For the Love of Cooking...

Why I love what I do…there are some real boring jobs out there to me, albeit they ARE jobs and things could be much worse….much worse! After seeing some folks simply sitting around and doing not much more than watching grass grow or gazing down as their second hands on their watches meander slowly forward as they “guard the gate”, makes me love what I do even more. There are those who sit at a desk and have almost no contact for entire 8-hour shift, or some who do not challenge their minds or physical state, and of course, those who do. Again, so as not to try to create a sense of negativity about myself or downplay or disregard the meaningful jobs that some of those folks do perform each day, I do respect that they at least do work! I think we can all be thankful of that. I respect someone who at least get’s up in the morning(or day/night) and has enough energy and sense of responsibility to perform whatever task, duty and skill that they may have for our society and for themselves. I also am fully aware of the fact that many people provide duties and functions that I use each and every day, and hell, even take for granted, yet they go unrecognized. I do appreciate them for that. All I am really stating here is that I love what I do, and nothing beyond that. I cook. Are there times of challenge? Sure. Are there moments that are truly frustrating and aggravating…hell yes! Do I ever feel like I do not want to go in to work to do what I do best, simply because I perhaps have a family and would like to go do things with them, yet I have important commitments and obligations that are setting precedent. Absolutely. If I have said it once, I have said it many…a job is only a job if you would rather be doing something else. This is so the truth with me and my work. Or should I say my passion. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family and strive to be with them every time I can, and I do make the time. But I have this thing called a passion. There is also this component which is dubbed as commitment and his close cousin named drive. They have many close relatives, but these are my main family members of my job. They are also my weaknesses. Cooking is what makes me tick. As my banner reads “an addiction”…I traded one for another. That is the life I lead and another story in and of itself. Sad but true! All in all, at the end of the day, on even my worst days and hellish nights, I love what I do and would not trade it for anything. Everyday is so different from the last. You are only as good as your last dish or meal. You have employee challenges. Attitudes and personalities. Domestic issues. Demanding guests and outright rude people at times. There are budget constraints and time restrictions and still not enough hours in the day to fully do what I want to do. And yet, you still get up each day and look to do it over and over again, or at least I do. I suppose that there are more exciting jobs out there, with some truly fascinating features. Great. Let those that live in that world enjoy what they have and I what I have. After all, those are probably my next guests. Whatever you do…commit to yourself to be the best!