Tuesday

The restaurant life

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To would be culinary students who thinks being a chef is easy and glamorous, spoiler alert!

I am wide awake, and I do not feel bad about it.

The service rush still flows through me, despite my legs aching and my arms throbbing.

No more light headedness, no more hours asleep during the day

Waking up to prep lists, recipes and costings

Moving up to storage reorganization, science projects and waste

Finding out who is stealing what, what is compromising who

Finding out the weakest link, and who to suck up to

Pet peeves on guests’ requests off-the-menu

Satisfaction in knowing that I can pull a roasted rabbit out of my hat

Broken ovens, powerful flames

The clink and chink of china and glassware going through all-thumbs dishwashers

Eating dinner standing up

Doing more than the normal 8 glasses of water each day because of the heat

Burns and cuts, scars and battle wounds

Gleaming steel and stained aprons

Hot handles and sharp knives

Being away from negativity

Working for real, and not just part time

Working because you love it

Being in the now, and not worrying what could be

Get things done because you loved to, not because you have to

Creating something instead of searching in vain

Taking a piss on culinary students who bite the professional dust after only two months

Speaking with you face-to-face

Herbs and spices, caramelized food and burnt bones

The yelling, cajoling, threats and vendettas

The occasional beer

New order, fire, pick-up

The only thing missing is the one who unconditionally loves me is not with me

Ahh…the restaurant life