One of the nice things of having a little time to myself before starting at The Club is that I can catch up on posts and projects that I have been meaning to do for a while.
Melanie Dunea created a marvelous book called “My Last Supper.” In it she asks some of the most famous Chefs in the world what their last supper would be. In the introduction Anthony Bourdain says;
“If cooking professionally is about control – about manipulating the people, the ingredients and the strange, physical forces of the kitchen universe to do one’s bidding always anticipating always preparing, always dominating one’s environment – then eating well is about submission. About letting go.”
I’ve read this quote over and over again. I’ve thought about it quite extensively since I first read it because I agree with the sentiment completely. I think that cooking is about control of chaos or rather order from chaos. Whereas eating is about submitting to the dish, the person that made it and the environment that surrounds you.
One of the things that shocked me most about the book was the number of Chefs that said that they would prepare their own meal. Moreover, in most of the cases, the meals were something that you would not suspect, while in some, it was exactly what you would expect. So then, how exactly would these Chefs let go and submit.
The questions that were asked were; what would you want for your last supper? Where would you want to have it? Who would you want to be there? Who would you have prepare it for you? What kind of music accompaniment would you have? Along with their answers are beautiful pictures which also say something elemental about the Chef.
Each of these questions and ultimately their answers reveal an intimate portrait of the Chefs that answered them. Some of my favorite responses are as follows;
Daniel Boulud would have his last meal in the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles with his dinner guests being Apicius, Bacchus, Careme, Escoffier, Bocuse and Ducasse with Ducasse as the Chef.
Ferran Adria, the worlds number one Chef from El Bulli would eat his meal in Tokyo, at Kiccho and have Escoffier cook it.
Eric Ripert would have a simple meal of toasted bread, olive oil, truffles, rock salt and pepper. And naturally he would prepare it himself.
Masa Takayama would have blowfish on a boat with Mozart playing live while they sipped on Bowmore Scotch over glacier ice.
Dan Barber; would eat his pig Boris; “If I’m going so is Boris.” Barber would cook the meal himself; “I’d have one finally chance to get it right.”
Thomas Keller would have Osetera caviar, Otoro, a quesadilla, roast chicken and Brie with truffles.
Gordon Ramsay would have a classic roast with Yorkshire pudding and red wine gravy naturally preparing it himself.
Nobu interestingly enough would have Kenny G while eating Sushi prepared by his Sous Chef.
Mario Batali, ever the great eater would have an Italian feast of eight or ten courses including seafood, pasta and vegetables.
Jacques Pepin would have an eclectic, relaxed and informal meal of Brittany butter, Oysters, Iberico ham, eggs and roast squab.
Lydia Shire would make herself a 14 to 16 ounce Sirloin with fried parsnips ended by a Carlos Fuente Cigar (a woman after my own heart).
Raymond Blanc would have something humble and simple prepared by Bocuse.
Charlie Trotter would have many courses, raw, tiny and delicate seafoods. Miles Davis would play with Bob Dylan while Dostoevsky, Hemingway, Bukowski, Miller, Wolfe, Hunter S. Thompson along with F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. His Chef Matthias Merges would prepare it.
Jean – Georges Vongerichten would have a Royal Banquet such as they have at the Grand Palace in Bangkok prepared by the Royal Chef.
Martin Picard (a great Canadian Chef) would have a multi course feast which would start with a kilogram of Caviar, butter and vodka. 2 one hundred gram truffles, one black and one white. It would be served in a forest with Bach as played by Glenn Gould. LOVED THIS ANSWER!
Ducasse would eat on Mars. He currently prepares special celebratory meals for the European Space Agency for astronauts on board the International Space Station.
Guy Savoy’s exact response was as follows;
“Dear Madam,
I thank you for your note and am touched by your admiration. Nevertheless, I have a phobic rapport with death and because of this, will never discuss my last meal. This returns me to my life’s philosophy: I talk about openings not closings.
Receive, dear Madam, my best wishes.”
As I said earlier the responses to these questions reveals quite a bit about these Chefs.
What would your last meal be? Who would be there? What would be playing? Where would it be?
I plan on answering these questions in the next blog post.
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Showing posts with label Escoffier. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Escoffier. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Please Sir, May I Have Some More (file under thoughts)
Escoffier once said; “On n’en sait jamais trop.” This translates roughly to; the more one learns, more one realizes how much is left to learn.
We are all well aware that the last month or so I have been searching. Searching for a way to continue to survive. To continue living my dream. To continue continuing if you will. Feeling unfulfilled where I am inevitably led me down the path of self exploration. For most people I think this is uncomfortable because they are unsure of what they are going to find. In my case, I find it quite liberating. Why liberating you may ask? Well if you look at the testament of my blog you will find that I am always looking inward. I am trying to find a way to feel good about where I am and what I am doing and not out of some major discontent or the like. But rather to enhance that dream which I am living each day.
Upon deeper reflection this passed weekend I came to realize just how much I had grown as a person. I have never been one to publicly display my mistakes out of a deep fear of judgment. However, when I think about the meeting at Reservation on Friday, I feel good about it, I feel that I acknowledged my mistakes, analyzed them, and sought out an answer that not only fit, but was the right fit.
When I left Reservation I was blinded by my own stupidity. Well, maybe not stupidity, but a momentary lapse of judgment. One which did not enable me to perfectly explore my options and decide upon which would best serve my eventual goals. It is not easy to come to that realization. But again I think that it is a measure of maturity and sober thought that leads me to that realization.
I feel good about the meeting. About what was said by both the DOP and Executive Chef. I feel that I represented my foolishness in an appropriate way and demonstrated my desire to come back humbled in order to grow.
That’s sort of where I got the name of this post. For me, it is saying, may I have some more. More experience. More knowledge. More time to grow. More time to flourish. More time to develop. So yes, I would like some more.
I am going back to Reservation tomorrow afternoon before service for another meeting. I’m unsure what Executive Chef is going to say. But I am prepared. Prepared in the event that it does not go my way. But even more so if I am accepted back. Sous Chef A had suggested that I be ready to jump into line with him at Sauce regardless of the outcome of the meeting. Again through sober thought and a few little birdies I think that it would be inappropriate for me to assume anything in Chef’s kitchen. It is his kitchen and I need to adhere to his wishes. I will however be bringing with me my knives and Chef wear.
