British gave us.. But when it comes to accent, I always had a tussle between Yes Minister and Friends. The accents were so different, and so were the words. Few American movies later, and few Victorian movies in parallel, I could distinctly distinguish the European Vs American access. But when it came to my own accent, I had developed an accent far more vernacular than European or American. Irrespective of all the distinctions, I had no idea what the neutralized accent is. Fair enough if the verdict goes for Brit English as they are the pioneers and the patent can easily go to them. Needless to mention, I was as curious about this training as I was about the dining etiquette training I had couple of years back.
The training was conducted by a practice unit which received few customer comments on the accents of IT professionals who work on the client site. The client was located in Connecticut, and the project team, on behalf of the practice unit took charge of developing the training program. It was a two fold training program, in US; few people will be trained to adapt American accent and will go back home and train the rest of team on their learnings.
The training was especially programmed for people who had issues in communications (the thread was already broken, I thought it was about accent!!), and I was considered one with a good communication, so I did not get nominated for the program. But eventually when the nominations were poor and the program had to be successful, I could get myself in. The first 10 mnts of the program gave away a clear message that, it was not about neutralizing your accent, it’s about adapting to a foreign accent where the degree of understandability by the American co workers is enhanced, and it was about talking simple and talking in their accent so as to make them understand what you are babbling about.
It made sense, a clear business deal, and its okay; it’s okay as long as the title of the program is not “accent neutralization”. I jotted down at least 5 suitable names that the program could have picked, but no, not this one. I was asked to pronounce “Connecticut” as “Connedicut”, I called a Printer as “Prinnau”. After 3 hours of session, I heard myself as one from the 6PM American sitcom.
It felt a little weird using that accent in India, and fortunate enough, I flew back to US in short time. I sure did use that accent in the east zone for as long as I was. I had stopped wondering about the reason behind the naming of the program, no one in the training team could give me a more satisfactory reply than say “it was meant from American accent point and all the local accent that was there in our accents, were being normalized to close the gap between local and American accent”. Made sense. It made my 2 years stay in east coast pleasant and I hardly ever had to repeat what I said.
Things were just fine before last year when I moved to the south of the country. In the introduction meeting (I like the name “icebreaking meeting”) with my client managers and coworkers, I could not help being reminded of all the civil war or southern movies I have seen so far, to be honest, I still need the subtitle on, when I watch a southern movie. My reporting manager was referring the entire team as YOUL which took me so long to decipher as “You All”. This was the easiest example. Now, I was in the other side of the table where I still had to repeat least, but the requests for repeats were way too high. I could not stop wondering, “ Do they have accent neutralization for a client based in Alabama?” This time, the title did not bother me at all.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Top Chef – Is attitude a key ingredient in a kitchen?
“Too many cooks spoil the broth”, this very proverb, if taken literally shows how much team coordination is required in a cooking place. I have never been to a kitchen where more than a single person is in charge of cooking, even in the Sushi restaurants where the Sushi Chef is assigned to an entire table, it’s his day for the art of game. In rest of the places, the kitchen is a black box. What matters is on the plate, you don’t even care if your palates make a dozen cooks betting on their art of culinary. But whatever it might be behind the scene, evidently all it takes to bring out a plate of delicious and desirable food is precision. Rightness in measurement, timing, procedure, none can be ignored. This clearly shows if there is more than one mind working in a kitchen, coordination, at no price, can be negotiated.
Lately, I have been very much into the Top Chef show on BravoTV. For those who don’t know about it, it’s a reality show based on a culinary competition. The season starts with 12 chefs from various places, with in-depth formal education in one or more major streams of culinary expertise. In every episode, a challenge is announced and the rules are set. I must say, it must be taking a lot of thinking and planning for each of the chefs to compete with their dish. At the end of the competition, one of the contestants will be eliminated and rest all will move to the next challenge round.
