The great Greek orator and statesmen Demosthenes (whom I was once referred to as ) once said; “Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.”
I could not agree more.
Last week I wrote about the occasion of the Executive Chef at what I will call The Club and I meeting. It was a great meet and greet which enabled us both to determine whether or not there was an opportunity for me at The Club and sure enough on Friday last, while speaking with Executive Chef, I was asked if I would like to come aboard.
Would I? An opportunity to join a great kitchen. To have steady, stable and regular work. No more of this splits stuff barely making forty hours a week. With benefits. Naturally it was a no brainer for me after consulting with a few people in my life.
Naturally, when I awoke on Saturday morning I sat in front of the computer and wrote my resignation letter. I thanked Chef for the opportunity to work with him. When I handed in my letter, rather than having him read it, I let him know that it was my letter of resignation and I think he had to know it was coming. Without Reservation was about to start slowing down for the summer and it would be impossible for me to survive on the hours I would be getting.
It was a great opportunity to work at Without Reservation. It gave me many lessons which I have internalized and will take with me for the rest of my life. I have come to realize more about myself and my dream as a result of my time there. Not to mention that I gained extremely valuable line experience in a busy downtown restaurant which gave me a great starting point from which to grow into a great line cook.
I now find myself in the enviable position that I have a week to transition before starting the next chapter in my dream saga. It is going to give me the time to put keystroke to paper on some ideas that I have had but had little opportunity to work on.
I am excited for this opportunity. To continue to grow on this path that I started only a year and a half ago.
Winston Churchill once wrote; “The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”
I just want to remind everyone that I am now answering any and all cooking/kitchen related questions at www.askachefintrianing.blogspot.com . You can email questions to me at askachefintraining@gmail.com.
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Showing posts with label opportunity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label opportunity. Show all posts
Monday, March 30, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Another Opportunity (file under heading Chef’s advice)
Thomas Edison once said; “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” Not for me though. I love to work. I love what I do and where I am going. As such today presented another opportunity that I must weigh all the options and ensure that it is exactly what I want. That said I felt pretty good at the meeting.
As I blogged a few posts ago, I had a meeting with the Executive Chef of a prominent club in Toronto. I arrived sharply at 3 and spoke with him about what he needs, wants and desires as well as what I want, need and desire. We then walked around the various facilities to give me a feel for the place.
Its operations are huge. Perhaps four times as big as Reservation and at least ten times as big as Without Reservation. There are three distinct levels of service and thus expectation. The walkins are massive and filled with the most delicious, fresh and awe inspiring ingredients. The general feel of the place was good and seemed to be something that I might like to do.
When we returned to Chef’s office we spoke for a few more minutes. By the way, it really is true that all Chef’s get a bright corner office with lots of natural light, the best computers possible, etc. True in dreamland that is. Chef’s offices I have come to learn are small, filled with endless amounts of knowledge, clipboards, prep and staff lists, etc. But the office was nice enough and clean. We spoke all in for about an hour and within a few minutes I had the feeling that this was someone I could work for. He made sure that I was willing and able to be at work for those hours at which I had to chuckle. I always show up. He liked that!
Thus, the opportunity is, to work breakfast and lunch services for the time being. I have the freedom to create specials every day which include pasta, pizza and sandwiches as well as fish, meat, etc. This sounded very good to me. He was very honest in saying that it may not be the dream job for everyone out there but it is one which has the opportunity to create, to move up and to be part of a team. All things which resonate with me greatly.
Steady work. Stable. BENEFITS. I can buy into the pension plan.
So next I need to speak with my incredible fiancé and get her opinion on the matter. Executive Chef and I are scheduled to speak again on Friday. I look forward to resolving these issues so that I can start the process of working my way up the ladder to achieve exactly what it is that I intend to achieve.
As I was typing this Executive Chef sent me some material regarding menus, etc. He also looks forward to speaking on Friday.
I guess I have some serious soul searching to do. Luckily I am good at searching and have a soul.
