Recent Update

Well, if anybody is actually viewing this page, you’ll notice I haven’t posted in quite some time.  

Needless to say, my life is in turmoil.  I’ve taken a break from work.  Although I am looking for my next restaurant, I haven’t been very motivated to find one.

I guess I’m at a crossroads, the problem is that I really don’t know where the roads lead to.  

What I do know, is that I am tired of devoting my entire life (90-120 hours a week) to restaurant owners and management teams that don’t know or are not willing to put in the work and hours needed to develop a successful establishment. 

I have been thinking about writing a book, or teaching, but I’ll never be satisfied outside the heat and drama of a friday night kitchen.

Bocuse d'or

Ok, after reading the application for entry into the Bocuse d’or (http://www.bocusedorusa.org),  I was shocked to see a maximum age of 22 allowed for the Commis (chef’s assistant).

Some of us chefs, who are getting… um.. seasoned employe professional cooks, and don’t have a culinary school nearby from which to pull interns, apprentices, and the like.

I know when I was 22, serious was not in my vocabulary. 

Catering binge

The next couple weeks are a binge of catering. 

It should be quite the adventure since my staff hasn’t really done much production in this area.  The three major events are all weddings of 150+, with a 250 cover starting the rollercoaster.

Although it will be nice to do some mirror work again, I can certainly say that I’m relieved there are no wedding cakes.  Due to a debacle back in 92 with the first wedding I ever catered privately,  I went through a period of refusing wedding cake production.  Although I’ve successfully acomplished cakes since, it always ads a touch of uncertainty to an event.