In one of the challenges, the chefs had no idea where the competition is going to be held and they had to prepare breakfast for 10 (am not sure of this number) hungry athletes, they had no idea what kind of facilities/equipment they avail in the challenge spot. On the day of competition, they wake up at the ungodly hour of 3AM in order to be in Malibu, and the surprise waits for them there. They had to cook breakfast for 100 hungry surfers on a sand top grill. Few of the competitors simply freak out, they were just no prepared for it, and their breakfast needed some direct heat that was not available. Nonetheless, most of them came up with very creative and seemed-delicious varieties of breakfast. It sure was hell of a challenge. All the challenges, so far, are equally full of surprise and provided the contestants enough opportunities to show their culinary expertise. And all of them, brought out so much of surprises, the inventions on spot were endless.
Well, that was a big introduction, shows my immaturity in writing skill. Now, talking of the competition, one strong observation was attitude. Of the 12 contestants, there was this guy with hairdo that did not belong to this century, yet, very catchy. He, without much doubts, is incredibly handsome and can be noticed in a huge crowd, though his odd experimental style sometimes make you frown your brows, but you cannot ignore him. About his cooking skill, I believe he is strongly imaginative, creative (except for the recurring use of foam in all dishes, where did he learn to do that?) and blessed with an extraordinary sense of presentation. That could easily make him a perfect chef. But his team acknowledges him for something else; he is the target-of- hatred of his fellow chefs,
In many episodes few of them have mentioned on their being patient or their trial to ignore Marcel, but eventually they give up. No episode ended without someone yelling at him after holding his nerve for as long as he could. For example, in one of the episodes, he offered to help a contestant, and spoilt her Brule. It cannot be proved if it was an honest mistake or it was intentional, but even if he is given benefit of doubt for this one, there are many more of such kinds. Like last episode in Hawaii, one of the very talented and so far, the contestant with the straightest attitude (Elia, per me, is the finest in the cadre, a perfectionist in the kitchen and an admirable team player), had her boiler on a stove, and without consulting anyone, Marcel decided to move it aside and put his pot on the stove. Ironically, the judges don’t even entertain such complaints if the dish turns out good (and the effort you put to bring it to that point from a point far below where it actually should have goes unnoticed). One of the judges said “we are here to judge your food, not your behavior in kitchen”.
Sure, this was a culinary competition where only the taste, originality and presentation score. If the food is not good, it will never sell, if it’s good, no one gives a damn to what a jerk the chef is. And the judges have been making it clear. The initial 7-8 episodes were purely team work based where teams were formed, but the judgment was mostly done on individual performance, but it has been loosely mentioned that team work counts. And so far, in most of the episodes, Marcel’s inability to cooperate with his fellow chefs, tendency to goof up others’ recipes, have been reported. Yet, he made it to the finale. I have a strong feeling that a person with that strong imagination, culinary idea, and ability to implement can surely make it to the TOP Chef title, but does that mean it’s the end result that counts, even at the cost of jeopardizing others’ venture? Eventually it’s getting clear in all fields that what eventually matters is what we offer to the customer. Even if we manipulate at work to make our work look more special and better in quality, and thanks to the colleagues who still stick to the morale lessons of ethical way of work, if we can sell our soup, we are the TOP Chef.
Lately, I have been very much into the Top Chef show on BravoTV. For those who don’t know about it, it’s a reality show based on a culinary competition. The season starts with 12 chefs from various places, with in-depth formal education in one or more major streams of culinary expertise. In every episode, a challenge is announced and the rules are set. I must say, it must be taking a lot of thinking and planning for each of the chefs to compete with their dish. At the end of the competition, one of the contestants will be eliminated and rest all will move to the next challenge round.
In one of the challenges, the chefs had no idea where the competition is going to be held and they had to prepare breakfast for 10 (am not sure of this number) hungry athletes, they had no idea what kind of facilities/equipment they avail in the challenge spot. On the day of competition, they wake up at the ungodly hour of 3AM in order to be in Malibu, and the surprise waits for them there. They had to cook breakfast for 100 hungry surfers on a sand top grill. Few of the competitors simply freak out, they were just no prepared for it, and their breakfast needed some direct heat that was not available. Nonetheless, most of them came up with very creative and seemed-delicious varieties of breakfast. It sure was hell of a challenge. All the challenges, so far, are equally full of surprise and provided the contestants enough opportunities to show their culinary expertise. And all of them, brought out so much of surprises, the inventions on spot were endless.