Arthur Rimbaud once wrote; “The first study for the man who wants to be a poet is knowledge of himself, complete: he searches for his soul, he inspects it, he puts it to the test, he learns it. As soon as he has learned it, he must cultivate it! I say that one must be a seer, make oneself a seer. The poet becomes a seer through a long, immense, and reasoned derangement of all the senses. All shapes of love suffering, madness. He searches himself, he exhausts all poisons in himself, to keep only the quintessences. Ineffable torture where he needs all his faith, all his superhuman strength, where he becomes among all men the great patient, the great criminal, the great accursed one--and the supreme Scholar! For he reaches the unknown! ....So the poet is actually a thief of Fire!”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
WHY NOT?
A la prochaine
SDM
As I blogged a few posts ago, I had a meeting with the Executive Chef of a prominent club in Toronto. I arrived sharply at 3 and spoke with him about what he needs, wants and desires as well as what I want, need and desire. We then walked around the various facilities to give me a feel for the place.
Its operations are huge. Perhaps four times as big as Reservation and at least ten times as big as Without Reservation. There are three distinct levels of service and thus expectation. The walkins are massive and filled with the most delicious, fresh and awe inspiring ingredients. The general feel of the place was good and seemed to be something that I might like to do.
When we returned to Chef’s office we spoke for a few more minutes. By the way, it really is true that all Chef’s get a bright corner office with lots of natural light, the best computers possible, etc. True in dreamland that is. Chef’s offices I have come to learn are small, filled with endless amounts of knowledge, clipboards, prep and staff lists, etc. But the office was nice enough and clean. We spoke all in for about an hour and within a few minutes I had the feeling that this was someone I could work for. He made sure that I was willing and able to be at work for those hours at which I had to chuckle. I always show up. He liked that!
Thus, the opportunity is, to work breakfast and lunch services for the time being. I have the freedom to create specials every day which include pasta, pizza and sandwiches as well as fish, meat, etc. This sounded very good to me. He was very honest in saying that it may not be the dream job for everyone out there but it is one which has the opportunity to create, to move up and to be part of a team. All things which resonate with me greatly.
Steady work. Stable. BENEFITS. I can buy into the pension plan.
So next I need to speak with my incredible fiancé and get her opinion on the matter. Executive Chef and I are scheduled to speak again on Friday. I look forward to resolving these issues so that I can start the process of working my way up the ladder to achieve exactly what it is that I intend to achieve.
As I was typing this Executive Chef sent me some material regarding menus, etc. He also looks forward to speaking on Friday.
I guess I have some serious soul searching to do. Luckily I am good at searching and have a soul.
Arthur Rimbaud once wrote; “The first study for the man who wants to be a poet is knowledge of himself, complete: he searches for his soul, he inspects it, he puts it to the test, he learns it. As soon as he has learned it, he must cultivate it! I say that one must be a seer, make oneself a seer. The poet becomes a seer through a long, immense, and reasoned derangement of all the senses. All shapes of love suffering, madness. He searches himself, he exhausts all poisons in himself, to keep only the quintessences. Ineffable torture where he needs all his faith, all his superhuman strength, where he becomes among all men the great patient, the great criminal, the great accursed one--and the supreme Scholar! For he reaches the unknown! ....So the poet is actually a thief of Fire!”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
WHY NOT?
A la prochaine
SDM
Sunday, March 22, 2009
For Every Door that Closes (file under Opportunity)
Alexander Graham Bell once said; “When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.”
At first last Tuesday I left Reservation feeling dejected, unwanted, unneeded and what’s more as if my contribution to Reservation had counted for nothing. While considering all of these over the past week I have come to realize that Executive Chef was right in not taking me back. It is for my own good and by doing so he is actually ensuring that I can achieve what I want.
Now that does not for a minute suggest that I did not want to be back at Reservation. But I’ve come to realize that in the decision not to take me back the old adage of “familiarity breeds contempt,” probably came into play. It was not a comment on my contribution to Reservation, nor, for that matter, on me as a person. It was instead, at least now this is how I see it, on what I want to achieve and how best to get there.
Moreover, Executive Chef reminded me about; “ferme la bouche.” It was brought up in the context of my intelligence and working in a kitchen and how if I can not learn to control my voice, both inner and outer it will negatively impact on my ability to be a great brigade member. In many ways I feel as if, through repetition, he is wanting me to get a hold of myself, my sometimes manic outwardly expression, grab it by the balls, and become exactly what I say I want to.
