Passion In Work

In case you didn't realize, yesterday's post was another April Fools' Joke. It's true, I do have a great passion of all things culinary, but it is not true that I do not want to turn that passion into a career. Working with food will not destroy me nor my passion, it will further ignite it. I know it won't always be easy but I am ready for the challenge and more than willing to give it all I've got. Even after a rough day, I know this is what will make me happy. 

Some people think cooking is easy, or that it isn't a very reputable career. This could not be further from the truth. Sure, many people cook at home and do a great job of it. But cooking in an establishment is much more difficult and much different. At home, you don't have a strict timeline, an assortment of different dishes on the menu, crowds of people, paying patrons, tough critics, and the reputation of an entire business on the line. This creates a super stressful environment. On top of that, think about kitchens - sharp knives, fires, hot stoves, steam tables, large, heavy equipment, and food every where. Not the safest and easiest environment to work in. 

So then why is this such a popular career choice? It's all about the passion. Some people have such a strong passion for food, that they love their job and are happy to report to work every single day. You will notice there are some very passionate chefs out there, who have a lifetime career in the industry. There are also some not so passionate chefs, who usually don't last as long. I love food, and I love cooking, and I love everything to do with it, even working in a commercial environment. 

Cooking Shows

I don't watch much television in general, but when I do, I pretty much only watch cooking shows. Which isn't so easy to do, when you don't even get the Food Network. However, there are other channels that show cooking shows, particularly on Saturday afternoons. Some of my favorite cooking shows are: Cook's Country and America's Test Kitchen, Come Dine With Me, Recipes To Riches, Lidia's Italy (which my grandmother started me on), Fabulous Cakes, and my favorites starring Buddy Valastro, Cake Boss, Kitchen Boss, and Next Great Baker. Some of these shows are competitions, some are reality, and some are just straight-forward cooking shows. For the most part, cooking shows are relaxing and educational experiences, especially when you don't have the time, patience, or freezer space to bake yourself. I enjoy watching cooking shows as I always learn something new and get to experience a different way of doing things. However, I do have a few pet peeves with regards to cooking shows.

1. When the chefs do not wash their hands or decontaminate surfaces after they have come into contact with raw meat or raw eggs. Maybe it is because I have a phobia of cross contamination, but I find this particularly disturbing. 
2. When the chefs fail to scrape bowls or leave a lot of batter behind. They are wasting!
3. When the chefs say, "I have one right here already prepared." I know they don't have time to prepare the entire dish on the show, but it just seems like they already have three versions of their dish made in advance, all at different stages in preparation. They could just stick it in the oven and say, "And we'll be right back" and show a clock moving to represent time passing. 

I also find it funny that every ingredient is already measured out for them in small bowls. It is obvious that they have someone else doing the dishes for them!

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