I’m excited. I’m nervous. I’m prepared. I’m ready to continue my path.
Les Brown once said; “Your ability to communicate is an important tool in your pursuit of your goals, whether it is with your family, your co-workers or your clients and customers.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
We are all well aware that the last month or so I have been searching. Searching for a way to continue to survive. To continue living my dream. To continue continuing if you will. Feeling unfulfilled where I am inevitably led me down the path of self exploration. For most people I think this is uncomfortable because they are unsure of what they are going to find. In my case, I find it quite liberating. Why liberating you may ask? Well if you look at the testament of my blog you will find that I am always looking inward. I am trying to find a way to feel good about where I am and what I am doing and not out of some major discontent or the like. But rather to enhance that dream which I am living each day.
Upon deeper reflection this passed weekend I came to realize just how much I had grown as a person. I have never been one to publicly display my mistakes out of a deep fear of judgment. However, when I think about the meeting at Reservation on Friday, I feel good about it, I feel that I acknowledged my mistakes, analyzed them, and sought out an answer that not only fit, but was the right fit.
When I left Reservation I was blinded by my own stupidity. Well, maybe not stupidity, but a momentary lapse of judgment. One which did not enable me to perfectly explore my options and decide upon which would best serve my eventual goals. It is not easy to come to that realization. But again I think that it is a measure of maturity and sober thought that leads me to that realization.
I feel good about the meeting. About what was said by both the DOP and Executive Chef. I feel that I represented my foolishness in an appropriate way and demonstrated my desire to come back humbled in order to grow.
That’s sort of where I got the name of this post. For me, it is saying, may I have some more. More experience. More knowledge. More time to grow. More time to flourish. More time to develop. So yes, I would like some more.
I am going back to Reservation tomorrow afternoon before service for another meeting. I’m unsure what Executive Chef is going to say. But I am prepared. Prepared in the event that it does not go my way. But even more so if I am accepted back. Sous Chef A had suggested that I be ready to jump into line with him at Sauce regardless of the outcome of the meeting. Again through sober thought and a few little birdies I think that it would be inappropriate for me to assume anything in Chef’s kitchen. It is his kitchen and I need to adhere to his wishes. I will however be bringing with me my knives and Chef wear.
I’m excited. I’m nervous. I’m prepared. I’m ready to continue my path.
Les Brown once said; “Your ability to communicate is an important tool in your pursuit of your goals, whether it is with your family, your co-workers or your clients and customers.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Monday, February 23, 2009
Apicius’ Roman Cookery Book (file under Nouvelle huh?)
Pliny once wrote of Apicius; " the most gluttonous gorger of all spendthrifts, established the view that the flamingo's tongue has a specially fine flavor." And I need to beg the question; who says he was wrong?
I imagine that my file under has you all a bit perplexed. Of course Nouvelle Cuisine came to us by way of Marin, Menon, Escoffier, Gault, Bocuse, Chapel, Troisgros Brothers, Guerard, Verge and Oliver as is observed by common consensus. However it would seem (though I do need further study) that much of what we term as nouvelle cuisine today is in fact the result of Apicius Roman Cookery Book which was written an astonishingly fifteen to sixteen hundred years ago.
The particular copy that I got my hands on (though I am sure by now Google has it on Google Books) is presented with the Latin version on the left side of the page and the English translation on the right.
I observed that some of the recipes seemed to be arcane (ah duh), silly or just plain unnecessary such as one which teaches how to turn red wine white. The first question that popped into my head is why would anyone assault a red wine with a recipe such as this?
Another recipe that struck me (perhaps because it reminded me of Garde Manger) was to turn bad honey into good honey. This is quite simply accomplished by heating two thirds of the bad honey with one third of the good honey. And according to the recipe “Voila” good honey. To me it is unclear whether this recipe is meant to be dishonest or as a means of eliciting further profit. Moreover, for me, it is hard to test the recipe as most honey today is prepared to avoid such spoilage.
He has numerous recipes for the preservation of meats, vegetables, fruits, etc. I am excited to try each and every one of them and to relay the results to you my loyal readers. He has numerous recipes for broths, soups and purees which I am curious to try. Specifically in the trying of these recipes I want to know about the texture resultant.
On page 149 of the copy I had is the recipe for Flamingo that Pliny is so bothered by. Interestingly to me was that there were recipes for snails and wombs. I’ve never had nor conceived of eating a womb (perhaps because of my consciousness) but it did make me wonder why there would be a recipe for it. Are people out there eating womb today? If so I would be curious to know how it is prepared and moreover if there is a ritualistic aspect to the use of the womb.
All in all I would suggest that anyone serious about food should at the very least peruse this book as it has some very interesting recipes. When I try them out I will let you know the result.
Plutarch once wrote; “The same intelligence is required to marshal an army in battle and to order a good dinner. The first must be as formidable as possible, the second as pleasant as possible, to the participants.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
I imagine that my file under has you all a bit perplexed. Of course Nouvelle Cuisine came to us by way of Marin, Menon, Escoffier, Gault, Bocuse, Chapel, Troisgros Brothers, Guerard, Verge and Oliver as is observed by common consensus. However it would seem (though I do need further study) that much of what we term as nouvelle cuisine today is in fact the result of Apicius Roman Cookery Book which was written an astonishingly fifteen to sixteen hundred years ago.
The particular copy that I got my hands on (though I am sure by now Google has it on Google Books) is presented with the Latin version on the left side of the page and the English translation on the right.
I observed that some of the recipes seemed to be arcane (ah duh), silly or just plain unnecessary such as one which teaches how to turn red wine white. The first question that popped into my head is why would anyone assault a red wine with a recipe such as this?
Another recipe that struck me (perhaps because it reminded me of Garde Manger) was to turn bad honey into good honey. This is quite simply accomplished by heating two thirds of the bad honey with one third of the good honey. And according to the recipe “Voila” good honey. To me it is unclear whether this recipe is meant to be dishonest or as a means of eliciting further profit. Moreover, for me, it is hard to test the recipe as most honey today is prepared to avoid such spoilage.
He has numerous recipes for the preservation of meats, vegetables, fruits, etc. I am excited to try each and every one of them and to relay the results to you my loyal readers. He has numerous recipes for broths, soups and purees which I am curious to try. Specifically in the trying of these recipes I want to know about the texture resultant.
