Leaving Vienne

 Leaving Vienne

So my internship is officially behind me! The last few weeks there were a brilliant kind of

hectic. There were plenty of regular services, a few more special lunches and dinners, nights

out with friends from the restaurant, “weekends” packed full of visits to my favourite spots in

Lyon, or wandering around Vienne. Highlights of the small town were definitely the park a

short walk from the restaurant, and visiting my favourite patisserie on my walk home. I was

so lucky to have learned so much in such a short space of time, with some really talented

chefs.

The standout dessert, the reason that ‘La Pyramide’ caught my attention, was the piano. With

its tempered chocolate piano shaped moulds, praline, coffee espuma, gold leaf covered

chocolate sorbet, coffee anglaise, and so much more, this dessert was more impressive than

its pictures suggested. During my time in the restaurant, I had the opportunity to work on

each element of the dish, in preparation, and plating. I developed a stronger appreciation for

the time, dedication, and patience it takes to produce a dessert of this standard.

I finished out my internship with an invitation for a complementary lunch at the restaurant.

While I’d tasted a couple of the dishes from other sections during my time there, it was

something else entirely to sit down for my 11 course meal (they were too good giving me a

second dessert). It was so surreal to sit at the table and have dishes that I had spent the past

few months working on come to my table, seeing the service from a different perspective.

Working in France is something I’m so glad I’ve done, and absolutely hope to do again in the

future.

Signing off for good, Erika.