Well, that was a big introduction, shows my immaturity in writing skill. Now, talking of the competition, one strong observation was attitude. Of the 12 contestants, there was this guy with hairdo that did not belong to this century, yet, very catchy. He, without much doubts, is incredibly handsome and can be noticed in a huge crowd, though his odd experimental style sometimes make you frown your brows, but you cannot ignore him. About his cooking skill, I believe he is strongly imaginative, creative (except for the recurring use of foam in all dishes, where did he learn to do that?) and blessed with an extraordinary sense of presentation. That could easily make him a perfect chef. But his team acknowledges him for something else; he is the target-of- hatred of his fellow chefs,
In many episodes few of them have mentioned on their being patient or their trial to ignore Marcel, but eventually they give up. No episode ended without someone yelling at him after holding his nerve for as long as he could. For example, in one of the episodes, he offered to help a contestant, and spoilt her Brule. It cannot be proved if it was an honest mistake or it was intentional, but even if he is given benefit of doubt for this one, there are many more of such kinds. Like last episode in Hawaii, one of the very talented and so far, the contestant with the straightest attitude (Elia, per me, is the finest in the cadre, a perfectionist in the kitchen and an admirable team player), had her boiler on a stove, and without consulting anyone, Marcel decided to move it aside and put his pot on the stove. Ironically, the judges don’t even entertain such complaints if the dish turns out good (and the effort you put to bring it to that point from a point far below where it actually should have goes unnoticed). One of the judges said “we are here to judge your food, not your behavior in kitchen”.
Sure, this was a culinary competition where only the taste, originality and presentation score. If the food is not good, it will never sell, if it’s good, no one gives a damn to what a jerk the chef is. And the judges have been making it clear. The initial 7-8 episodes were purely team work based where teams were formed, but the judgment was mostly done on individual performance, but it has been loosely mentioned that team work counts. And so far, in most of the episodes, Marcel’s inability to cooperate with his fellow chefs, tendency to goof up others’ recipes, have been reported. Yet, he made it to the finale. I have a strong feeling that a person with that strong imagination, culinary idea, and ability to implement can surely make it to the TOP Chef title, but does that mean it’s the end result that counts, even at the cost of jeopardizing others’ venture? Eventually it’s getting clear in all fields that what eventually matters is what we offer to the customer. Even if we manipulate at work to make our work look more special and better in quality, and thanks to the colleagues who still stick to the morale lessons of ethical way of work, if we can sell our soup, we are the TOP Chef.
Top Chef – Is attitude a key ingredient in a kitchen?
“Too many cooks spoil the broth”, this very proverb, if taken literally shows how much team coordination is required in a cooking place. I have never been to a kitchen where more than a single person is in charge of cooking, even in the Sushi restaurants where the Sushi Chef is assigned to an entire table, it’s his day for the art of game. In rest of the places, the kitchen is a black box. What matters is on the plate, you don’t even care if your palates make a dozen cooks betting on their art of culinary. But whatever it might be behind the scene, evidently all it takes to bring out a plate of delicious and desirable food is precision. Rightness in measurement, timing, procedure, none can be ignored. This clearly shows if there is more than one mind working in a kitchen, coordination, at no price, can be negotiated.
Lately, I have been very much into the Top Chef show on BravoTV. For those who don’t know about it, it’s a reality show based on a culinary competition. The season starts with 12 chefs from various places, with in-depth formal education in one or more major streams of culinary expertise. In every episode, a challenge is announced and the rules are set. I must say, it must be taking a lot of thinking and planning for each of the chefs to compete with their dish. At the end of the competition, one of the contestants will be eliminated and rest all will move to the next challenge round.
