#procook — Public Fediverse posts

As a start to this, I have never seen this show. I've only ever seen clips. Almost every chef I have ever met has wished for this conversation. For me it's a Sous Chef by the name of Craig. When he and his buddy took over the kitchen, when they took over I was the best cook in this kitchen, however, between the Head Chef and the Sous Chef they had more experience than I had years on this earth.

I was nothing to them except for unworked talent. Steel without tempering is brittle and a dish without seasoning is bland. Craig did things like pushing me into a wall and screaming in my face. My life dissapeared into 100 hour weeks of clopen doubles. I was run ragged, run through the dirt, demeaned and screamed at.

This scene hits really hard. I still have nightmares about this man. I developed arthritis in both my knees and knife elbow. I went from dependent on alcohol to a full blown alcoholic within a year. I started there good. I left there ready to work in a professional setting. Part of me wants to hate his alcoholic guts but another part appreciates what he made. I have spoken to other cooks in the area with a similar experience. Like imagine Gordon Ramsay if he started his day with a half bottle of whiskey and had half as many teeth.

I've spoken to Chefs from the USA, Germany, Croatia, Serbia and Italy and all of us have a chef like this. Sous Chef, Chef de Commis whatever but we all had a chef like this. To which the answer was "yes chef, right away chef". "I am a failure, chef. Yes, chef. Heard."

He told me one day when an impossible task was impossible "You know what another word for chef is, Taylor? Miracle worker. There is no, 'no'. I don't want to hear a no. Do. your. fucking. job.". Did I accomplish it, yes but at what cost, arthritis? burn scars and pain tolerance well outside what is normal? Panic attacks, worsened insomnia and nightmares? Alcoholism? That statement has fucked me up for YEARS now.

I'm stuck in this position of if I met him again I would paint the walls with him and also that I would never be the cook I am without that shit-stain named Craig. If I was told "You're welcome" and given that exact speech I would melt with the rage inside and likely have a similar reaction.

Once again I only know of the Bear because I know other cooks and am involved in their social pages. I've never seen it but from what I Have seen it's probably one of the most accurate depictions of Culinary/Gastronomy I have ever seen.

I dunno, I am just really struggling to quantify how I feel about this fucking Sous Chef from 10 years ago. I don't know how to feel, except conflicted.

#procook #thebear #culinary


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgS9ctsCMt8&t=77s

Good times. menu meetings, pricing, quality etc. even more meetings and trying/writing new recipes for the new menu. Like not kidding today, was a good day. A lot of people like to hate on my industry but gods there's nothing like making fully destructible art and worrying about roux, Maillard reactions, Panna Cotta setting, demi-glace and plating.

I never would have thought it with my background in sciences and computers but I live for the kitchen.

Pic is from a much poorer region than I work in but it gives a good idea of the kind of structures and culture I work in.

Second pic is just what we made one day for lunch for the staff.

#procook #cheflife