The reality.

So I've been in the alps for just over 2 weeks and reality has hit. Life out here is pretty hectic meaning much neglect to this blog. So let me update you:

 - On the 15th November I boarded the coach to Val D'isere, so excited to embark on my adventure. The fact that I would be living and working with all the other people that boarded the coach was slightly nerve wracking yet also great.

- We started the 6 months with training week which would give us all the skills a chalet girl would need to fulfil her role (i probably shouldn't call it chalet 'girl' as it could be presumed sexist - many men do take on this role - but for the sake of this blog which is called 'chalet girl shenanigans', please bear with me.)

- Training week was great, we were shown the recipes we'd be cooking, the cleaning products we'd grow to love and customer service skills that would become extremely natural - we also managed a few nights out which was great for getting to know my team.

The reality:

The name of this blog post says it all, nothing could prepare me for what was about to happen. And don't get me wrong, its not that I haven't enjoyed every single minute, it's more that there are little words to explain a chalet girl's life.

So last Wednesday my first guests arrived. I was apprehensive but excited. I wanted to get started. The penthouse chalet I was working in (not sure how I swung that!) looked great and all it needed was guests. I'd made a cooking timetable so I knew I could be on track for the day and felt like it could all go well. 

So what went wrong first? - pork was delivered instead of chicken which meant my timetable I was so relying on was disregarded and we had to do a completely new set of recipes. The pork dish also happened to be the same dish I'd managed to slice a part of my finger off whilst making an asian slaw to go with it: slightly bad connotations. 

My guests arrived! They were part of a 50th birthday that were taking over a few chalets. I even had someone famour as one of my guests, who I idolized when I was younger, but due to confidentiality I cannot tell you who. So I introduced myself and there it all started. Though they decided to go out for dinner instead of having my cooking which deflated me slightly. So I helped out my friend Sam and the evening went smoothly. I say smoothly: we only just managed to get the food out on time to a high standard with 2 of us, which set off alarm bells to the fact that normally it would be one!

The next morning I was impressed at my ability to cook 4 boiled eggs, 2 fried eggs, 2 scrambled eggs and 2 bowls of porridge with tomatoes, bacon and croissants. Not bad for a first breakfast!

It was quite clear at that point that these group of guests were party animals. They drank better than a group of university students, visiting all the Val D'isere bars and clubs. I was impressed. However, not so impressed when I had dinner ready for 8pm and only 2 turned up at 8:30 for it and the rest at 9:30, with them all either wanting just the starter or main or dessert. But I did it and they seemed happy with what they received.

The next day was pretty much the same however, by evening meal I was feeling exhausted, coughing and aching all over. Luckily I had someone else helping me as I don't think I'd have got through it otherwise. I got home after my shift and called my manager almost in tears. We decided that a trip to the doctors was needed. Oh life.

The doctors seemed to be situated in a grandma's living room, which was adorable. I was diagnosed with tracheitis and given antibiotics which meant I got saturday off. I was told by my manager that's all I could have off as chalet hosts can't chop and change, so as my next guests are staying for 2 weeks, I'd have to take 2 weeks off which was not an option. So i'm powering through, all drugged up.

The unfortunate side of being ill is that I couldn't say good bye to my guests which is sad as I felt I had let them down -  I wanted it to go so well.

What about skiing you ask? - so another reality. I managed to ski for 2 days going over to Tigne and skiing on the glacier which was great! But my new ski boots were super painful so I went to sure foot to ask for their advice - and i've now spent 95 euros on some miracle inner soles. My illness also overtook me which meant I've slept in my free time rather than skied.

But today is a new day, with new guests and hopefully it will go smoother. I just need my immune system to man up!

It really can only get better.

A delightful dinner..

So last week I prepared a meal for family and friends: 7 guests in total.

I was slightly freaking out, a 3 course meal for all those people would actually determine whether I have the ability to fulfil the cooking aspect of my job as chalet host!

My menu

Starter: Parsnip and apple soup with parsnip crisps

Main course: Honey and soy pork fillet with Asian slaw and sesame seed noodles

Dessert: Chocolate Chili pots.

 And here is the result!

So it was a success, judging by people's reactions, and it felt great that everything went to plan. Has it given me more confidence? I would say yes, but then I have to put in perspective that I will be doing this everyday for 6 months, a feat to say the least!

But no time to dwell on that now as I will be on my way to the Alps tomorrow!

Wish me luck!

All the gear, and no idea.

The best thing about this season will be the fact i'm living in the alps for 6 months. WHO can complain?!

Though it has caused a serious case of 'All the gear, and no idea'.

I have spent to my hearts content, accumulating a mixture of bits and bobs i feel are necessary for my season, the latest purchase being a brand new pair of Oakley goggles (best. purchase. ever).

Snap chat courtesy of my dad.

Whilst getting saddened about my current bank account status (though my worries have been half uplifted by getting paid last Friday), I started to think that budgeting on ski equipment is a feat the best of us could not succeed at. Anyway who knows, the case of 'all gear and no idea' may be uplifted and i'll be a professional skier before you know it.........

One of my purchases was my own hand held whisk/blender, as requested by my employers. The realisation of my cooking ability hit due to the small fact I wasn't sure what one even looked like. This spurred me to organise a dinner party for friends and family to test it all out next week (What was I thinking?!). 

Stay tuned for an update from yours truly - a supposed skier extraordinaire and domestic goddess combined.

P.S. 2 weeks and 3 days until I'm in the alps!

Hell's Kitchen.

A couple of weeks ago reality hit: The ski company I'm working for sent through the recipes I'm going to have to produce week in, week out, to the highest of standards.

One would not say one is a chef, I've cooked plenty a stir fry whilst I was a uni student, which my housemates will vouch for, and also competed in a spin off 'Come dine with me' with a group of friends (I was the winner might I add..). But the beautiful, gourmet 3 course meals and cake a day scenario that my employers have implemented made me suddenly realize I was going to have to work rather hard once abroad!


So I've become a domestic goddess in my mum's eyes - she loves that I have to practice as she gets to taste the finished product!


Well, as everyone says: Practice makes perfect!


- if you need to find me, I'll be in the kitchen.

The run up to 'living the dream'.

2013 has been a big year. I’ve graduated from the University of Leicester with a 2.1 in Psychology and been thrown into the big wide world of ‘growing up’ and ‘work’.

But that is something i’m just not quite ready for yet…. so I’ve decided to take a year out and embark on the challenge of 'living the dream'.

A little bit about myself to set the scene:

- I’m small, 5 ft 1 to be precise. Not a hindrance by any means, however despite that, the small jokes have followed me around throughout my life.

- Brown hair, brown eyes and witty banter that will clearly be present through the reading of this blog.

- I’m a unbelievably keen skiier: I learnt at the age of 7 when I lived in Japan and developed it at uni, becoming President of the University of Leicester Ski and Snowboard Club and developing a passion for dry slope racing.

- And I do have sensible life plans eventually: To become a primary school teacher.

So I took on the initiative and am now joining many as a chalet girl for the season 2013/14, with this blog detailing the ups and downs of ‘living the dream’.

Au revoir.





(I'm using the film Chalet girl as an accurate account of what to expect i.e. Ed Westwick arriving as one of my guests).