I’ve always had a big mouth. In the past it has both helped and hurt me. And the more I hear about ferme la bouche, the more I realize that it is now time for me to be more than just the master of my domain but also my inner workings.
So for that I would like to thank Executive Chef for taking the time to see me. For taking the time to consider taking me back and for coming to the conclusion that the path that I am on is not one of comfort and familiarity but rather one of discomfort and lack of familiarity. I appreciate it and I will shine as Executive Chef desires. As I desire. And I’m sure as all of you desire.
Through reflection I have come to realize that, as the above quote says, staring at the closed door prevents me from continued growth and indeed success. So rather than focusing on the closed door I am instead looking for open doors. And the doors are opening.
This past week the Executive Chef at a prominent club in the city has asked me to come in and see him about a great position. Moreover, Chef has opened the door for me at a very nice French restaurant through a Chef friend of his, a Michelin trained mentor, that he says I can learn oodles from. So here I am, clearing my mind on this first Sunday of spring, readying myself for the onslaught of opportunity that will allow me to continue on this path. Spring is a time for renewal, for new growth and for the unfurling of something beautiful. And here I sit!
I am at times, unduly hard on myself; in fact I am harder on myself than anyone ever could be. I’ve come to realize over the course of the last week that while this is positive sometimes, more often than not, that nagging voice (don’t pretend you don’t have one) holds me in place or back. It creates a conflict within myself that does nothing to help me and more often that not, hurts me. So, another thing on my list of things to work on.
Everything in life, thus far, has helped me to get to this point. There have been some things, that naturally I could live without, but I wouldn’t change a thing. I am the result of my past and use that energy to promote a future of my own design. It is not always easy to look at ones self and acknowledge their flaws. However, if you can, and you adjust you’ll find a greater happiness caused my clarity of thought and action.
So I’m not going to stare at the closed door. Instead I am going to figure out how best to open the best door for me. To get to where I need to be,
Howard Thurman once wrote; “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
At first last Tuesday I left Reservation feeling dejected, unwanted, unneeded and what’s more as if my contribution to Reservation had counted for nothing. While considering all of these over the past week I have come to realize that Executive Chef was right in not taking me back. It is for my own good and by doing so he is actually ensuring that I can achieve what I want.
Now that does not for a minute suggest that I did not want to be back at Reservation. But I’ve come to realize that in the decision not to take me back the old adage of “familiarity breeds contempt,” probably came into play. It was not a comment on my contribution to Reservation, nor, for that matter, on me as a person. It was instead, at least now this is how I see it, on what I want to achieve and how best to get there.
Moreover, Executive Chef reminded me about; “ferme la bouche.” It was brought up in the context of my intelligence and working in a kitchen and how if I can not learn to control my voice, both inner and outer it will negatively impact on my ability to be a great brigade member. In many ways I feel as if, through repetition, he is wanting me to get a hold of myself, my sometimes manic outwardly expression, grab it by the balls, and become exactly what I say I want to.
I’ve always had a big mouth. In the past it has both helped and hurt me. And the more I hear about ferme la bouche, the more I realize that it is now time for me to be more than just the master of my domain but also my inner workings.
So for that I would like to thank Executive Chef for taking the time to see me. For taking the time to consider taking me back and for coming to the conclusion that the path that I am on is not one of comfort and familiarity but rather one of discomfort and lack of familiarity. I appreciate it and I will shine as Executive Chef desires. As I desire. And I’m sure as all of you desire.
Through reflection I have come to realize that, as the above quote says, staring at the closed door prevents me from continued growth and indeed success. So rather than focusing on the closed door I am instead looking for open doors. And the doors are opening.
This past week the Executive Chef at a prominent club in the city has asked me to come in and see him about a great position. Moreover, Chef has opened the door for me at a very nice French restaurant through a Chef friend of his, a Michelin trained mentor, that he says I can learn oodles from. So here I am, clearing my mind on this first Sunday of spring, readying myself for the onslaught of opportunity that will allow me to continue on this path. Spring is a time for renewal, for new growth and for the unfurling of something beautiful. And here I sit!
