Harvest America CUES BLOG

If you are a chef I know that you have experienced it many times – people around you who shake their heads and wonder what’s wrong with you. They are astonished at the hours you work, the physical and mental stress of the job, the unpredictable nature of the position that never allows you to plan your life, and the frantic pace surrounding everything that you do. “Why are you doing this to yourself?”

So stepping back a bit and viewing the person you are, your habits, and your strange approach towards the world around you through the eyes of those who have chosen a “normal” life – this is what they see:

[]         A PERSON WHO’S WARDROBE IS LIMITED TO HOUNDSTOOTH PANTS, WHITE DOUBLE-BREASTED JACKETS, AND APRONS

[]         A PERSON WHO CARRIES AN ARSENAL OF KNIVES WITH HIM OR HER – ALWAYS CLOSE TO HIS OR HER SIDE

[]         A PERSON WHO TENDS TO EAT MEALS WHILE STANDING UP – PREFERRABLY OVER A TRASH CAN TO CATCH THE CRUMBS

[]         A PERSON WHO COMMUNICATES USING A LANGUAGE THAT IS FOREIGN TO ANYONE ELSE, YET IS UNIVERSAL TO THOSE WHO WEAR THE UNIFORM

[]         A PERSON WHO FREQUENTLY TALKS TO HIM OR HERSELF – USUALLY IN A WALK-IN COOLER

[]         A PERSON WHO HAS AN UNUSUAL FASCINATION WITH AND LOVE OF OPEN FLAMES

[]         A PERSON WITH LITTLE TO NO FEELING IN HIS OR HER HANDS – THE CALLOUSES ARE MULTILAYERED

[]         A PERSON WHO CONSIDERS BURNS AND CUTS TO BE A BADGE OF HONOR

[]         A PERSON WHO EITHER HAS NO TATOOS OR ONE WHO HAS VERY LITTLE VISIBLE BODY SPACE WITHOUT TATOOS

[]         A PERSON WHO YELLS “BEHIND” EVERY TIME HE OR SHE APPROACHES SOMEONE ELSE WHETHER IN THE KITCHEN, AT HOME, OR ON THE STREET

[]         A PERSON WHO CARRIES A PERPETUAL ODOR OF FISH, ONIONS, GARLIC, OR GRILLED MEAT

[]         A PERSON WHO HAS A DIFFICULT TIME HOLDING BACK CRITIQUE OF ANOTHER PERSONS FOOD – EVEN HIS OR HER MOTHER’S

[]         A PERSON WHO PREFERS TO BE CALLED “CHEF” ALL THE TIME, BY EVERYONE INCLUDING IMMEDIATE FAMILY

[]         A PERSON WHO HAS ALMOST NO SHORT-TERM MEMORY OF ANYTHING THAT DOESN’T HAVE TO DO WITH THE KITCHEN

[]         A PERSON WHO WILL LIKELY FORGET TO PAY BILLS NOT BECAUSE HE OR SHE LACKS THE FUNDS, BUT BECAUSE ANYTHING OTHER THAN WORKING IS NOT A PRIORITY

[]         A PERSON WHO MAINTAINS WAY TOO MANY BOXES OF CORNSTARCH WITHOUT ANY EXPLANATION WHY (Only restaurant people will get this)

[]         A PERSON WHO OWNS MORE COOKBOOKS THAN COULD BE READ IN A TYPICAL LIFETIME

[]         A PERSON WITH A HEART OF GOLD AND A TEMPER LIKE AN ANGRY NINJA

[]         A PERSON WHO CAN EASILY EMBARRASS FRIENDS WITH HIS OR HER FIREY LANGUAGE FULL OF EXPLETIVES

[]         A PERSON WHO’S SWOLLEN HANDS AND ANKLES TURN HEADS AND MAKE OTHERS RATHER SQUEAMISH

[]         A PERSON WHO IS ROUGH AND CRUSTY, BUT GENTLE AND ARTISTIC WHEN IT COMES TO PLATING FOOD

[]         A PERSON WHO LOVES AND HATES HIS OR JOB AT THE SAME TIME

Does this sound like you? No wonder others look at us and scratch their heads. Chefs are difficult to understand, impossible to live with, yet interesting as hell.

BE SOMETHING SPECIAL – BE A CHEF

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and training

www.harvestamericaventures.com