Tina
"When I was younger I wanted to be a singer and actress. I went to live New York for a while trying to pursue that career, but it wasn’t making me happy. I started to realize that it wasn’t my passion. I enrolled at The French Culinary Institute (now called The International Culinary Center). The school opened up my mind and refined my palate. It allowed me to meet some of our industry’s greatest chefs – inspiring me to venture into this world on my own. I worked as a personal chef for a while, until one day we decided to plan a months long trip through Italy. A few week into our trip, I was diagnosed with cancer, everything turned upside down. Due to my Italian citizenship, I elected to stay in Italy to receive care and eventually it became my permanent home.
We chose to settle in Bologna, obviously because of the food. I became fascinated with pasta – different shapes, different techniques – I wanted to learn as much as I could. I found that most translations from Italian to English had words changed and ingredients replaced. From this I started translating traditional Italian recipes into English, rewriting them exactly as they are, as they were meant to be."
Mia
"The kitchen is where I made my first real friends. It’s been seven years since I left Bangladesh. Being away from home for so long, your friends sorta start becoming your family. I call them ‘my beautiful cats and dogs’. It’s my way of showing my affection and appreciation for them. I don’t say that to everybody."
Back in the alley
Walking through the back alleys of South Beach in search of stories, we came upon Eduardo. For the last 15 years he has worked his ass off at the same high volume restaurant in the middle of Miami’s biggest tourist hub. As he began telling us stories about the experiences he’s had in that back alley, he was called back in by his manager, unable to finish.
Restaurant back alleys can be a place of madness or a sanctuary for our kind. What’s your wildest (or chillest) back alley experience?
Michael
“I'm not exactly sure where life would have taken me had I not chosen this path. I've seen first hand how hard work and commitment to your passion can take you to places that once seemed out of reach. Like many others, I started out in the back washing dishes - I kept my head down and my eyes open. Eventually it paid off, allowing me to evolve to the next stage, and so on. Commit yourself, there's no greater enemy than doubt.”
Cesar
"Starting out I wanted to dive right in to the deep end. I took free internships at major restaurants to try and gain as much experience as possible. I travelled, gained inspiration and cultural knowledge - I did everything you are suppose to do in order to be successful in this career. But I burned out. The hard work and long hours got to me. I decided to take a step back and reevaluate my approach.
Everyone wants to run their own business, but there is so much you need to learn first. I had spent all my time in the kitchen that I realized I didn’t know anything about front of house or service. And so, after all these years, I am now gaining experience in the front. One day I hope to use this experience to open up my own place. But for now, I’m learning to become a barista and how to interact with the guests."
Drel
"I’ve worked a little bit of every job in this industry. I’ve never considered going to school for it, my experience is what familiarized me with everything. I’ve always looked at food as a way to tear down invisible barriers between cultures. For me, a meal is meant to unite us to the same table. If I ever have a chance to open my own restaurant, I would want to fuse together two cultures that have never been together, see what happens."
Proud of what I do
You can tell that some people aren’t always comfortable having this job. I guess it’s because they were, in one way or another, forced to leave their countries and their careers behind and find they are only welcomed in restaurant kitchens. I understand that frustration. This may not be the career that we had dreamed about. But, here we are.
I put those thoughts behind me. I started thinking about who I am today and how to be happy. I’m proud of what I do, and I will always be thankful to restaurant kitchens.
Carlos
"The world needs more people like cooks. People who step away from the comfort they know, and journey into the unknown for the sake of learning. If there's one piece of advise I could give, it's to always stay humble. You will never know how to cook everything. You may go from being a star chef in one restaurant, to an apprentice in another, - but that's okay, it's all part of the process. This isn't a corporate ladder - the only direction to follow in this industry is your own. That's how you grow."
Michael
"This whole thing was born out of boredom. The slow season in Miami can hit the industry pretty hard, and without having something to do, your mind tends to wonder. I wanted to do something simple, but I also wanted it to be the best you could find. It had to be social, - something you could enjoy with a beer.
I landed on burgers - but not just any burger. I analyzed the shit out of every aspect of a burger, and decided to make it all in-house. The bun, sauce, patty, - everything carefully thought out. Simple but delicious. We have plans to hopefully expand one day beyond a pop up, but for now we’re focused on being consistent, - always showing up no matter what. We serve the best we can. It’s not only about the big picture, the day to day is where you find success."
Michela
“It’s not always easy to be a woman, - but the ones who make it come out stronger, with more character. There’s a lot of people in the kitchen, you need to have a commanding personality - you need to impose yourself, and sometimes, you even need to be arrogant - it’s part of the role.
In the end it doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman. What matters is that you understand the pleasure and joy you can create with a pastry. That’s what will inspire your passion.”