Constant evolve
We’re constantly evolving. As cooks we are always on the hunt to learn something new each day - new ingredients, new techniques, new recipes. It’s an appetite we can’t satisfy, a hunger we can’t ignore. But we should focus more on the human aspect - how we treat each other, and how to create a better team, a better space.
Many of us only have one family - the one we work with. To continue evolving, we all should strive to be better. To be a better family. A welcoming place to work makes all the difference in the world. It’s impossible to do what you love if you don’t love what you do.
Harold
“I've had the chance to live and work in some of the best places in the world, without cooking, I wouldn't have been able to do that. I’ve always hustled. When I worked on the streets, it was what it was - nothing will change that. But I took what I learned there and translated it to cooking.
Kitchens are like an army going into battle - the team always needs to be the best they can be. Today I’m able to speak to kids growing up in the same streets as I did about their future. Our language is spoken by few, with most of us coming from marginalized neighborhoods, - when I speak, it resonates with them and helps open up the conversation.”
Ernestina
“If you ask me, it’s always better to serve a hundred people than it is to serve one. Food is about happiness, and the ability to spread that feeling. The more it spreads, the happier I am.
I used to serve meals everyday in Ghana to hundreds people. Since moving to Sweden, it’s been quieter, but what made me settle was the diversity of its people and the real impact I am now able to have on the community.”
Amadeus
“I’ve never been a smoker - not counting when I was young or when I get drunk. But I think every chef I’ve worked with assumes I smoke. To be honest, in the middle of a shift, smoking is the only excuse we have to step away for a moment. Unless something changes, I guess I’ll keep being a ‘smoker’.”
Mathias
“I had the privilege of working at one of the best restaurants in Copenhagen. For many cooks this would have been the highlight of their career, but that wasn’t what enlightened me. A few years ago I was part of a research program tasked with defining and consolidating Nordic cuisine. This immense knowledge helped me with my next project focused on getting Public Schools to only serve organic food for lunch. Our work included consulting the staff on how to create menus and maintain margins.
As a cook in today’s world, there are many different things we can do that impact others, it's all about perspective, the way you approach to it, and your audience.”
Ernesto
"Well, if cooks have a hard time being noticed, I guess we might be invisible But who does this to be noticed? I do it because it’s my craft. I love the process, the precision, and I like the reward. Having a customer return to me with a story of a great meal is what makes this worth it."
Carmen
"I love cooks who aren’t afraid to take risks and innovate. A great chef I looked up to once asked me about a traditional Peruvian recipe. I was more than happy to share with him my knowledge and experience. Traditions and cultural essence cannot be lost - they must be shared.
I believe this industry needs two kinds of people; the ones who fight every day to preserve history and tradition, and the ones who continuously evolve and try to break barriers everyday."
It's a tough world
The world outside is hostile. While we work in kitchens - living, and cooking together - we are all the same. We are not at war, our differences do not divide us - if anything, they bring us closer.
As cooks, our responsibilities go beyond just serving a plate, we bring people together, connect ideas and blend cultures.
Naomi
"I was born here, but that didn’t keep me around for long. I traveled to the literal opposite side of the country and settled in Alaska for a little while. I fell in love with it, and with bread. When it was time to come back, I knew I wanted to use my experience to bring something back home to share with my community. It was a simple idea of serving good and wholesome food in an honest, casual setting. Not many bakeries mill their own wheat. Even though the process is tough - and when the machine breaks down we need to fly in an expert to fix it - it’s all becomes worth it when we see people appreciating what we’re doing."
Papa Jean
“I only know a few words in Spanish - more than enough to be qualified to work in a kitchen. I’ve been in the job for 15 years, I guess you could say I’ve settled in. I’m good here - I feel safe, and the team makes everyday feel new, exciting and alive. I might be 74, but I’ve got the same energy I had in my 20s.”