On page 149 of the copy I had is the recipe for Flamingo that Pliny is so bothered by. Interestingly to me was that there were recipes for snails and wombs. I’ve never had nor conceived of eating a womb (perhaps because of my consciousness) but it did make me wonder why there would be a recipe for it. Are people out there eating womb today? If so I would be curious to know how it is prepared and moreover if there is a ritualistic aspect to the use of the womb.
All in all I would suggest that anyone serious about food should at the very least peruse this book as it has some very interesting recipes. When I try them out I will let you know the result.
Plutarch once wrote; “The same intelligence is required to marshal an army in battle and to order a good dinner. The first must be as formidable as possible, the second as pleasant as possible, to the participants.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Great Chefs (and what they mean to me)
Over the course of this past year. 10 months really. I have spent as much time as humanly possible reading. I have tried to absorb as much as humanly possible and have many notebooks and this blog as evidence of that fact.
I have read Escoffier, Girardet, the Roux Brothers, Bourdain, Marco Pierre White, Alice Waters, Thomas Keller, Michael Ruhlman and so many more. I have read MFK Fisher with delight and marveled at the ingenuity required to consider how to properly cook a wolf. But what has all this reading meant for my development?
Each time I pick up a book I read it with a sense of urgency equal to that of a student who knows that his teacher is about to die. With that urgency I have riffled through the various, wits, wisdoms and insights of the greats to both aid my journey and to illuminate my path. From each I have taken something significant and different.
But ultimately the question comes down to this; what makes a great chef great? I think that everyone in his or her chosen field asks this question. What makes a pitcher so capable of throwing? An artist so capable of capturing a moment in time? A writer, so on and so forth.
So I ask then; what does make a great chef great? I have asked this question before in the blog. How does Gordon Ramsay become Gordon Ramsay? Or Marco Pierre White? I think that in this age of instant gratification everyone buys into the belief that these people can achieve success, well, instantly. As such there is a over stylized and glamourized concept that people have with regard to them. But not me.
I have worked in the restaurant industry now for over ten months. Ten long, grueling, demanding and glorious months. I have learned more being in the restaurant than any book (or culinary school) could ever impart. And yet I am left with the question; what separates the wheat from the chaff? And ultimately I think what makes people in any given field great is; Drive, Passion, Talent, Desire and Dedication.
What makes Gordon Ramsay Gordon Ramsay is that he has worked tirelessly, everyday to BE Gordon Ramsay. The same is true of all the greats. I hope one day to be looked at not by the world at large, but by my customers, as a great chef. As a harbinger of culinary greatness that culminates in a wonderful experience, gastronomical and otherwise, that they can take with them for the rest of their lives.
The more I read, the more I come to understand, that the field that I have chosen is one that eats people alive. I come to see that I did not choose the field at all but rather that it chose me. And while today I am but an infant in the industry learning how to crawl and soon to walk, I am aware that you can’t really pick to be a great chef, YOU HAVE TO BECOME ONE. On a path that is clear but winding. That path is what has made all these Chefs great.
George Bernard Shaw once wrote; “Forget about likes and dislikes. They are of no consequence. Just do what must be done. This may not be happiness but it is greatness.” Think about that for a minute.
Are you dreaming big and inspired? WHY NOT?
A la prochaine
SDM
I have read Escoffier, Girardet, the Roux Brothers, Bourdain, Marco Pierre White, Alice Waters, Thomas Keller, Michael Ruhlman and so many more. I have read MFK Fisher with delight and marveled at the ingenuity required to consider how to properly cook a wolf. But what has all this reading meant for my development?
Each time I pick up a book I read it with a sense of urgency equal to that of a student who knows that his teacher is about to die. With that urgency I have riffled through the various, wits, wisdoms and insights of the greats to both aid my journey and to illuminate my path. From each I have taken something significant and different.
But ultimately the question comes down to this; what makes a great chef great? I think that everyone in his or her chosen field asks this question. What makes a pitcher so capable of throwing? An artist so capable of capturing a moment in time? A writer, so on and so forth.
So I ask then; what does make a great chef great? I have asked this question before in the blog. How does Gordon Ramsay become Gordon Ramsay? Or Marco Pierre White? I think that in this age of instant gratification everyone buys into the belief that these people can achieve success, well, instantly. As such there is a over stylized and glamourized concept that people have with regard to them. But not me.
I have worked in the restaurant industry now for over ten months. Ten long, grueling, demanding and glorious months. I have learned more being in the restaurant than any book (or culinary school) could ever impart. And yet I am left with the question; what separates the wheat from the chaff? And ultimately I think what makes people in any given field great is; Drive, Passion, Talent, Desire and Dedication.
What makes Gordon Ramsay Gordon Ramsay is that he has worked tirelessly, everyday to BE Gordon Ramsay. The same is true of all the greats. I hope one day to be looked at not by the world at large, but by my customers, as a great chef. As a harbinger of culinary greatness that culminates in a wonderful experience, gastronomical and otherwise, that they can take with them for the rest of their lives.
The more I read, the more I come to understand, that the field that I have chosen is one that eats people alive. I come to see that I did not choose the field at all but rather that it chose me. And while today I am but an infant in the industry learning how to crawl and soon to walk, I am aware that you can’t really pick to be a great chef, YOU HAVE TO BECOME ONE. On a path that is clear but winding. That path is what has made all these Chefs great.
George Bernard Shaw once wrote; “Forget about likes and dislikes. They are of no consequence. Just do what must be done. This may not be happiness but it is greatness.” Think about that for a minute.
Are you dreaming big and inspired? WHY NOT?
A la prochaine
SDM
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
The Soul of a Chef (file under Michael Ruhlman)
Hello all! I hope this finds you wings spread in flight towards your dreams. As has become my custom in the past couple of months I picked up a couple of books last week. The first is written by Michael Ruhlman called “The Soul of a Chef… The Journey Toward Perfection.”
Michael Ruhlman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Ruhlman or http://ruhlman.com/) is a true original. As I sat at the bookstore looking through the various books that I could get I kept on coming back to the one I ended up getting. Something about the title intrigued me as I am not entirely sure that there can be “the” soul of a chef. Nonetheless I picked it up and immediately began reading it.
