Life in the Kitchen

I have officially been at the ranch for three months. Its crazy to think that so much time has passed, but even crazier to think that I’m only half-way through my first season here. I have become unbelievably comfortable up at this isolated mountain resort. The little dramas and moments of stress caused by close quarters and a new job could easily be the next best-selling grocery store paperback or even a late-night sitcom, but when I sit down and think about how amazing my life is these days its hard to think that I’ve been anything but lucky. For example, I have had a classic Montana summer, which includes: participating in a cattle branding, climbing three mountains, hiking in Yellowstone, going to a rodeo and a professional bull-riding competition, watching the National Folk Festival, going crazy with family in Helena, visiting Katie in Wyoming, learning how to rope and two-step, and of course mastering a 70 foot slip and slide. Not to mention becoming very comfortable in a professional kitchen and working as the sole pastry chef three days a week for a gourmet, five star guest ranch. Things are good. So good in fact that I have been invited back for next season! Now all I have to do is find a job for the winter…


My adorable little cabin


Talking with All-Around employees, those who do the kids program and lead hikes, etc, the kitchen is a very intimidating place up here at Mountain Sky. It’s sort of the center of everything, literally and mentally. Located in the heart of the lodge, to walk anywhere across the ranch you pass by the kitchen and because we are so oriented around a strict schedule, the three very square meals a day become the starting point for everything else you do up here. Breakfast at 7 am, lunch at 11:30 am and dinner at 5. Truly though, the kitchen scared the crap out of me for the first two months of working here. While most of the day is all teasing and inappropriate jokes, mistakes are not tolerated. People are paying a lot of money to come out here and get their Chilean Sea Bass or Bison Tenderloin, and we can’t afford to mess it up. So while my friends who don’t work in the kitchen have panic-attacks if they have to work dish pit or serve, I finally have found my niche. Those once not quite good enough birthday cakes are now up to par, my chocolate decadence is perfect, my tarts are solid, I can make any ice cream of your choosing and I’m feeling really good about all of it. I used to work an hour over my scheduled shift and now I work 30 minutes under. At any given moment I could have pastry cream on the stove, tarts in the oven, chocolate melting in a baine-maire, ice cream churning, all while I’m shaping 120 dinner rolls. Organization is key.


In Livingston at the Professional Bull-Riding Competition

Being more on top of my kitchen duties makes it a lot more enjoyable to participate in the constant banter of my coworkers. For example, today was one of the cook’s girlfriend’s birthday so we all dressed up in costume – head chef wore a pink cowgirl hat, the sous wore a lifejacket, I wore floaties, and somehow a purple tutu was involved (the red Clifford the dog suit went recently missing). And no one can ever be called by his or her actual name. No, I’m never plain old Brennan, but cornstalk, little baker, little Pam (my boss), scotchies (a cookie I always make), bun baker, etc. Basically we have a lot of fun, although the heat threatens to kill us all. When I walk to work at 5:30 am every morning it’s almost below freezing its so cold, but come 11 am in the kitchen, despite the air conditioning, standing next to one of my ovens (which in most cases I have to be doing) its closer to 100! Then when I get off work the walk back to my cabin feels like I’m walking all the way across the Sahara it’s so dry and hot. But that’s Montana for you. In a month and half we’ll have snow!


Hiking up Pine Creek

Also in the last week I hiked another awesome mountain, Black Mountain, up Pine Creek here in the valley. It was my day off, but Blair and I took the owner’s awesome wife Stephanie and then the Hiltons and a plastic surgeon from Vegas. It was like getting a glimpse into their lives of wealth and craziness. The way they so nonchalantly talk about huge sums of money is pure madness. And yet, they are all so genuine and kind-hearted. It was a great hike and another cool accomplishment! 10,000 feet! Woot! (And I was tipped with a 90 minute massage…. Double woot!)