Your Friend in Food's First Stage
spent the day on the line at King in New York City
Hi friends! Happy Friday and happy Olympics to all those who celebrate. For the last week, witnessing incredible feats of athleticism has been my pastime and I find myself getting emotional over all the amazing stories that come from these games. Also as a washed-up athlete, I’ve been rabbit-holing into the dietary habits of the world’s greatest athletes. From the chocolate muffin-obsessed Norwegian swimmer to the athletes whose countries shipped meals to power them up, I love it all. Watch this space for a food-themed Olympics piece.
This week, I’m sharing the first of (hopefully) many Friday essays! Hoping to publish these monthly and they’ll be musings on current things or recollections of previous experiences.
Thank you to the 26 new subscribers joining us! It’s lovely having you here!
Last week, I completed a pretty grand feat, staging (STAH-zhing) at King, one of my favourite restaurants in New York City. For the uninitiated, staging is an unpaid internship test for cooks and chefs to learn and be exposed to new cuisines and techniques in another chef’s kitchen. Before the inception of culinary schools, kitchens were the breeding ground for young cooks to learn as unpaid apprentices in professional settings. Due to the nature of it being unpaid, this practice has become less common and chefs normally do an externship or start as prep cooks, working their way to the top.
So why try a stage? Well, reader, I’m a nosy diner. I always opt for a chef’s counter or bar seat when available, craning my neck to see chefs in action. There’s something beautiful about witnessing how chefs create comforting and remarkable dishes under intense pressure in a cutthroat environment. I’m an avid home cook who loves making meals for friends so why not learn what life is like behind the pass? For the last year, I’ve been thinking of attending culinary school, one Irish institution in particular, and I wanted to see if I even could handle a day in a kitchen before I commit.
Proudly taking space on a West Village corner, King is an elegant and comfort-forward restaurant with a daily changing menu rooted in traditional flavour pairings and techniques. There are hints of Southern French peasant cuisine, Italian classics, and a smattering of English plates. It’s the perfect restaurant for a big occasion or a memorable weeknight meal. The cosy dining room is tastefully decorated with muted tones, white tablecloths, and natural lighting that brings warm energy to the room. Additionally, I love that King is owned and operated by a 100% female team, something that is still shockingly rare in the culinary world.
King’s inception began in London. Jessie Shadbot had been working for Ruthie Rogers, the legend behind the esteemed River Café, as her assistant but had this itching to work in the kitchen. Inspired by the chef chats she had each morning in London, she ventured north and spent three months training at the iconic Ballymaloe Cookery School, run by another doyenne Darina Allen.
When she wrapped her stint, Rogers requested that she return to cook at The River Café where she met Clare DeBoer. There, she met Clare DeBoer, and it wasn’t long before they started scheming to open their restaurant. You might be familiar with DeBoer’s eatery in Upstate New York Stissing House and her newsletter
.Through mutual friends, DeBoer connected with Annie Shi, a New Yorker living in London and working in finance. Eager for a change, Annie abandoned the gig and leaned into her culinary interest staging at places like The Clove Club and learning more about the industry. Soon, Shi, DeBoer, and Shadbot started hosting pop-ups around London and eventually decided to make their restaurant dreams a reality in New York City. If you wanna hear more about the journey that made this 8-year restaurant happen, highly recommend listening to Annie and Jess’ interviews on Radio Cherry Bombe.
After chatting in the DMs with Annie, I shot my shot and asked if I could come stage at King for the day. I’ve admired the King team for so long and how cool would it be to experience the restaurant before dinner service.
Then the fateful Monday arrived. On the train, I was flipping through this book on 101 things you learn in culinary school hoping to calm my nerves and give me a crash course in culinary jargon.
Entering the side door on King Street, I was warmly greeted by Chef Tina, King’s executive chef. She gave me a quick tour of the space and then led me downstairs to the basement where I put on a chef’s shirt and an apron.
Trudging up the steep steps back to the dining room, Chef Tina walked me through the day’s menu and my tasks, typical of a prep cook. King’s pastry chef, Pearl, was whipping up the flourless chocolate cake in a cosy corner of the already quaint kitchen. It was a pleasant surprise seeing Pearl because turns out we knew each other from our SF days when I was an enthusiastic Wing member and she used to manage the kitchen.
