Tales from the Kitchen

So, guess what we have been duped. A while now we have been told that fast is better, bigger is better, its an ingrained mentality that has served us so well in the past. So well that it has blinded us to the cliff fast approaching in the not so distant future.

If a chef had written the calendar, it would most definitely begin with the month of April. The new beginning of a culinary season. The very things that we think of when we think of spring translate so very well into the kitchen landscape. The renewal of life, the breath of fresh air and the very essence of green. Asparagus and peas, ramps and ferns, the vibrant flavors that have laid dormant for the winter come to life again.

I really enjoy my career, so much that it really has become more of who I am.  How I look, think, and spend my free time.  It wakes me up in the morning, sometimes in the middle of the night, I go to sleep with it, and I spend most of my day with it.  I am a culinarian.

There is nothing more satisfying then planning a menu, teaching it to those whom you work with, from the sales people, company owners, chefs, cooks, purchasers, and then watching the execution of the menu.  It puts me in contact with many different personalities, job focuses, and theories.  I learn a great deal through the entire process, from how I think, how others think of me, and how the thinking process works.  I take all of that knowledge and put it into a menu that can satisfy everyone needs.  It's what I do and how I live.

I was sitting at my desk this morning when one of my colleagues asked what my plans were for this weekend and my reply was cooking.  Maybe some warm butternut squash soup with diced pears and foie gras - believe it or not that is Chris Jr's favorite soup.  For entree, it's going to be a rainy weekend, so a nice chicken stew with as many fresh vegetables and mushrooms I can find.  You would think that after a full week with parties, tastings, menus, planning and purchasing that the last thing I would want to do was cook. It's actually the most relaxing and peaceful time in my life.  Plus I can open up a nice Oregon Pinot Noir and enjoy.

We are in the middle of our Fall Tasting which, has been a fairly challenging and interesting part of my Week. Tastings are the bread and butter of any dining experience.. its an opportunity to work in a controlled environment.. putting yourself out there ... basically saying.. here its, this is what I got to offer- wadda ya think?

One of my favorite songs growing up was "Pressure" from Billy Joel.  As I grew up working in kitchens, it made a lot of sense to me.  My favorite line is "you have to learn to pace yourself, you're just like everybody else."  I have always gravitated to high pressure jobs that can put you under the microscope at every turn.  I guess it's how I deal with the pace at which my mind is working; if it's occupied, all is good.  Great Performances certainly keeps me in that state everyday.