In one of the challenges, the chefs had no idea where the competition is going to be held and they had to prepare breakfast for 10 (am not sure of this number) hungry athletes, they had no idea what kind of facilities/equipment they avail in the challenge spot. On the day of competition, they wake up at the ungodly hour of 3AM in order to be in Malibu, and the surprise waits for them there. They had to cook breakfast for 100 hungry surfers on a sand top grill. Few of the competitors simply freak out, they were just no prepared for it, and their breakfast needed some direct heat that was not available. Nonetheless, most of them came up with very creative and seemed-delicious varieties of breakfast. It sure was hell of a challenge. All the challenges, so far, are equally full of surprise and provided the contestants enough opportunities to show their culinary expertise. And all of them, brought out so much of surprises, the inventions on spot were endless.
Well, that was a big introduction, shows my immaturity in writing skill. Now, talking of the competition, one strong observation was attitude. Of the 12 contestants, there was this guy with hairdo that did not belong to this century, yet, very catchy. He, without much doubts, is incredibly handsome and can be noticed in a huge crowd, though his odd experimental style sometimes make you frown your brows, but you cannot ignore him. About his cooking skill, I believe he is strongly imaginative, creative (except for the recurring use of foam in all dishes, where did he learn to do that?) and blessed with an extraordinary sense of presentation. That could easily make him a perfect chef. But his team acknowledges him for something else; he is the target-of- hatred of his fellow chefs,
In many episodes few of them have mentioned on their being patient or their trial to ignore Marcel, but eventually they give up. No episode ended without someone yelling at him after holding his nerve for as long as he could. For example, in one of the episodes, he offered to help a contestant, and spoilt her Brule. It cannot be proved if it was an honest mistake or it was intentional, but even if he is given benefit of doubt for this one, there are many more of such kinds. Like last episode in Hawaii, one of the very talented and so far, the contestant with the straightest attitude (Elia, per me, is the finest in the cadre, a perfectionist in the kitchen and an admirable team player), had her boiler on a stove, and without consulting anyone, Marcel decided to move it aside and put his pot on the stove. Ironically, the judges don’t even entertain such complaints if the dish turns out good (and the effort you put to bring it to that point from a point far below where it actually should have goes unnoticed). One of the judges said “we are here to judge your food, not your behavior in kitchen”.
Sure, this was a culinary competition where only the taste, originality and presentation score. If the food is not good, it will never sell, if it’s good, no one gives a damn to what a jerk the chef is. And the judges have been making it clear. The initial 7-8 episodes were purely team work based where teams were formed, but the judgment was mostly done on individual performance, but it has been loosely mentioned that team work counts. And so far, in most of the episodes, Marcel’s inability to cooperate with his fellow chefs, tendency to goof up others’ recipes, have been reported. Yet, he made it to the finale. I have a strong feeling that a person with that strong imagination, culinary idea, and ability to implement can surely make it to the TOP Chef title, but does that mean it’s the end result that counts, even at the cost of jeopardizing others’ venture? Eventually it’s getting clear in all fields that what eventually matters is what we offer to the customer. Even if we manipulate at work to make our work look more special and better in quality, and thanks to the colleagues who still stick to the morale lessons of ethical way of work, if we can sell our soup, we are the TOP Chef.
Lately, I have been very much into the Top Chef show on BravoTV. For those who don’t know about it, it’s a reality show based on a culinary competition. The season starts with 12 chefs from various places, with in-depth formal education in one or more major streams of culinary expertise. In every episode, a challenge is announced and the rules are set. I must say, it must be taking a lot of thinking and planning for each of the chefs to compete with their dish. At the end of the competition, one of the contestants will be eliminated and rest all will move to the next challenge round.
