Craig
"I’ve worked everywhere, from fast food restaurants to massive Stadium and Hotel operations. But on my days off, you’ll find me here - serving food on the street from my tent. This is where I feel good, where I feel good about what I serve. This is better than all that processed shit we’re usually served.
This is real food that everyone can feel good about. All around us fast food restaurants are popping up, and grocery stores are closing. It’s hard to compete with that. I know a lot of places where the food quality is poor, but they don’t care. These are the same people who call themselves chefs, but refuse to cover a dishwasher or prep cook’s shift if they call out.
To be a good chef, to be a good restaurant manager, you have to be willing to face the same pressure as the rest of your team. You have to be ready to get into the weeds. When you’re looking for an experience, learn about the chef, his craft, and understand why you’re paying what you’re paying. But if you’re just looking for a quick meal, don’t go to a chain, come visit your local street vendors."
Viviana
“As a woman in today’s world, we have more opportunities than we did before. Before, we weren’t even allowed in commercial kitchens. Now it’s become much more common. But it still requires a certain strength. I find it all a little ironic. Like most male chefs, I learned to cook by watching my mother and grandmother. We still have a long way to go, but I’m just glad women are finally being recognized In this industry.”
Luis
"Learning to immigrate takes time, but when you don’t have a choice, time is all you have. When I first arrived in Italy it wasn’t easy. Things were not quite the same, but I found my own way, I adapted.
"I’d worked in restaurants before I even moved, but with Italian food there was an immediate connection. Their cuisine is led by passion. They developed and perfected their craft over generations, and maintain those same standards today. This has helped me to find the place where I wanted to start my new life. A place with tradition, with values, and with an immense love for food."
Daniel
"I’ve been working in Miami‘s restaurant industry for years. Different cuisines, different chefs, I took in all I could, but eventually I burned out to the point that I lost all motivation and love for what I was doing. I needed a change.
I heard about a new Texas Barbecue place opening and thought Okay, this is something new. Turns out, it’s pretty amazing what you can do with just salt, pepper, love and patience. Now that we are open we can see the competition starting to move in - which is great. The more people teaching about barbecue, the more people learning. We’re starting to build a community. That’s the amazing thing about Miami - the moment you think you’ve seen everything, she surprises you."
Organized chaos
For a cook, there is nothing more satisfying than seeing everything come together at the last moment. We enjoy the adrenaline, the concentration behind our silence and the rhythm of a balanced team. It’s those pleasures - the ones that are hard to describe - that make those grueling long hours worth it.
Jason
”I’ve been cooking for restaurants since the 1970s, it was a different world then. Back then, kitchens didn’t have as many rules and policies. Now everything has evolved, the equipment is better, kitchen designs are functional and most importantly, they care about us,
There’s just one thing I wish I had known before starting my career; this job can only earn you so much. If I had known that for the last ten years my pay wouldn’t go up, I may have made a different decision. I’m not on a corporate ladder that guarantees a raise based on performance.”
Kyle
"My best kitchen experience felt like working without a hierarchy. We had a head chef, but he was always right there in the shit with the rest of us. Everyone was equal on the team. I think as a result we all cared more about the restaurant and the food we were serving. It gave us all a sense of responsibility - everyone was carrying their own weight. Night after night, the energy was flowing. It was a level of camaraderie I’ve never experienced anywhere else."
Monica
"It’s a lost art. Tortellini is meant to be crafted by hand. It’s difficult, it can be mentally and physically draining, and it’s absolutely worth it. I’ve been doing this for over twenty years, but as I look to pass on this knowledge I’m met with a new generation that doesn’t want it. The most important part, the human touch, is being replaced by machines."
Jeremy
"I’m born and raised in Miami with my roots stretching to the Bahamas. To me, Bahamian food isn’t well represented enough here, maybe it’s because of the time and care that it takes to make.
The greatest chefs are always the ones found at home. They are the grandmothers or mothers who take all the time they need to prepare a meal. There aren’t any food costs, no labor costs, - none of that matters. All that matters are the results and the satisfaction in everyone’s face. That’s the feeling I want to bring into my own restaurant one day."
Daniele
"Some chefs only do this for recognition - I never quite understood that, To me, cooking is about sharing. It’s about a dedication to quality and creativity that only comes from passion. I don’t need the recognition, as long as I’m able to keep my team happy, I’m happy - and that’s the foundation. No award will tell me that."