Rushing back downstairs to the chilly walk-in, I snagged a bin of zucchini blossoms. Then I brought them back up to prep, separating them from their stems and pulling off the loose green strands. This was a test of patience, ripping off the firm stem and anter while also maintaining the delicate structure of the petals. Next, I moved on to dicing zucchini and summer squash, with Chef Tina giving me a quick tutorial on how to cut ensuring even sizes, not necessarily for presentation but for even cooking. That’s the nice thing about King! Though it’s a restaurant that prides itself in quality cooking, there is a certain ease when it comes to how food is made. “We wanted to just cook and how we did in our homes”, Shadbot said in a 2023 interview with The Times.
Yet here is where the nerves started to kick in. I’m not the finest chopper in the land, comfortable with uneven pieces when I make stuff at home. After a few practice tries, I slowly eased into this quiet rhythm, the sound of my (borrowed) knife easing through the fresh summer produce. I channelled a new-found focus into cooking, without the distractions of a podcast or my partner keeping me company, and I felt closer to my food. There was something special about the way my knife cut through, noticing myself be more careful with each cut knowing that this dish was going to make someone’s night or week. The good bits were put in a hotel pan for service and the scraps in a bowl for family meal or whatever Chef had on her mind.
Once the zucchini was all chopped up, we tossed them into a giant pot with tomatoes and other spices to slowly simmer before service. One step closer with 5 hours left before diners come in. Shortly after, Chef Jess and Annie came in ready to take on the day. They plopped into a corner of the dining room, setting up a makeshift mission control, checking off tasks, thinking through menus, and prepping for an event in the Hamptons. Although they’re removed from the cooking today, they’re still heavily involved in creating an exceptional experience.
Between tasks, I stole glances at Chef Tina, easing through the kitchen prepping giant pots of beans, whipping up fregola sarda, popping heirloom tomatoes in the oven, and tasting everything making adjustments as needed. It’s amazing witnessing foundational culinary knowledge, unbridled enthusiasm, and beautiful confidence in action. Kitchens are not an easy place but Chef Tina brings a comforting sense of leadership and joy to her work.
While cleaning and chopping wax beans, I got to hear more about her story. Born in Ecuador and trained in Argentina, Chef Tina cut her teeth in restaurants in Barcelona before moving to New York and working at Estela and Café Paradiso. She’s been with King for 7 and a half years, starting as sous chef and working her way to the top. It was fun hearing her perspective on chef culture, naturally, I had to ask about her thoughts on The Bear, how she thinks about the future of produce and the bleak conversations she’s been having with producers on how climate change is impacting produce, and what inspires and motivates her when it comes to creating a new menu EVERY DAY.
After grabbing some more herbs and other goods from the walk-in, it was time for family meal. Before service, kitchen staff need to fuel up and so chefs take turns making food for the crew. It typically differs from what’s served on the menu and also nice for the team to sit together before the hustle of service.
I wish I could whip up dinners as fast as Chef Tina whipped up family meal. She warmed up some leftover steak, rice and peas in this yummy broth, and the perfect mixed green salad with fennel and a bright vinaigrette. Then Chef Pearl brought out a stunner: a sungold and ricotta galette making the dough from scraps they amassed from different desserts.
Everyone dug in, taking a beat to savour the food or eat al desko while catching up on emails and other tasks. Pearl and I chatted about her journey in the culinary world, how she thinks NYC is one of the best cities to be a chef, and what’s she excited to eat in the city. I’ll always find a way to get those chef’s recs.
Back on prep duty, Chef Tina hands me a jar of pitted black olives. “There are two things we never cut with a knife at King. Olives and celery.”, she says as she instructs me to hand-tear each olive for the scallop dish. It adds a nice rustic element to a dish and the rough texture is easier to savour. It was a laborious but oddly calming task. Yes, my hands were getting more slippery as the oil from the olives slowly coated my hands. I found myself connecting with the olives, really paying attention to the amount of pressure necessary to tear but not necessarily to damage the structure. I think it probably took me 45 minutes to complete the whole jar and I kinda regret not timing myself.