Ruhlman chose to write about the Certified Master Chef test which is put on by the Culinary Institute of America. The CIA is the preeminent school on this side of the Atlantic for the culinary world. From its grounds on the Hudson River, students from all over North America come, to begin the wonderful journey to becoming or improving as a Chef. However, the rare breed that chooses to do the CMC come from far and wide to prove something not to their teachers but to themselves.
The CMC is a grueling ten day adventure which causes the candidates to the rigorous standards of the CIA. To put this in context sine the test was created in the early 1980’s fewer than 100 people have become CMC’s. Ruhlman, as a writer, traveled through the testing following as 7 candidates tried to become the newest CMC’s. What follows is an interesting tale of perseverance, success and failure. It is an interesting expose of how detailed one has to be in order to become a CMC. I must admit that the read is fascinating. Moreover, that it causes one (i.e. ME) to look at what it is I really want.
If anyone out there is interested in professional cooking I do strongly suggest reading this book as it illuminates quite clearly the dedication and force of will that one requires to enter this world.
On a personal note I had a conversation with Head Chef about the CMC resultant from reading this book. I asked him whether or not it was relevant to go after your CMC or note. Thoughtfully he explored both sides of the equation for me. As Ruhlman explains in the book, those who adhere to the principles of the CMC think that it is an extremely valuable test which vaults those above. However, Head Chef did point out to me that most Chefs look at the CMC as less than ideal. It tests classical cooking such that Escoffier might produce and in fact the test (the classical portion) is heavily rooted in Escoffier philosophy.
Head Chef told me that it is an extremely personal decision to take the CMC. It is a standard by which others are measured but that measure may or may not be respected by those Chefs that are in the trenches of the hot line every day. Day in and day out, toiling, sweating, creating and pushing through the demands of every day kitchen life. Many that take the CMC end up running large industrial (read Hotel or cruise ship) kitchens and many do not cook at all and when they do it is in ‘competition.’
Reading Ruhlman I thought about whether or not I found the test relevant for myself. I asked myself the tough questions but none more important than what is the soul of a chef.
Not yet a Chef I explored my own personal biases as to what I thought the soul of a chef was and how that related to my own personal experience. What I came up with is what follows;
The Soul of a Chef is composed of the following things;
A desire for personal greatness
A solid foundation of creativity from which to express the inherent qualities of an ingredient with an adherence to integrity and honesty
A belief that you can always do better
An understanding that perfection is unattainable but its pursuit is gloriously hard and rewarding
A personal honesty that extends beyond the kitchen and in fact touches all areas of your life
A desire to learn everyday
A passion for relating to others what you have learned on your own journey thus aiding others personal odyssey
The understanding that each day offers new and exciting possibilities
The knowledge and firmly held belief that tomorrow is another day
The knowledge that mistakes happen and that they are the most rewarding because they inform your future
A desire to help others
A desire to inform
A desire to get better each and every day
The ability to play just as hard as you work
This is what I believe the Soul of a Chef is today. I think that as my personal experience continues this list will expand to include much much more and it has caused me to start working on my own personal manifesto.
Ruhlman also spends a lot of time with Michael Symon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Symon) who is the Chef Patron of Cleveland’s Lola (http://www.lolabistro.com/) his personal blog can be found at (http://www.symonsays.typepad.com/). I like Michael Symon. A LOT! If I could spend some time with any one Chef right now it would probably be Michael Symon because I believe that I fit into his model of the world. I believe that his food is honest. That he doesn’t try to be or represent something other than he is. If I could spend time working with him I feel like I could learn a lot. And who knows maybe someday I will.
Ruhlman also speaks of how he became the cowriter of Thomas Keller’s “The French Laundry Cookbook.” Believe me sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. But I will leave you to discover that story on your own.
At any rate, I think that Ruhlman’s “The Soul of a Chef” is a great read. So much so that I went out and bought his other book “The Making of a Chef” which naturally I will tell you all about in a future post.
Mario Batali once said; “When I was a cook and 24 years old... I read the kinds of books that were the inspiration to understanding the value of simplicity in cooking.” Funny, that’s what I’m doing 9 years later.
Dream big and inspired.
A la prochaine
SDM
Michael Ruhlman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Ruhlman or http://ruhlman.com/) is a true original. As I sat at the bookstore looking through the various books that I could get I kept on coming back to the one I ended up getting. Something about the title intrigued me as I am not entirely sure that there can be “the” soul of a chef. Nonetheless I picked it up and immediately began reading it.
Ruhlman chose to write about the Certified Master Chef test which is put on by the Culinary Institute of America. The CIA is the preeminent school on this side of the Atlantic for the culinary world. From its grounds on the Hudson River, students from all over North America come, to begin the wonderful journey to becoming or improving as a Chef. However, the rare breed that chooses to do the CMC come from far and wide to prove something not to their teachers but to themselves.
The CMC is a grueling ten day adventure which causes the candidates to the rigorous standards of the CIA. To put this in context sine the test was created in the early 1980’s fewer than 100 people have become CMC’s. Ruhlman, as a writer, traveled through the testing following as 7 candidates tried to become the newest CMC’s. What follows is an interesting tale of perseverance, success and failure. It is an interesting expose of how detailed one has to be in order to become a CMC. I must admit that the read is fascinating. Moreover, that it causes one (i.e. ME) to look at what it is I really want.
If anyone out there is interested in professional cooking I do strongly suggest reading this book as it illuminates quite clearly the dedication and force of will that one requires to enter this world.
On a personal note I had a conversation with Head Chef about the CMC resultant from reading this book. I asked him whether or not it was relevant to go after your CMC or note. Thoughtfully he explored both sides of the equation for me. As Ruhlman explains in the book, those who adhere to the principles of the CMC think that it is an extremely valuable test which vaults those above. However, Head Chef did point out to me that most Chefs look at the CMC as less than ideal. It tests classical cooking such that Escoffier might produce and in fact the test (the classical portion) is heavily rooted in Escoffier philosophy.
Head Chef told me that it is an extremely personal decision to take the CMC. It is a standard by which others are measured but that measure may or may not be respected by those Chefs that are in the trenches of the hot line every day. Day in and day out, toiling, sweating, creating and pushing through the demands of every day kitchen life. Many that take the CMC end up running large industrial (read Hotel or cruise ship) kitchens and many do not cook at all and when they do it is in ‘competition.’
