Prison Chef Tron

05/23/2024

All these years of obtaining education certifications and just working in food service in general have really paid off. do you know that only after being at Blan cc for 5 days, I've already been hired in the kitchen and placed in staff dining? I was hired in place at the top of the kitchen brgge systems immediately, I start on Monday.

I swear, this time and day so much positivity and prosperity just falls into my lap and I'm so thankful for it. I just added another kitchen in staff dining to my resume. This is currently my 5th kitchen. It's just getting easier and easier to get hired. I truly have established myself in the last 7 years and 2 months of working in the culinary field.

These people are going to lose their minds once I start producing these cookies cakes and pies from scratch. I know from experience because it's happened everywhere I go. I will keep yall all updated on the dishes that I produce on my journey of this new place.

"Do not forget to entertain strangers, or by so doing. Some have unwittingly entertained angels" -Hebrew 13:2 NKJV

04/04/2024

In a previous post I informed all of byu why Id rather bake from scratch rather than using bpremaid ingredients. I didn't like how the cinnamon swirl cake I produced came out because i used remaid yellow cake mix. But I tried something new, something I made for my very first time. I made a fruit cocktail upside down cake.

I found the standarized recipe for making yellow cake from scratch. I immediatle took intreest and although I had the recipe, I still modified it to how I wanted it to be. and really just changed the flour and sugar contents in the cake batter itself. Once I miss that up, I set it to the side. I opened up 2 7lbs cans of fruit cocktail and drained them. Then i put some margarine in 2 sheets pans andmentiled it down until there was quite a bit of it on the pan. I then proceeded to sprinkle brown sugar down as if I was going to make a pineapple upside down cake. But instead I spread each can of frujit cocktail over each sheet pan, then poured my yellow cake batter over it.

I dropped my sheetpan on the counter a few times to get the air bubbles out so my cake diden't crack in the baking proces. then I placed it in the oven and I baked it for a total of 25 minutes. I strted it out in 350 degrees in the rotary oven and I didnt liek how fast the top was browning so I baked it on 325 degrees for the last 10 minutes. It came out amazing and I decided not to try to flip it out of the sheetpan due to the phobia that I aquared back in 2017 when I tried to flip my first ever pineapple upside down cake out of the pan. Guess what happened? It broke! I was so upset. So after cutting this cake i picked each peice up with a spatula and flipped it onto their plates individually. The blend of the fruit and cake came out perfecft. It wasnt too soggy, it was righton point. I recieved so many good reviews on my cake and several people came bafck and got more.

I swear I love baking something new for the first time and it coming out better than I thought It would. I recorded my modifications down on the recipe and placed it in my pastry book. That one is definetely a keeper...

Here is the highest rated Easy Three Ingredient Fruit Cocktail Cake! All creds to Fuss Free Flavours by Helen Best-Shaw

Click the link

My upside-down fruit salad cake is a quick and easy store cupboard standby with only three ingredients. Fun, frugal and tasty, it's also vegan and fat free.

03/31/2024

Honeybun Cake recipe in the comments!

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On April 8th, 2024, I'll be transitioning back to the day shift, and honestly, I couldn't be more thrilled. It's a chance to engage with even more people, which is something I really enjoy. While my stint on the night shift was short-lived, some of my colleagues aren't too happy about my decision to return to days. They got used to having me around, someone who takes immense pride in their work and spoils them with homemade meals and desserts. But I know my place is on the day shift, especially with all the special events that happen during those hours.

The other night, I helped someone bake a Honey Bun Cake. Surprisingly, I'd never made one before, but it's such a simple recipe, and let me tell you, it's absolutely delicious. That layer of brown sugar and cinnamon in the middle, topped with a confectionary sugar glaze – perfection. And the cake itself, so moist and fluffy thanks to the sour cream and cooking oil in the batter. It might just be one of the best desserts ever invented in the world of pastry, if you ask me.

We whipped up that cake for a colleague on the day shift who recently earned his peer recovery specialist certification. He developed his own mental health program, and after his students completed their final course, we celebrated with a graduation ceremony. Of course, I had to bake something special for the occasion. Along with the Honey Bun Cake, I sent over about 50 sugar cookies, all made from scratch.

I'm looking forward to sharing many more experiences with all of you in the days ahead. Cheers to the future!

Here is the top-rated honeybun cake recipe! All credits to Divas Can Cook!

03/26/2024

🎉 Big shoutout to Michele Orsinger! 🎉

Thank you for playing a part in the positive transformation of a prisoner's inner self.

Encouragement and kind words, things I'm not accustomed to, have the power to truly change someone. They can open their eyes to even just one good quality they thought they never had.

03/23/2024

Last night was a breeze! 👌🏻🙌🏻👨‍🍳

I spent it cooking and serving up chicken tenders, potato wedges, and fried cabbage. With some extra time on my hands, boredom set in, so of course I dove into a culinary experiment that turned out surprisingly well. I cracked open a 7 lb can of fruit cocktail and diced peaches, draining about 1/4 of the excess liquid before transferring the remaining juice and fruit to a 4 inch pan. Adding in about 8 oz of pre-made vanilla pudding mix, along with about 1 lb of granulated sugar, I blended it all together before chilling it in the freezer for about 15 minutes. The resulting consistency was exactly as I had hoped—creamy and thick, though not quite as dense as pudding. The initial taste was delightful, though there was a lingering flavor that took me a moment to pinpoint—it had the taste of those candy ci******es from childhood. lol.

