Cooking for a living
I'm asked a lot what the best thing about cooking for a living is. And it's this: to be a part of a subculture. To be part of a historical continuum, a secret society with its own language and customs. To enjoy the instant gratification of making something good with one's hands - using all one's senses. It can be, at times, the purest and most unselfish way of giving pleasure (though oral sex has to be a close second).
Anthony Bourdain, Kitchen Confidential
Renzo
“It was my first time in the sauté station, and it was one of the craziest nights of the year. I was in the weeds; in beyond any other day! All tickets pulling up, and I was about to walk out!
Until my chef told me to calm down and focus on one single item; one that needs the most time to cook. He told me that I was not going to get fired, that I started here as a dishwasher and I had a long way to go, that we were going to make it through the night.
And then when I finally focused, I understood that it’s all about finding the peace inside the chaos. And that over time and with perseverance, you'll get better! Don’t throw in the towel, and don’t drop the pan!”