Reading Ruhlman I thought about whether or not I found the test relevant for myself. I asked myself the tough questions but none more important than what is the soul of a chef.
Not yet a Chef I explored my own personal biases as to what I thought the soul of a chef was and how that related to my own personal experience. What I came up with is what follows;
The Soul of a Chef is composed of the following things;
A desire for personal greatness
A solid foundation of creativity from which to express the inherent qualities of an ingredient with an adherence to integrity and honesty
A belief that you can always do better
An understanding that perfection is unattainable but its pursuit is gloriously hard and rewarding
A personal honesty that extends beyond the kitchen and in fact touches all areas of your life
A desire to learn everyday
A passion for relating to others what you have learned on your own journey thus aiding others personal odyssey
The understanding that each day offers new and exciting possibilities
The knowledge and firmly held belief that tomorrow is another day
The knowledge that mistakes happen and that they are the most rewarding because they inform your future
A desire to help others
A desire to inform
A desire to get better each and every day
The ability to play just as hard as you work
This is what I believe the Soul of a Chef is today. I think that as my personal experience continues this list will expand to include much much more and it has caused me to start working on my own personal manifesto.
Ruhlman also spends a lot of time with Michael Symon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Symon) who is the Chef Patron of Cleveland’s Lola (http://www.lolabistro.com/) his personal blog can be found at (http://www.symonsays.typepad.com/). I like Michael Symon. A LOT! If I could spend some time with any one Chef right now it would probably be Michael Symon because I believe that I fit into his model of the world. I believe that his food is honest. That he doesn’t try to be or represent something other than he is. If I could spend time working with him I feel like I could learn a lot. And who knows maybe someday I will.
Ruhlman also speaks of how he became the cowriter of Thomas Keller’s “The French Laundry Cookbook.” Believe me sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. But I will leave you to discover that story on your own.
At any rate, I think that Ruhlman’s “The Soul of a Chef” is a great read. So much so that I went out and bought his other book “The Making of a Chef” which naturally I will tell you all about in a future post.
Mario Batali once said; “When I was a cook and 24 years old... I read the kinds of books that were the inspiration to understanding the value of simplicity in cooking.” Funny, that’s what I’m doing 9 years later.
Dream big and inspired.
A la prochaine
SDM
Friday, May 30, 2008
Marco Pierre White (L’enfant Terrible and Modern Day Epicurus)
I’ve just now finished reading Marco Pierre White’s incredible autobiography entitled “The Devil in the Kitchen” and I am firmly convinced that he is one of the best chefs the world has ever known and, to my mind, a modern day Epicurus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epicurus).
From humble beginnings Chef White rose to become the most successful Chef in Britain and quite possibly the world. To put this in perspective Chef White has worked with the finest names in gastronomy (a point I will elaborate on later) and at the tender age of 33 (coincidence with my decision to join a kitchen???) was awarded the highest possible acclaim that any Chef can aspire to. He was awarded the highest honour of 3 Michelin Stars as well as five red forks and knives that relates to service, ambiance, décor, etc. His restaurants have consistently put out amazing dishes and have always attracted the highest strata of clientele. But I digress; I need to explain how he got there first.
Chef White was born in 1961 in Leeds. His father was a Chef at a hotel not far from where he grew up and a greyhound gambler and his mother was the duteous wife who took care of he and his brothers. His mother died in front of him at the tender age of six and this would have an enormous impact on his life in numerous ways. The first being obvious, he lacked the necessary motherly influence that all boys need. Secondly, his father was unable to cope with the stresses of raising the boys on his own and had to send his youngest brother to be raised by his mothers’ family in Italy.
Early on Chef White nurtured a flair for fantastic business acumen, including selling one of his fathers prized dogs for a profit, without his fathers knowledge or consent. This gave way to his getting an appetite for business. A fateful conversation with his father as a young man would lead to his decision to pursue the glorious pursuit. His father advised him that e should become a Chef because; “People were always going to need to be fed.” Running with this Chef White began a marvelous journey that lasted 21 years and quite possibly 109,000 hours at 100 hours a week. (Thinking about it now, I know I have enough Uber human strength to pull the work ethic off)
I am uncertain as to whether it was extraordinary timing and a bit of luck or a lot of luck and good timing but Chef White was able to parlay each experience he had into another that was positive and rewarding. I would also like to state at this point that Edison once said; “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety nine percent perspiration.” Chef White rose through the ranks with a tireless work ethic, an eye for detail and a passion for the pursuit of excellence, at first as defined by others, and then in time, as defined by himself.
His storied career took him from Leeds, to the Box Tree at the ripe age of eighteen (http://www.theboxtree.co.uk/) where he really excelled and developed his personal flair. I’m not sure if this where he came up with the following belief but I do know that it has served him (and doubtless every other Chef well); “A recipe is one thing, but METHOD is another. It’s about understanding and questioning what you are trying to do.” The Box Tree revealed to him what the world of Cheffing could be like. Both with its ups and downs and of the harsh brutality of the industry.
After leaving the Box Tree he looked at both Chewton Glen (as I mentioned in my previous post) and Le Gavroche (http://www.le-gavroche.co.uk/). In “ The Devil in the Kitchen,” Chef White explains that when the application form for Le Gavroche arrived and it was all written in French he took that as a sign that they only wanted French Chefs and as such had then turned his attention to Chewton Glen. I assume after some somber thought while he was in London (and another once of those chance, luck time continuums) he missed his train home and decided that as he was in London he would walk over to Le Gavroche and see what was what. When he got there it was virtually empty but was told that he could go to Roux Brothers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Roux http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_Roux) HQ.
Upon walking into Albert Roux’s office and asking for a job the interview was quite simple. He was asked where he had worked and upon mentioning the Box Tree and eighteen months of service there was told to go home and get his things and report back on Monday. Doing this was the best decision a young Chef could have made.
The Roux Brothers, especially Albert had a tremendous influence of Chef White and aided him to see everything that he needed in order to become the best in the world. From the Roux Brothers he ended up with Pierre Koffmann at the renowned La Tainte Claire. Each step was monumental in forming the man, the chef and what he certainly will be known as the legend. In every way as important as Escoffier (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auguste_Escoffier) is. His experiences with Koffmann led him to the venerable and insanely talented Raymond Blanc (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Blanc) at Le Manoir Aux Quat Saisons (http://www.manoir.com/web/olem/olem_a2a_home.jsp) which you’ll recall I wrote about his cookbook in the post http://newbieintheweeds.blogspot.com/2008/02/brunch-smiles-are-free.html and then with Nico Ladenis (http://www.chefdb.com/nm/6380/ ) at Chez Nico.
