Take 2...

Alright, so my last post was pretty damn half assed. If I'm gonna give you rubbish to read, it had better be full assed rubbish, in my opinion, so screw the survey crap, that went out with myspace! Let's take a little harder look back...

I definitely have learned a hell of a lot in the last year. I feel 2010 was my strongest year to grow as a person, and especially as a chef. I still don't feel I'm truly worthy of my sous chef title, but I like to think I bust my ass trying enough to keep it from seeming like a total mistake. It's been a lot of fun being part of the growing experience for an entire restaurant! I've definitely learned hiw to push the envelope on everything I do and where a few of my limits are, although that definitely doesn't keep me from trying to exceed them. Even though it usually ends in a little more failure than success, the success makes it all worth it...

I've learned you don't hire your friends.
Especially if they've ever held a position above you.
I've learned I still don't like culinary students.
I've learned there's a million different ways to do the same damn thing.
I've learned everything is possible.
Except making mashed potatoes on the fly.
I've learned that my greatest skill is my ability to be a total asshole.
I've learned sometimes more gets done when I put my greatest skill aside.
I've learned very rarely is the aforementioned true, but its still worth a shot now and then.
I've relearned a lot of basic stuff I forgot, which sucks, because I'm still to early into all this to be forgetting shit!
I've learned it's important to play when you can, otherwise your 20s are work and sleep, and that's just weak. You've got the rest of your life to sit around and think about what you've missed, so go out there and miss as little as possible! Friends leave, friends die, friends forget, friends were never really friends in the first place, but enjoying the here and now is the best part of the future. With nothing to look back on, you'll never feel like you did anything...


It's been a lot of hard work and a shit load of hours, but I loved 2010. I'm excited for 2011 as a chef and as a person. I feel more drive to succeed and be creative than I ever have before. It's revitalizing, and I hope it stays. I've found my way around and away from the people that used to do a really good job of stifiling creativity... Drive... Life. My new years resolution is to create And learn more than I have to date... And to justify my sous chef title, although I dont think I'll ever reach that point. However, I feel that as long as I'm my strongest critic, I'll only continue to progress. The day I feel like I've earned my title and have learned enough is the day I'll be letting myself and anyone that eats my food down.

Happy new year, everyone!