What was this term I heard?

I was speaking with a chef last night and he used a term that I had never heard before. He was making a reference to the position title of a novice Sommelier who would shadow an experienced Sommelier around as in an internship. The term sounded a little like "stash" or something. Ring any bells

My step-son is a chef and it's called a "staghe" or something like that. Basically, it refers to someone working on a trial basis at a place.

[Robin Garr]

"Stage," usually pronounced Frenchie, although you'll hear it in English a lot between the coasts. It's a training time spent in a (usually famous) chef's kitchen, working without pay for the real privilege of working with the chef and learning from him. Or her.

What Robin and Bruce said, but more generally a 'stage' is an internship irrespective of the industry, i.e. not just a food/wine thing.

Thank you all! I see it's not limited to Sommelier work - that's good to know. I imagine, in the restaurant industry especially, it's really nice to see how someone would work out before you hire them.

[Jenise]

Thank you all! I see it's not limited to Sommelier work - that's good to know. I imagine, in the restaurant industry especially, it's really nice to see how someone would work out before you hire them.

It's also a nice way for a restaurant to get free help from someone who wants some free training. Mutually beneficial.

I don't know. The proliferation of unpaid work (internships, etc.) in my lifetime seems to be somewhat unsettling. Especially considering the current economy. So training for a new career (in this case, the restaurant would get some presumably talented and enthusiastic grunt work, at least) will mostly be available to those who have the resources to forgo an income for some extended period?

[Robin Garr]

Thank you all! I see it's not limited to Sommelier work - that's good to know. I imagine, in the restaurant industry especially, it's really nice to see how someone would work out before you hire them.

I'm sure there is a wider definition, but the way I have always understood it in high-end restaurant kitchens, it's hardly exploitative but a real privilege to be given the opportunity to work with (work your butt off with) and learn from a chef you admire. It's not always - and really, most often is not - done with the expectation of moving into a paying job in that kitchen; more about learning from the mentor chef's techniques.

So training for a new career (in this case, the restaurant would get some presumably talented and enthusiastic grunt work, at least) will mostly be available to those who have the resources to forgo an income for some extended period?

That is certainly the case in politics, the entertainment industry, fashion, the arts, etc.

So training for a new career (in this case, the restaurant would get some presumably talented and enthusiastic grunt work, at least) will mostly be available to those who have the resources to forgo an income for some extended period?

I am fortunate in that I will have a reasonable pension.

It's not always - and really, most often is not - done with the expectation of moving into a paying job in that kitchen; more about learning from the mentor chef's techniques.

I will convey an expectation of getting paid at some logical point.
BTW - with all the clues from the comments here, I found the word in the Food Lover's Companion: stagiaire {stah-zhee-EHR) which generally translates as "apprentice".

Thanks again everyone - knowledge is power.

Ask any Israeli and they will explain (translate) this term for you.
It has been adopted into the spoken Hebrew language for long periods of professional "on the job training", mainly for doctors and lawyers who get a regulated low pay during this period of one year, after which they take their final exams and start their professional career.
This French term is not commonly used here in the context of the food industry.

[Robin Garr]

Ask any Israeli and they will explain (translate) this term for you.
It has been adopted into the spoken Hebrew language ...

That's fascinating, Eli! Having just survived a semester of learning Biblical Hebrew, I'm intrigued to learn more about how the language is used in modern Israel. What is the word in Hebrew? Shin-Tav-Zayin?

Robin Hi,

Spoken Hebrew adopted many words and mispronounced words from different languages:
English - like Car and Soccer terms
French - the diplomatic language of the 19th century and the language of the food and wine
German - through the Yiddish spoken by east-European Jews
Arabic - being local
and even Greek - the "unofficial" language of the port workers of the 20th century.

Eli

P.S. If written it would be "Samech, Tet, Alef, Zayin (with ' ) - to be pronounced as "G"

'סטאז

[Robin Garr]

P.S. If written it would be "Samech, Tet, Alef, Zayin (with ' ) - to be pronounced as "G"

'סטאז

Thanks a lot for the fascinating brief tutorial, Eli! I tried to get this kind of info out of the professor, but to be honest, I don't think he knew.

[Jenise]

I will convey an expectation of getting paid at some logical point...
Thanks again everyone - knowledge is power.

So you are planning to apprentice as a sommelier?

I've been very interested in wine since 1985 but, bottom line, Jenise - I need to do tons of blind tastings to educate my palate. Being an apprentice Sommelier would be great, especially at a nice restaurant and if it has the potential to lead to something "greater". Also, the owner of one of the local wine shops apparently invites the staff to taste when the salesman shows up and the shop is expanding in February and I would not mind being a part of that operation. Dare I try to do both if given the opportunity? Stay tuned.

I know a second career in the wine industry has great appeal to you, Jon. Good luck and I will stay tuned to see what occurs. Maybe before long you will be recommending wines to me in a retail shop or restaurant in the DC area.