In one of the challenges, the chefs had no idea where the competition is going to be held and they had to prepare breakfast for 10 (am not sure of this number) hungry athletes, they had no idea what kind of facilities/equipment they avail in the challenge spot. On the day of competition, they wake up at the ungodly hour of 3AM in order to be in Malibu, and the surprise waits for them there. They had to cook breakfast for 100 hungry surfers on a sand top grill. Few of the competitors simply freak out, they were just no prepared for it, and their breakfast needed some direct heat that was not available. Nonetheless, most of them came up with very creative and seemed-delicious varieties of breakfast. It sure was hell of a challenge. All the challenges, so far, are equally full of surprise and provided the contestants enough opportunities to show their culinary expertise. And all of them, brought out so much of surprises, the inventions on spot were endless.
Well, that was a big introduction, shows my immaturity in writing skill. Now, talking of the competition, one strong observation was attitude. Of the 12 contestants, there was this guy with hairdo that did not belong to this century, yet, very catchy. He, without much doubts, is incredibly handsome and can be noticed in a huge crowd, though his odd experimental style sometimes make you frown your brows, but you cannot ignore him. About his cooking skill, I believe he is strongly imaginative, creative (except for the recurring use of foam in all dishes, where did he learn to do that?) and blessed with an extraordinary sense of presentation. That could easily make him a perfect chef. But his team acknowledges him for something else; he is the target-of- hatred of his fellow chefs,
In many episodes few of them have mentioned on their being patient or their trial to ignore Marcel, but eventually they give up. No episode ended without someone yelling at him after holding his nerve for as long as he could. For example, in one of the episodes, he offered to help a contestant, and spoilt her Brule. It cannot be proved if it was an honest mistake or it was intentional, but even if he is given benefit of doubt for this one, there are many more of such kinds. Like last episode in Hawaii, one of the very talented and so far, the contestant with the straightest attitude (Elia, per me, is the finest in the cadre, a perfectionist in the kitchen and an admirable team player), had her boiler on a stove, and without consulting anyone, Marcel decided to move it aside and put his pot on the stove. Ironically, the judges don’t even entertain such complaints if the dish turns out good (and the effort you put to bring it to that point from a point far below where it actually should have goes unnoticed). One of the judges said “we are here to judge your food, not your behavior in kitchen”.
Sure, this was a culinary competition where only the taste, originality and presentation score. If the food is not good, it will never sell, if it’s good, no one gives a damn to what a jerk the chef is. And the judges have been making it clear. The initial 7-8 episodes were purely team work based where teams were formed, but the judgment was mostly done on individual performance, but it has been loosely mentioned that team work counts. And so far, in most of the episodes, Marcel’s inability to cooperate with his fellow chefs, tendency to goof up others’ recipes, have been reported. Yet, he made it to the finale. I have a strong feeling that a person with that strong imagination, culinary idea, and ability to implement can surely make it to the TOP Chef title, but does that mean it’s the end result that counts, even at the cost of jeopardizing others’ venture? Eventually it’s getting clear in all fields that what eventually matters is what we offer to the customer. Even if we manipulate at work to make our work look more special and better in quality, and thanks to the colleagues who still stick to the morale lessons of ethical way of work, if we can sell our soup, we are the TOP Chef.
On Turning 30
On turning 30
January 16, 2007. A day I was petrified most to face, and to be a little honest, I had least idea why, had finally arrived. It was a restless day. I turned thirty and there are many more than thirty reasons people reminded me of, that were left pending on my milestone list. Friends, in their own logical capacity, tried making me feel better that it actually is 29, as that’s how many years have been completed on the planet. But when you pick up between the truth and make-you-feel-better part of the truth, I chose the tough one.
I still am clueless. I could sense I was already in the race for quite sometimes, so how a number can have the ability to manipulate human emotions and intelligence to this extent?
Churchill once said “Any man who is under 30, and it not liberal, has no hearts, and any man who is over 30, and is not conservative, has no brains”. Straining the political disguise of it, the guidelines are already set. The privilege of making excuse of every single time the wit overrules the brain, has been taken of. Each time my failed attempt on being humorous, will be ridiculed and will be scrutinized against the expected maturity set against the number.
