After the first week at Noma…. let me tear your dreams and visions into pieces. Just like what happened with my fantasies and expectations so far… Thanks to this freakin stupid m*ther f*cker Covid Virus with its all uncomfortable restrictions by the Government…
NO MAGIC IS HAPPENING – and possibly wont happen for a while. Shame. We are all a bit broken and clinging on the news from day by day. Whats the next step and WHEN is that going to happen. Or are they gonna cross our plans again and postpone the opening again and again for further away???? Stress is in the air. And so what the heck we are doing?
We were deep cleaning through the whole first week. 3 hours in the morning, lunchbreak then 2 more hours. We ve been cleaning everything with a sponge, metal scrub and a toothpich. Every metal surface became a mirror in that 4-5 (im still not sure) separate kitchens in the building.
BUT THIS IS A BIG CLEANING – BE DONE EITHER WAY – BETWEEN EVERY SEASONS – ALL YEAR AROUND. When the guys playing with toothpicks from top to bottom, every single Chef there join the fun. It was exhausting anyway. More mentally – is a killer – because we hardly got any ‘promises’ about doing gastronomically interesting projects for a good good while. Seems like we ‘are all just hanging in the air’ for now. It is making me anxious for sure.
So if im not wrong – its 14 interns are around (appearantly this number is usually 40 so ‘we meant to be lucky or whatever …hahaha) from all around the world (from Mexico and the States n Canada, New Zeland and China and lots from Europe). Only 3 girls. I am the oldest from all with my 35 years – the youngest is a finnish 19 years old boy. Very different levels of experience. But im sure we are all very hungry for some noma-fun. We are all been hoping to be a part of an amazing seafood season experience – although it looks like its not even gonna happen straight away. The team has a BBQ idea in their mind before (just like the burger winebar was at the latest lockdown) – which of course makes sense – waiting out (by feeding locals affordably) while the borders open up again for the tourism to re-start the famous seasonal menus. This might gonna happen but might not. As i mentioned before – the official lockdown suppose to finish on the 17th of January – so the management wait till and see what s the bigger picture.
What we are going to do meanwhile inside those (amazingly designed) walls? I have no clue.
THE TEAM OF NOMA IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING and even in this sh*t situation trying to make sure we are all happy. We got offered unlimited flexibility with our internship – which means who ever wants to leave right now or coming back another time another season later its ok. Whoever wants to extend their stay now or not feeling safe and staying home for some time its all fine and all good. Just communicate all and everything gonna be sorted out. Its difficult time and we are all just waiting for the government announcement.
Meanwhile i was planning to work on my book – was doing some research about the availability of the plants n herbs i will still need to finish the last couple of recipes. Unfortunately the snow and freeze is still sitting on us day by day so i really have to be patient. I was going out for ‘foraging’ in the first sunday to a fjord called Roskilde – i was lucky enough to find my dinner – some jelly ear mushrooms before the snowstorm cought me. But at the moment not much there apart from some nettles and herb bennet.
I did manage to find a great mushroom spot in the middle of the city during my walk on a sunny Saturday – i did ID some beautiful velvet shank and oyster mushrooms so i will plan to try out a dish on next saturday. Some fresh coffee pici pasta coming up YEEEEAAAAAH!
I also try to make myself busy (doing yoga every day 8am when the church (next door) bell gives me a very personal alarm LOL), borrowing books from the restaurant and do lots of brainstorming and reading. Hope (shitty)time will go fast and soon we can jump on some crazy fermentation or other real preparation to the restaurant. Also im praying for spring so i can get out for some great seaweed hunting! Cant wait – #staypositive #fingerscrossed #havingfun
NakedPea 