Humans Of The Kitchen

My grandmother owned a restaurant growing up where I worked with her a lot. When she retired, my mom made me cook every Friday because, in her words, “A woman won’t want a man who can’t cook.” My real love for the kitchen came while working in an Embassy Suites hotel. A family came in after burying their loved one.

Visibly upset, they placed their order, and my staff and I prepared everything in around 20 minutes. Ten minutes later, I walked into the lobby and saw the group smiling, laughing, and having a good time. That blew my mind. The fact that food could change things like that.

I learned the craft under amazing chefs like Chef Lou in Fayetteville, NC, who taught me a lot. My first professional kitchen job was in a high-volume turn-and-burn restaurant that only wanted to flip the seats. I was a 16-year-old kid working with a bunch of old heads with an old-fashioned chef who did not care and had a horrible drinking problem. This man loved to throw things. He had no problem throwing a sauté pan across the line. No problem getting in your face and cussing you out. Honestly, it helped me become the person I am today. I often think about Chef Julio and thank him for forcing me to grow up fast.

In my 15 years in this industry, I’ve learned this is where I belong. I changed careers several times and always ended up back in the kitchen. I feel at home in my kitchen and don’t want to do anything else. There’s never a day that I don’t learn something new.

In this career, you must be disciplined and learn to control your emotions. Don’t let that person on the line get to you. Don’t let that piss-poor manager kill your drive. Keep doing you. Keep pushing through the hard times, and you will get there.

Keep dreaming, don’t second guess if flavors will work. If you think of a recipe, write it down.

My name is Trifu Sorin, and I was born in Romania.

My passion for the kitchen started as a small child when my curiosity drove me to know as much as possible about ingredients and learn what could be done with them.

Thirteen years ago, I went for my first job interview, but unfortunately, at that time, it wasn’t easy to find a job in that kitchen. I was offered a job as a waiter instead. So I took it just to be close to the kitchen with the goal of one day working with the chef.

I’ll never forget the day I talked with the Chef who urged me to follow my path. I told him why I wanted to pursue a career in culinary; he told me it wasn’t too late. Enroll in school, and I’ll wait for you in the kitchen, he said.

One of the things I love about cooking is that there is always something to learn. Someone can always come and surprise you with a dish or an ingredient. The love for the taste of food and the smiles of people who try things I’ve made is one of the things that keep me going.

Along the way, I’ve learned to value everything and never throw or make fun of your or someone else’s food. It’s one of the things I wish would change in this industry. Sometimes we are too harsh with each other. Always appreciate what you have and do it out of passion! Otherwise, it’ll be a job like any other, and you won’t come with pleasure.

Never give up on your dreams. In time, with passion and hard work, the results will come.

Since I was five years old, my father owned a restaurant in Florida. In 2007 he sold it, and we moved to Boston to open a new restaurant. I was always around the industry, but it wasn’t until after graduating high school that I started working in the restaurant full-time. More managerial work than cooking, though.

In 2014, I decided to take cooking seriously and enrolled in culinary school. One day I met a chef who told me that if I dropped out of culinary school, he would teach me everything I needed to know and pay me. He said if I wanted to return to culinary school, it was my decision, but it sounded like a great opportunity I couldn’t pass up because I would be getting paid to learn! So, I worked with him for two years, from 2015-2017.

After, I decided to embark to New York to work at Eleven Madison Park, where I met Chef Charlie. I returned briefly to Boston to help my father, then went back to New York, and after, I went to DC for a time, always searching for new knowledge and opportunities.

Today, I am a Sous Chef, where I work with a great cook, friend, and Chef. Together we have both witnessed our growth in the industry. My daily pursuit revolves around surpassing my limits and evolving into the best version of myself. The pressure I face is not external; it emanates from within as I continually challenge myself to reach new heights.

I advise anyone looking to enter this industry to remain consistent and believe in yourself. Everyone’s trajectory is different, but the one consistent action between those who made it is that they stayed true to themselves and saw it through to the end.

My name is Kayla. I grew up in Staten Island, New York.

I started cooking professionally around 5 to 6 years ago, but the love began in my childhood, with my mom and grandmother serving as my biggest inspirations. The moment it all clicked for me was when I started working in a different field. I realized that I didn’t enjoy it as much as cooking, so I asked myself, why don’t I stick to something I love instead of being miserable every day? So I decided to take up cooking professionally, and I went to the Culinary Institute of America. I’ve been in kitchens ever since.

I’ve learned more about cooking while working than I did in school. One of my biggest takeaways from culinary school was learning the industry’s business side, like marketing, and how to open a business.

For those who don’t know much culinary school could be a good starting point if you want to open up your own restaurant, but it’s not necessary for everyone who wants to become a cook or a chef.

My name is Jonathan N Pde, and I currently work at @dannyspizzatavern

My desire to create is what got me started in the kitchen with small gigs baking cake and bread for friends and family. They always gave positive feedback, which motivated me to join the industry.

It wasn’t love at first sight but it grew on me as I worked in better kitchens, learned new techniques, and progressed year after year.

I did my BA in Culinary Arts & Catering Tech in India from the Culinary Academy of India. I then moved to Toronto, the culinary melting pot of Canada. With many different ethnicities and cultures came various cuisines and fusions of flavour. being a cook was a perfect reason to travel, explore and study in Canada, so I did a culinary management course at George Brown.

My first job in a Kitchen was eye-opening. I realized it was not as glamorous as portrayed on TV. It was humbling to find myself on my hands and knees, scrubbing my station at the end of the night and truly understanding what it takes for a kitchen to successfully function. It requires people to be on their feet 14 hours a day and be meticulous day in, day out. It forced me to have a different discipline in the kitchen. A considerable amount of my skills & learning came from working in various kitchens.

Without discipline, everything crumbles. One cannot progress without it. it’s the creative aspect and the joy it brings when I see someone’s face light up when they eat my food that keeps me motivated to be in the kitchen the next day.

Don’t be afraid to follow your journey; be honest and truthful about what you enjoy cooking and eating. We often get lost in culinary trends or icons leading the scene. Still, you should always stay true to yourself and believe in what you want to accomplish in this industry. Stick to the cuisine you love.

I want to quote Chef Rene Redzepi here, “We almost destroyed our industry by making it too hard & too macho.” It is already a complex industry that demands a lot from us. We should do each other the favor of being kind and treating our hospitality workers with more respect.

📷’s by @cravingcurator official HOTK reporter in 🇨🇦

I currently reside in Mallorca, Spain, but I was born in Quilmes, Argentina. My journey to Spain happened because of my girlfriend, who’s Spanish. We met in Costa Rica, and after two years, we moved to Madrid to open a restaurant.

My journey in the kitchen started in an Irish Pub where I met my best friends. It’s easily one of the best experiences I’ve had in my working life. I discovered immediately that this world of hard work, burns, and cuts was what I wanted for my life. It may seem like hard work and sacrifice, but it’s a well rewarded effort.

Making a living doing what I love most keeps me motivated. Cooking is my therapy and passion. Going back to work after a difficult moment inside or outside the restaurant helps calm me down and see things more clearly. My colleagues are very supportive. Without them, I could not have achieved anything. I truly believe nothing worth making is achieved without a healthy, balanced, and loving human team. My job is to make that happen. That’s where excellent dishes are born from.

That being said, I would love to take this industry to more sustainable levels. It makes me sad to think how big a role this industry plays in polluting the seas, among other things. I would call for more awareness and respect for the planet and its inhabitants, including humans.

📸 @jaimebadra