The last two paragraphs outline perhaps the greatest possible training that a Chef could ever want or receive. He worked under and with legends that recognized his work ethic, passion, drive and talent and one step always led to the next. The above names are legends, originators, re-inventors if you will, of the highest order. Each had a definite and defined impact on the life of Chef White and I believe it shows.
As so often happens in moments of unparalleled serendipity, Chef White was the product of legends to become one himself. THAT HAS TO FILTER DOWN. There has to be an equal and opposite reaction. As a result, the many Michelin Starred Chefs that have been a product of Chef White’s influence reads like a who’s who of the modern gastronomic world;
Of Babbo and Del Posto fame (http://www.mariobatali.com/ ) Mario Batali
Of The Fat Duck (http://www.fatduck.co.uk/ ) fame is Heston Blumenthal
Of the Capital Group (http://www.capitalhotel.co.uk/restaurantbar_eric.html ) Eric Chavot
Of Aubergine and Hell’s Kitchen fame Gordon Ramsay (http://www.gordonramsay.com/ )
Neither of these lists is exhaustive by any stretch but it does illustrate the point that genius comes together and produces something spectacular and what a ride it must have been.
Naturally for success there has to be failure and one of the things that I learned from reading Chef White is that failure has to be your guide. Through the little glances into his world I can see that he is much more reflective that people thought (my assumption) and that he has quite a head on his shoulders apart from the flame.
After reading “The Devil in the Kitchen” I have a newly formed desire to be the best. Not just good. The best! It is within reach. It is possible and from reading Chef White’s book I get the necessary ambition, energy, drive, passion, skill and talent that it will take to do it. BUT ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.
I strongly recommend that you read this book for yourself. I finished it in a day and a half and that is with the very little amount of time that I have.
On a personal note (like they all aren’t here, a duh) I would like to express my profound respect to Chef White for having accomplished the “impossible.” Your lead has made it maybe a step easier or harder I’m not sure which yet for me to get to where I want to be. I am inspired and enthralled by everything you have done and can finally see in an experiential way what needs to get done, both personally and professionally. Thank you for your lead and your example. It is AMAZING.
I have a couple more posts to write today so I think that is as good a place as any to end this one. But as usual, Epicurus once said; “You don't develop courage by being happy in your relationships everyday. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity.”
BE INSPIRED AND DREAM BIG TODAY!
A la prochaine
SDM
From humble beginnings Chef White rose to become the most successful Chef in Britain and quite possibly the world. To put this in perspective Chef White has worked with the finest names in gastronomy (a point I will elaborate on later) and at the tender age of 33 (coincidence with my decision to join a kitchen???) was awarded the highest possible acclaim that any Chef can aspire to. He was awarded the highest honour of 3 Michelin Stars as well as five red forks and knives that relates to service, ambiance, décor, etc. His restaurants have consistently put out amazing dishes and have always attracted the highest strata of clientele. But I digress; I need to explain how he got there first.
Chef White was born in 1961 in Leeds. His father was a Chef at a hotel not far from where he grew up and a greyhound gambler and his mother was the duteous wife who took care of he and his brothers. His mother died in front of him at the tender age of six and this would have an enormous impact on his life in numerous ways. The first being obvious, he lacked the necessary motherly influence that all boys need. Secondly, his father was unable to cope with the stresses of raising the boys on his own and had to send his youngest brother to be raised by his mothers’ family in Italy.
Early on Chef White nurtured a flair for fantastic business acumen, including selling one of his fathers prized dogs for a profit, without his fathers knowledge or consent. This gave way to his getting an appetite for business. A fateful conversation with his father as a young man would lead to his decision to pursue the glorious pursuit. His father advised him that e should become a Chef because; “People were always going to need to be fed.” Running with this Chef White began a marvelous journey that lasted 21 years and quite possibly 109,000 hours at 100 hours a week. (Thinking about it now, I know I have enough Uber human strength to pull the work ethic off)
I am uncertain as to whether it was extraordinary timing and a bit of luck or a lot of luck and good timing but Chef White was able to parlay each experience he had into another that was positive and rewarding. I would also like to state at this point that Edison once said; “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety nine percent perspiration.” Chef White rose through the ranks with a tireless work ethic, an eye for detail and a passion for the pursuit of excellence, at first as defined by others, and then in time, as defined by himself.
His storied career took him from Leeds, to the Box Tree at the ripe age of eighteen (http://www.theboxtree.co.uk/) where he really excelled and developed his personal flair. I’m not sure if this where he came up with the following belief but I do know that it has served him (and doubtless every other Chef well); “A recipe is one thing, but METHOD is another. It’s about understanding and questioning what you are trying to do.” The Box Tree revealed to him what the world of Cheffing could be like. Both with its ups and downs and of the harsh brutality of the industry.
After leaving the Box Tree he looked at both Chewton Glen (as I mentioned in my previous post) and Le Gavroche (http://www.le-gavroche.co.uk/). In “ The Devil in the Kitchen,” Chef White explains that when the application form for Le Gavroche arrived and it was all written in French he took that as a sign that they only wanted French Chefs and as such had then turned his attention to Chewton Glen. I assume after some somber thought while he was in London (and another once of those chance, luck time continuums) he missed his train home and decided that as he was in London he would walk over to Le Gavroche and see what was what. When he got there it was virtually empty but was told that he could go to Roux Brothers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Roux http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_Roux) HQ.
Upon walking into Albert Roux’s office and asking for a job the interview was quite simple. He was asked where he had worked and upon mentioning the Box Tree and eighteen months of service there was told to go home and get his things and report back on Monday. Doing this was the best decision a young Chef could have made.