Last year, a healthcare magazine at the hair saloon had given my friend, the fright of her life. With the alarming mobility issues of the life-making-contribution-of-Adam (They blame the corporate world!!) along with the work-life-balance concerns (Again, it’s the corporate world to be blamed, I pity the companies that paid to be blamed as the abolisher of the human kind), doctors do not leave a single opportunity to push people into the race. Apparently, my friend, balanced the lost hair at the saloon with some newly implanted dreaded ideas. Few months later, she called, and was really excited announcing her contribution to the human kind.
The story does not stop here, it has a special edge that reaches out to the comfort zone of the single friends of the family-on-the-way friends, who by now, take it up as a social responsibility to make their single friends hear the bell, something that the single ones choose to, or for certain unavoidable constraints, not hear.
Children, in a conscious mind, were never on my menu. I always preferred to assume it as a thing that comes along when life goes ahead, one of those cannot-be-planned agenda on the task list. My honesty, in stating this fact, in a casual 3AM dinner at Denny’s, added an extra chilliness to the air.
Things, as if were already planned to make me feel like crap on this day, were flashing in my mind. I always had considered myself as a smart, intelligent and witty girl (If I still call myself that, they forgot to defined a guideline for this), and I had no clue, what, possibly could be the thing that has such a power on my that my conscious disagreeably fails?
Decided to clear off my mind, went on a long walk, came back home, made myself a sundae loaded with chocolate sauce, and sat myself in front of the TV. It was Malgudi days on the box and Swami was on his adventure with Mani and Rajam.
For the rest of the day, I forgot how silly and stupid a number can actually make you for an entire day.
January 16, 2007. A day I was petrified most to face, and to be a little honest, I had least idea why, had finally arrived. It was a restless day. I turned thirty and there are many more than thirty reasons people reminded me of, that were left pending on my milestone list. Friends, in their own logical capacity, tried making me feel better that it actually is 29, as that’s how many years have been completed on the planet. But when you pick up between the truth and make-you-feel-better part of the truth, I chose the tough one.
I still am clueless. I could sense I was already in the race for quite sometimes, so how a number can have the ability to manipulate human emotions and intelligence to this extent?
Churchill once said “Any man who is under 30, and it not liberal, has no hearts, and any man who is over 30, and is not conservative, has no brains”. Straining the political disguise of it, the guidelines are already set. The privilege of making excuse of every single time the wit overrules the brain, has been taken of. Each time my failed attempt on being humorous, will be ridiculed and will be scrutinized against the expected maturity set against the number.
Last year, a healthcare magazine at the hair saloon had given my friend, the fright of her life. With the alarming mobility issues of the life-making-contribution-of-Adam (They blame the corporate world!!) along with the work-life-balance concerns (Again, it’s the corporate world to be blamed, I pity the companies that paid to be blamed as the abolisher of the human kind), doctors do not leave a single opportunity to push people into the race. Apparently, my friend, balanced the lost hair at the saloon with some newly implanted dreaded ideas. Few months later, she called, and was really excited announcing her contribution to the human kind.
The story does not stop here, it has a special edge that reaches out to the comfort zone of the single friends of the family-on-the-way friends, who by now, take it up as a social responsibility to make their single friends hear the bell, something that the single ones choose to, or for certain unavoidable constraints, not hear.
Children, in a conscious mind, were never on my menu. I always preferred to assume it as a thing that comes along when life goes ahead, one of those cannot-be-planned agenda on the task list. My honesty, in stating this fact, in a casual 3AM dinner at Denny’s, added an extra chilliness to the air.
Things, as if were already planned to make me feel like crap on this day, were flashing in my mind. I always had considered myself as a smart, intelligent and witty girl (If I still call myself that, they forgot to defined a guideline for this), and I had no clue, what, possibly could be the thing that has such a power on my that my conscious disagreeably fails?
Decided to clear off my mind, went on a long walk, came back home, made myself a sundae loaded with chocolate sauce, and sat myself in front of the TV. It was Malgudi days on the box and Swami was on his adventure with Mani and Rajam.
For the rest of the day, I forgot how silly and stupid a number can actually make you for an entire day.
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