I am at times, unduly hard on myself; in fact I am harder on myself than anyone ever could be. I’ve come to realize over the course of the last week that while this is positive sometimes, more often than not, that nagging voice (don’t pretend you don’t have one) holds me in place or back. It creates a conflict within myself that does nothing to help me and more often that not, hurts me. So, another thing on my list of things to work on.
Everything in life, thus far, has helped me to get to this point. There have been some things, that naturally I could live without, but I wouldn’t change a thing. I am the result of my past and use that energy to promote a future of my own design. It is not always easy to look at ones self and acknowledge their flaws. However, if you can, and you adjust you’ll find a greater happiness caused my clarity of thought and action.
So I’m not going to stare at the closed door. Instead I am going to figure out how best to open the best door for me. To get to where I need to be,
Howard Thurman once wrote; “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Friday, January 9, 2009
Alain Ducasse (file under Are you f&^#’n kidding me?)
Prior to leaving Reservation I decided to put my feelers out to see if there was an opportunity out there for someone like me, even with the limited though incredible and intensive training that I had. One of the organizations that I sent a feeler to was Alain Ducasse (http://www.alain-ducasse.com/public_us/en_ce_moment/fr_encemoment.htm ). For those of you who don’t know who Alain Ducasse is check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alain_Ducasse .
At the time that I applied I had relatively little experience in the scheme of things and was really just taking a shot at the dark. Just as I had with Reservation. They advised me that they had no openings at the time but that they liked my energy and my back story and that they would keep me in mind.
In an interesting twist of fate I had a conversation with Sous Chef A over the holidays and he said that he thought (as I mentioned on the blog) that I should go somewhere with my knife bag in hand and get some work. In our last conversation he mentioned that I should go to Alain Ducasse.
Low and behold I get home the other day and I have an invitation to come and work for Alain Ducasse. After quite a bit of jumping up and down, spinning round and round and basically shaking my head I pinched myself to see if I was dreaming. I opened my eyes and sure enough the email I had was real enough and I WAS NOT DREAMING. Except that I am taking steps to live my dream every day.
Of course I considered it in earnest and decided that the coming year is to be filled with some pretty great experiences and that I didn’t want to put them on hold. I will be part of rolling out two menus. Getting married. Possibly moving to NYC. As such I decided that now was not an ideal time. However I did celebrate the fact that living your dream, being true to who you are and working towards it each and every day is a beautiful thing and the universe in all it wonderful serendipity will reward you for your efforts.
Alain Ducasse. Are you f&^#’n kidding me? Needless to say I have archived the conversation in my gmail.
Ovid once said; “Let your hook always be cast; in the pool where you least expect it, there will be a fish.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired? WHY NOT?
A la prochaine
SDM
At the time that I applied I had relatively little experience in the scheme of things and was really just taking a shot at the dark. Just as I had with Reservation. They advised me that they had no openings at the time but that they liked my energy and my back story and that they would keep me in mind.
In an interesting twist of fate I had a conversation with Sous Chef A over the holidays and he said that he thought (as I mentioned on the blog) that I should go somewhere with my knife bag in hand and get some work. In our last conversation he mentioned that I should go to Alain Ducasse.
Low and behold I get home the other day and I have an invitation to come and work for Alain Ducasse. After quite a bit of jumping up and down, spinning round and round and basically shaking my head I pinched myself to see if I was dreaming. I opened my eyes and sure enough the email I had was real enough and I WAS NOT DREAMING. Except that I am taking steps to live my dream every day.
Of course I considered it in earnest and decided that the coming year is to be filled with some pretty great experiences and that I didn’t want to put them on hold. I will be part of rolling out two menus. Getting married. Possibly moving to NYC. As such I decided that now was not an ideal time. However I did celebrate the fact that living your dream, being true to who you are and working towards it each and every day is a beautiful thing and the universe in all it wonderful serendipity will reward you for your efforts.
Alain Ducasse. Are you f&^#’n kidding me? Needless to say I have archived the conversation in my gmail.
Ovid once said; “Let your hook always be cast; in the pool where you least expect it, there will be a fish.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired? WHY NOT?
A la prochaine
SDM
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