This culinary adventure wasn't entirely spur-of-the-moment; back in July of 2023, I had the pleasure of watching my current boss, Ms. Hagy, prepare this dessert for a graduation event we catered. I even lent a hand by making pasta salad for the occasion. Working alongside my colleagues, we received countless compliments from the attendees. It was a memorable day, and Ms. Hagy's dessert left a lasting impression on me.

Though my attempt didn't quite match up to hers, it was a satisfying first try. I'm grateful for the opportunity to work under her mentorship, as my true passion lies in baking pastry desserts—in which she excels with an impressive 31 years in the food service industry.

03/22/2024

Currently, I am employed in staff dining during the night shift, where the work is notably easy, and my boss compensates me for more hours than I actually work, which is certainly appreciated. However, I can't help but feel a lack of excitement in this role. Recently, I baked some Snickerdoodle cookies and served Pepperoni pizza, only to see people swiftly grab their plates to go.

It's interesting how I am constantly approached by day shift staff, expressing their longing for my return to their shift. Many individuals express missing my presence, despite the food quality remaining consistent. It seems my engaging personality, characterized by a bubbly demeanor, is missed. I've been told by colleagues, like "Mrs. White" from a previous kitchen, that my welcoming attitude could be a cornerstone if I were to open my own restaurant someday.

The satisfaction I get from baking from scratch and receiving positive feedback is a really good feeling. While I have completed both Level One and Level Two of the Foundations of Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts program, I recognize that true expertise comes from years of practice and a willingness to take on new challenges. With seven years of continuous experience in the culinary field, I've come a long way, but I remain eager to learn and grow further. I am grateful for the opportunities that have shaped my journey thus far.

03/21/2024

03/20/2024

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Recently, I made this dessert for the first time and decided to experiment with a twist on the classic cinnamon roll.

👨‍🍳⏲️👨‍🍳

I used a 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐢𝐱 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧, adding a touch of 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐢𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐱 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐝𝐞𝐫 to darken the dough. After mixing in 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫, I followed the traditional 𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐞, incorporating 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞, 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐠𝐚𝐫, and 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧. Rolling, slicing, and baking produced perfect rolls, which I topped off with a simple confectionary 𝐬𝐮𝐠𝐚𝐫 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐳𝐞 enhanced with a hint of 𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭.⏲️

But my creativity didn't stop there. Just when I thought my creation was complete, inspiration kicked in. 𝗜 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝗴𝗹𝗮𝘇𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗺𝗶𝘅𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗶𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝘅 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗸, 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘇𝘇𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝗴𝗮𝗿 𝗴𝗹𝗮𝘇𝗲.

The result? 🧐🧐🧐

‼️𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐎𝐍 𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐒‼️ – a delicious blend of flavors that I encourage you all to try at least once. It's a simple yet unforgettable variation that offers a taste experience like no other.

Although I'm unable to offer the precise recipe due to constraints, here's a highly-rated recipe for Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls by Sally's Baking Addiction - Recipes!

👉Recipe in first (C.o.m.m.e.n.t)👇🏻⬇️

Everyone

These outrageously rich chocolate sweet rolls come together with a buttery soft homemade dough and brown sugar chocolate filling.

03/19/2024

🌟🌟Feeling incredibly honored that my chef idol liked one of my posts! 🙌 It's truly a validation of my passion for cooking and dedication to the craft. Thank you for the inspiration!

03/17/2024

Interacting with many individuals and experiencing the joy reflected in their smiles as they enjoy dishes or desserts I've prepared has been so rewarding.

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I'll never forget when my career took a significant turn when I discovered Chef Vivian Howard, Owner and Operator of "The Chef and the Farmer" in North Carolina. Watching her show PBS show "Cheflife" got me through some tough times, especially, during my uncertain times of job hunting in the food service industry. What really captivated me about Vivian was her dedication to utilizing every part of the vegetable, down to the roots.

When I purchased her debut book, "Deep Run Roots: Stories and Recipes from My Corner of the South," I was blown away. Each recipe came with a good narrative. I often found myself dreaming of the day I could work alongside her.

I must also give a shout-out to my first boss, Jessica Morison. Without her initial opportunity to work in the kitchen, I may not have discovered my passion. Now, as I reflect on my journey, I realize how far I've come. With a considerable amount of savings and a skill set honed to perfection, I possess everything necessary to lead a fulfilling and successful life, both personally and professionally.

Just wanted to offer a glimpse into my journey along the path I've dedicated myself to pursuing. It's so fulfilling as I witness the smiles on people's faces as they enjoy the dishes I've crafted. My outgoing nature, coupled with my skills in scratch cooking and baking, has allowed me to have deep connections with others through food.

03/16/2024

🍰🔒 Exciting Announcement! 🔒🍰

Hey everyone, I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Daniel Hill (Tron) and I'm an aspiring pastry chef currently serving time behind bars.

Life hasn't always been easy for me, and I've made some mistakes in the past. But through it all, I've found my passion in baking. It's been my guiding light, my source of hope, and my way of transforming my life for the better.

Baking has taught me patience, discipline, and the importance of creativity. It's given me a sense of purpose and a new direction to channel my energy into something positive.

So, while my past may be checkered, I'm leaving those dark days behind me. I'm committed to honing my skills, perfecting my recipes, and pursuing my dream of becoming a professional pastry chef.

Thank you all for your support and encouragement on this journey. 🍰✨