The Roux Brothers, especially Albert had a tremendous influence of Chef White and aided him to see everything that he needed in order to become the best in the world. From the Roux Brothers he ended up with Pierre Koffmann at the renowned La Tainte Claire. Each step was monumental in forming the man, the chef and what he certainly will be known as the legend. In every way as important as Escoffier (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auguste_Escoffier) is. His experiences with Koffmann led him to the venerable and insanely talented Raymond Blanc (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Blanc) at Le Manoir Aux Quat Saisons (http://www.manoir.com/web/olem/olem_a2a_home.jsp) which you’ll recall I wrote about his cookbook in the post http://newbieintheweeds.blogspot.com/2008/02/brunch-smiles-are-free.html and then with Nico Ladenis (http://www.chefdb.com/nm/6380/ ) at Chez Nico.
The last two paragraphs outline perhaps the greatest possible training that a Chef could ever want or receive. He worked under and with legends that recognized his work ethic, passion, drive and talent and one step always led to the next. The above names are legends, originators, re-inventors if you will, of the highest order. Each had a definite and defined impact on the life of Chef White and I believe it shows.
As so often happens in moments of unparalleled serendipity, Chef White was the product of legends to become one himself. THAT HAS TO FILTER DOWN. There has to be an equal and opposite reaction. As a result, the many Michelin Starred Chefs that have been a product of Chef White’s influence reads like a who’s who of the modern gastronomic world;
Of Babbo and Del Posto fame (http://www.mariobatali.com/ ) Mario Batali
Of The Fat Duck (http://www.fatduck.co.uk/ ) fame is Heston Blumenthal
Of the Capital Group (http://www.capitalhotel.co.uk/restaurantbar_eric.html ) Eric Chavot
Of Aubergine and Hell’s Kitchen fame Gordon Ramsay (http://www.gordonramsay.com/ )
Neither of these lists is exhaustive by any stretch but it does illustrate the point that genius comes together and produces something spectacular and what a ride it must have been.
Naturally for success there has to be failure and one of the things that I learned from reading Chef White is that failure has to be your guide. Through the little glances into his world I can see that he is much more reflective that people thought (my assumption) and that he has quite a head on his shoulders apart from the flame.
After reading “The Devil in the Kitchen” I have a newly formed desire to be the best. Not just good. The best! It is within reach. It is possible and from reading Chef White’s book I get the necessary ambition, energy, drive, passion, skill and talent that it will take to do it. BUT ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.
I strongly recommend that you read this book for yourself. I finished it in a day and a half and that is with the very little amount of time that I have.
On a personal note (like they all aren’t here, a duh) I would like to express my profound respect to Chef White for having accomplished the “impossible.” Your lead has made it maybe a step easier or harder I’m not sure which yet for me to get to where I want to be. I am inspired and enthralled by everything you have done and can finally see in an experiential way what needs to get done, both personally and professionally. Thank you for your lead and your example. It is AMAZING.
I have a couple more posts to write today so I think that is as good a place as any to end this one. But as usual, Epicurus once said; “You don't develop courage by being happy in your relationships everyday. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity.”
BE INSPIRED AND DREAM BIG TODAY!
A la prochaine
SDM
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Day off… But not really!
On Sunday I had asked Exec Chef what time I was supposed to be at work today. He said 10 am (which for me means earlier). So naturally I showed up and started working. Stock, Remi, and Demi. Receiving, labeling and putting away. I know that it must seem crazy but I am happier than I have ever been in my entire life.
But before we get to today lets look at yesterday. Obviously I caught up on my blogging. There were three days that I had missed. Then I started reading the latest book that Exec Chef had loaned me; Alfred Portale’s Gotham Bar and Grill Cookbook. For those of you who don’t know Chef Portale is an amazing chef (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Portale ). He was fortunate enough to be trained by some of the originators of Nouvelle Cuisine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nouvelle_cuisine ), which is incidentally at least partially an influence on Exec Chef and the menu at Reservation.
From the very first page I was transfixed. The line “Good food is an adventure” caught me as a very real representation of what it is that I strive to. I want to give people an adventure and food is going to be (in some ways already has) the vehicle I use to drive peoples adventures.
Portale has a way of representing what he does so that you can see clearly this is a man driven my integrity. Integrity of spirit and he strives to make the food he serves filled with as much integrity as possible. He also said; “One of the most important realizations at which an aspiring cook can arrive is how much he or she doesn’t know.” If ever truer words were spoken that reflect the life that I am now living these are them. I have always sought to know as much as possible and now in the endeavour I am as well. But with the CAVEAT that there is much I don’t know and even more that every day I will be able to learn something new.
Some of his influences have included but are not limited to Michel Troisgros (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Maison_Troisgros ). He had the good fortune to train with the Troisgros brothers. Earlier I’ve mentioned Escoffier, the Roux brothers, Girardet. Each of these had an impact on Portale and each have also had an influence on me.
I have started to question what it is that I want to do with food. Where it is I want to go. How is the best way to do it. These are all questions that will not be even close to being answered for several years. I keep them in my notebook and when the time is right Exec Chef and I will sit down over a fine glass of wine and start talking about it. It may take several sessions but I know he will answer any question I have willingly and in fact with a massive smile. I know that Head Chef will also be willing to do the same thing and it will be interesting to contrast the answers so that I can do the absolute very best. But, like I said, we are years away from that coming to fruition. I have lots I need to learn and only TIME and EXPERIENCE can do that best.
So what was today you ask? Good question. Just so that you get a further feel these are the point form notes from today;
Clean Pots (no dishwasher that time of day and I needed the pots)
Stock, Remi and Demi
Cut Romaine
Croutons
Pancetta (slice and then roast)
Mixed Greens
Bruschetta
Smashed Potatoes
Roast Bones (came in late)
Make slurry
Mire Pois
Stock on
Cut Fingerlings, Fries and Gauffrettes
Fry all of the above potato dishes
Aioli
Roast Spaghetti Squash ( then cool and scrap it)
Cut and Roast Cauliflower florets,
Make Herbed Panko
Roast Corn then cut off cob
Break down Lobster
Cut butternut squash into rounds.
These are only the things I made notes on. There were about fifty other things. But I think at this point you all get the idea.
I left work at 8:15 and was pretty tired. I have to admit that this week is going to be interesting. It is going to be the first week where I work six days straight and it will be a very good gauge for what the rest of my life is going to look like.
I did get to speak with Exec Chef for quite a few minutes today as he was preparing a dish for a competition. One of the requirements of his contract with Garland (www.garlandcanada.ca ). I won’t say what he was preparing as it is for a competition but after the competition happens I will. I got to ask him all kinds of questions today about Portale and the Troisgros Brothers. As I’ve said before Exec Chef is a brilliant man. You can see it on his face and feel it from his spirit. Wise beyond his years and I am now the benefactor of that knowledge.