There were about 3 hours left till service and Chef Erica needed help rolling pasta. There’s always a daily pasta on the menu and today’s selection was trofie, a Ligurian pasta that’s short, thin, and twisted. It’s traditionally served with pesto ala Genovese. Walking down to the basement prep area, I was expecting an easy, breezy task. How hard could it be?
Boy was I humbled. This was nothing like the homemade pasta nights, my Kitchenaid pasta extension being my handy helper. Trofie involves rolling a small ball of dough into a long rope about 1/4cm thick and then cutting it into small pieces. Working with one piece of dough at a time, you roll the dough across your palm putting a slight amount of pressure until you end up with a gentle, spiral shape. Should you feel called to make it, here’s a great video!
After about 30 tries and affirming words from my fellow pasta makers, we did it! I got my first perfect piece. I felt so flustered and a little bit embarrassed that I didn’t nail upon immediate learning but that’s the beauty of learning on the line. You shake it off, you work on your imperfections, and you keep going because the pasta needs to be rolled minutes before service begins.
An hour before doors open, all staff met in the dining for a pre-service walkthrough. Chef Tina explained the menu and offered context and allergens for waiters. Then there were logistical things, like how to clear, fire, and mise for service, that the staff discuss. It was fascinating watching how the front and back of house teams communicate to ensure a smooth night.
I didn’t stay for dinner service but Chef Tina sent me pictures of the dishes that I helped make.
As I walked through the West Village reflecting on one of the most enriching yet physically gruelling days, I couldn’t help but feel a newfound appreciation for chefs and restaurant life. It’s a beautiful world fueled by people who care so passionately about hospitality, nurturing folks, and connecting with as many players in this ecosystem to craft the most thoughtful and beautiful experiences. Standing in the King kitchen gave me hope that there will be more women leading kitchens, bringing a kinder energy to the industry. The experience also made me think about what consumers need to do to sustain this industry. Honestly, it isn’t realistic to eat out every night but maybe by supporting local growers and producers and leaning into seasonal eating, we can keep this industry alive.
My back may still be hurting but my heart is so full. I’m really proud of myself for getting through the day, maintaining focus on tasks that could be deemed boring, and also not giving up when faced with a challenge I had never experienced. I hope that I can come back to King or stage quarterly at a few of my favourite spots.
I must add that staging also changed my home cooking experience. I’m much more particular with my mise, been slowly adapting the clean-as-you-go instead of leaving a cluster of dishes to tidy up after eating, and this weekend I’m working on organising my cupboards and spice cabinet so everything is easy to reach and I know what’s in stock.
Thank you to Chef Jess, Annie, Chef Tina, Pearl, Maggie, Erica and the rest of the King team for letting me spend the day with them! If you’re reading this, you’re setting the stage bar so high!
And as always, here are two things for you this weekend!
AUGUST 10-11: AUDREY FALK X ODETTE POP-UP, CONDESA, MEXICO CITY
The timing couldn’t have been more perfect to feature this event. Former sous chef at King, Audrey Falk, is popping up in Mexico City at Odette’s Condesa location. From Saturday, August 10 to Sunday August 11th, come partake in the ensaïmada extravaganza. Ensaïmadas are Balearic pastries that are made with flour, water, sugar, eggs, and saïm, reduced pork lard. Friend of the newsletter and owner of the eponymous bakery,
, sent me a sneak peek of their fig and pistachio ensaïmadas which should be enough to convince you. I’ll be there Saturday!!
AUGUST 10: CHEF NANA POP-UP, PHILADELPHIA
Philly folks, you’re in luck. Friend of the newsletter Chef Nana Wilmot is hosting an exciting pop-up this weekend showcasing dishes inspired by her Ghanaian heritage and years of cutting her teeth in fine dining spots like Le Cou Cou. From 2-8 pm at Mural City Wine Garden in Fishtown, Chef Nana will be serving a jollof rice bowl, bunz bread rolls with milo butter, and a curry fried chicken sandwich with plantain waffles and hot honey so get there early!!!
That’s it for this week! Have you staged before or do you want to stage? Let’s talk about it! Share your stories, thoughts, and experiences in the comments below.
Eat well and be well!
Your friend in food, Abena
WHAT A DELIGHT TO READ
Heck yeah!!!