An Unwitting Chef - My Journey

I never knew when I came into the path that I was walking. A path to become a chef.

It was an entirely new subject to me, a new world that was very different from everything I ever learnt or practiced so far.

It was all about food which really intrigued me to keep walking in the path. In the culinary school, all the basics were taught and I got through the exams pretty comfortably. But then “the real test” was when I stepped into the industry.

Learning was immense and so was the hard work. I had to cope up with the work and the pressure. The best part was the team I always worked with. At the start, it was really difficult. But then with a step at a time and working together with them and understanding the work, I never felt that pressure on me. It was a great fun working long hours turning tables over and over.

All that I was informed that there is only a check in time but no check out time. As time passed, even that phrase was a fun to hear, because of the best of the time and strong bond that I had with the team which let off all the pressure.

After immense hard work and a tiring day, we all used to sit together for dinner may be at 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. and discuss all the funny situations that we encountered throughout the day. Laughing out loud and bonding with the team took away all the tiredness and pressure. Neither once did the thought come to my mind that I had to be back early to work the next day.

I was blessed with the best of the teachers as they used to encourage me in every step and helped me improving my skills, be it cutting the veggies into perfect shape, deboning the fish or chicken in a given time or making the best of the stocks or the sauces to the perfect folded omelettes.

As the years passed by, when I look behind, I find that the journey was not an easy one, the struggle, the hard work, the sacrifice, the efforts. At times sitting alone and shedding tears for being away from family or for not getting something I wished in the path and much more. I also remember the times when I went out with the team to just relax and forget all the stress and pressure.

I have truly been blessed with the best of the mentors and I wish to be like them to the new-comers and my staff as well. I might not get medals or awards but would make me happy and proud is when, ten or twenty years down the line I receive a message from my staff or a student saying that he/she is in a good position now and doing well both professionally and personally. That one message will fills my chest with satisfaction to know that I could also successfully walk in the steps of my own mentors who helped me shape and build my life which I am leading quite successfully.