He speaks with an enthusiasm that is usually reserved for these massive personalities (or at least manufactured for them). Whereas with him he is the real deal. The genuine article. It feels awesome to be around that. I did let him know that I was recording these questions and eventually we’d have to chat about it. Without missing a beat he said of course. I anxiously await the day that I feel ready to have that conversation. As I’ve said years from now.
At any rate. It feels good to be home early. To finish my blog. I know that I still owe an explanation of the various pans, etc. in a kitchen. I asked Exec Chef today if I could take some pictures of the kitchen, etc. So I feel like I will take those pictures and then explain what you are seeing from them. That and it makes it easier for me to get a handle on what needs to be at what station, etc. Did I mention I’m loving it and that my life has taken a full turn around? AMAZING!
My note to myself today at the top of the page was; This is your dream, this is your life” and now I’m adding to it “and you’re living them both with integrity, love and laughter.” A fantastic way to live if you ask me.
Balzac is on my mind today and this quote came to mind as I was working today. I knew immediately that it would be my send off today; “It would be curious to know what leads a man to become a stationer rather than a baker, when he is no longer compelled, as among the Egyptians, to succeed to his father's craft.” Think about it and what you want from life. Remember always that you can not spell life without IF! No start asking and then taking steps in the right direction. Whatever that is.
Be inspired tomorrow and have a wonderful tonight.
A la prochaine
SDM
But before we get to today lets look at yesterday. Obviously I caught up on my blogging. There were three days that I had missed. Then I started reading the latest book that Exec Chef had loaned me; Alfred Portale’s Gotham Bar and Grill Cookbook. For those of you who don’t know Chef Portale is an amazing chef (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Portale ). He was fortunate enough to be trained by some of the originators of Nouvelle Cuisine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nouvelle_cuisine ), which is incidentally at least partially an influence on Exec Chef and the menu at Reservation.
From the very first page I was transfixed. The line “Good food is an adventure” caught me as a very real representation of what it is that I strive to. I want to give people an adventure and food is going to be (in some ways already has) the vehicle I use to drive peoples adventures.
Portale has a way of representing what he does so that you can see clearly this is a man driven my integrity. Integrity of spirit and he strives to make the food he serves filled with as much integrity as possible. He also said; “One of the most important realizations at which an aspiring cook can arrive is how much he or she doesn’t know.” If ever truer words were spoken that reflect the life that I am now living these are them. I have always sought to know as much as possible and now in the endeavour I am as well. But with the CAVEAT that there is much I don’t know and even more that every day I will be able to learn something new.
Some of his influences have included but are not limited to Michel Troisgros (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Maison_Troisgros ). He had the good fortune to train with the Troisgros brothers. Earlier I’ve mentioned Escoffier, the Roux brothers, Girardet. Each of these had an impact on Portale and each have also had an influence on me.
I have started to question what it is that I want to do with food. Where it is I want to go. How is the best way to do it. These are all questions that will not be even close to being answered for several years. I keep them in my notebook and when the time is right Exec Chef and I will sit down over a fine glass of wine and start talking about it. It may take several sessions but I know he will answer any question I have willingly and in fact with a massive smile. I know that Head Chef will also be willing to do the same thing and it will be interesting to contrast the answers so that I can do the absolute very best. But, like I said, we are years away from that coming to fruition. I have lots I need to learn and only TIME and EXPERIENCE can do that best.
So what was today you ask? Good question. Just so that you get a further feel these are the point form notes from today;
Clean Pots (no dishwasher that time of day and I needed the pots)
Stock, Remi and Demi
Cut Romaine
Croutons
Pancetta (slice and then roast)
Mixed Greens
Bruschetta
Smashed Potatoes
Roast Bones (came in late)
Make slurry
Mire Pois
Stock on
Cut Fingerlings, Fries and Gauffrettes
Fry all of the above potato dishes
Aioli
Roast Spaghetti Squash ( then cool and scrap it)
Cut and Roast Cauliflower florets,
Make Herbed Panko
Roast Corn then cut off cob
Break down Lobster
Cut butternut squash into rounds.
These are only the things I made notes on. There were about fifty other things. But I think at this point you all get the idea.
I left work at 8:15 and was pretty tired. I have to admit that this week is going to be interesting. It is going to be the first week where I work six days straight and it will be a very good gauge for what the rest of my life is going to look like.
I did get to speak with Exec Chef for quite a few minutes today as he was preparing a dish for a competition. One of the requirements of his contract with Garland (www.garlandcanada.ca ). I won’t say what he was preparing as it is for a competition but after the competition happens I will. I got to ask him all kinds of questions today about Portale and the Troisgros Brothers. As I’ve said before Exec Chef is a brilliant man. You can see it on his face and feel it from his spirit. Wise beyond his years and I am now the benefactor of that knowledge.
He speaks with an enthusiasm that is usually reserved for these massive personalities (or at least manufactured for them). Whereas with him he is the real deal. The genuine article. It feels awesome to be around that. I did let him know that I was recording these questions and eventually we’d have to chat about it. Without missing a beat he said of course. I anxiously await the day that I feel ready to have that conversation. As I’ve said years from now.
At any rate. It feels good to be home early. To finish my blog. I know that I still owe an explanation of the various pans, etc. in a kitchen. I asked Exec Chef today if I could take some pictures of the kitchen, etc. So I feel like I will take those pictures and then explain what you are seeing from them. That and it makes it easier for me to get a handle on what needs to be at what station, etc. Did I mention I’m loving it and that my life has taken a full turn around? AMAZING!
My note to myself today at the top of the page was; This is your dream, this is your life” and now I’m adding to it “and you’re living them both with integrity, love and laughter.” A fantastic way to live if you ask me.
Balzac is on my mind today and this quote came to mind as I was working today. I knew immediately that it would be my send off today; “It would be curious to know what leads a man to become a stationer rather than a baker, when he is no longer compelled, as among the Egyptians, to succeed to his father's craft.” Think about it and what you want from life. Remember always that you can not spell life without IF! No start asking and then taking steps in the right direction. Whatever that is.
Be inspired tomorrow and have a wonderful tonight.
A la prochaine
SDM
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