So, for my culinary school application, they ask you three questions that require an essay response. No less than 100 words, so on and so forth. I figure id write the first one here so you guys and gals can get some insight into the man behind the glasses.
#1: Please describe an experience where you discovered you had a passion for the food/service industy:
If I really try to sit and decipher the years of actual food industry experience and figure out when I actually fell in love with it, we'd be here forever. So instead, ill give you a snippet of one of my favorite times in the "industy". This story takes place in the quaint fishing village of Destin, Florida. Id been working at Harbor Docks for a few years now and really had a good handle on throwing down some sushi behind the sushi bar and the grand spectacle that is hibachi. Yoshie, my all knowing and wise head chef, had scheduled me to work hibachi during one of the spring break weeks. I cant remember exactly which one but southern accents we're thick in the air. Anyways, I had been slammed at the tables all night and finally got to clean up around 11:30pm. As per my usual nightly ritual, I had my headphones blaring some "motivational music"(Iggy and the Stooges I believe..) and was hard at work wrapping up what little I had left from service to be put into the walk-in cooler. Then, the kitchen door busts open. "Burch man, We got 11." proclaims the manager. My natural elation from shutting down turns into the special kind of rage that is reserved for people who come in after close. Ill spare you what I said to him, because it wasnt nice and I should have been fired for it, but just know that I ended up taking the table. I decided that this was going to be the quickest 11 top that Harbor Docks has ever seen and wanted to peek my head out at my impending victims. As my tall, red, chefs hat slides through the opening in the door I begin to hear giggles. A table full of energetic, loud, drunk college girls filled the table from side to side. I slide back in to the kitchen with a whole new purpose in life. "Time to shine, dude." I say to myself as I quickly unwrap everything. My manager was standing behind me with a huge grin and was about to give me the old "I told you so" when I blurted out I NEED A SHOT! He agreed and from my hidden kitchen stash, not product from the bar (Hi Charles!) we imbibed. Feeling loose and ready to blow these lovely ladies away I put the speaker on full throttle and started to pump the smooth, smooth sounds of Search and Destroy by the Stooges through my head. The order comes in. In total it was only about 5 dinners. Most of them where just there for the show and to drink. (which the most assuredly did..). I set the order up to perfection, practiced a few tricks and even tried to bust out a few new ones. Anticipation is building as I see the salads going out to the table, and the miso soups not far behind. "Show time" I tell myself quietly as I grab my trays of food, ready to go out and entertain. Through the door and on to glory....
The table went off without a hitch. I nailed every trick, everything came out to perfection, and everyone was happy. Being a hibachi chef is almost like being a rockstar. You perform every night for crowds and your money is reliant on whether you went out there and nailed it, or totally bombed. People can and do idolize you to a certain extent just for the fact that you make fire out of an onion and throw around some knives. After that table, and the subsequent bar hoping there after, I got into a conversation with one of the girls about life in the service industry. She was wondering what I was going to do for a real job when I got older and it really got me to thinking. There was no other job than being some flavor of chef that really interested me. Its never been about money or security for me. Its keeping with a long line of brigands and scoundrels like myself that pass through those kitchen doors everyday, suit up, and put out the best food they possibly can just because they enjoy it. Do I want to make a ton of money in the future? Yes. Do I want people to know my name and the kick ass food I make? Yes. Will I be disappointed if none of that happens? No, I just love the industry that much to keep crawling back on my hands and knees to that kitchen in hopes that I can put out some of the tastiest food anyways has ever had.
After writing this I think ill actually try to write something semi-serious for the application, but this is for everyone else. Hope you enjoy.
#1: Please describe an experience where you discovered you had a passion for the food/service industy:
If I really try to sit and decipher the years of actual food industry experience and figure out when I actually fell in love with it, we'd be here forever. So instead, ill give you a snippet of one of my favorite times in the "industy". This story takes place in the quaint fishing village of Destin, Florida. Id been working at Harbor Docks for a few years now and really had a good handle on throwing down some sushi behind the sushi bar and the grand spectacle that is hibachi. Yoshie, my all knowing and wise head chef, had scheduled me to work hibachi during one of the spring break weeks. I cant remember exactly which one but southern accents we're thick in the air. Anyways, I had been slammed at the tables all night and finally got to clean up around 11:30pm. As per my usual nightly ritual, I had my headphones blaring some "motivational music"(Iggy and the Stooges I believe..) and was hard at work wrapping up what little I had left from service to be put into the walk-in cooler. Then, the kitchen door busts open. "Burch man, We got 11." proclaims the manager. My natural elation from shutting down turns into the special kind of rage that is reserved for people who come in after close. Ill spare you what I said to him, because it wasnt nice and I should have been fired for it, but just know that I ended up taking the table. I decided that this was going to be the quickest 11 top that Harbor Docks has ever seen and wanted to peek my head out at my impending victims. As my tall, red, chefs hat slides through the opening in the door I begin to hear giggles. A table full of energetic, loud, drunk college girls filled the table from side to side. I slide back in to the kitchen with a whole new purpose in life. "Time to shine, dude." I say to myself as I quickly unwrap everything. My manager was standing behind me with a huge grin and was about to give me the old "I told you so" when I blurted out I NEED A SHOT! He agreed and from my hidden kitchen stash, not product from the bar (Hi Charles!) we imbibed. Feeling loose and ready to blow these lovely ladies away I put the speaker on full throttle and started to pump the smooth, smooth sounds of Search and Destroy by the Stooges through my head. The order comes in. In total it was only about 5 dinners. Most of them where just there for the show and to drink. (which the most assuredly did..). I set the order up to perfection, practiced a few tricks and even tried to bust out a few new ones. Anticipation is building as I see the salads going out to the table, and the miso soups not far behind. "Show time" I tell myself quietly as I grab my trays of food, ready to go out and entertain. Through the door and on to glory....
The table went off without a hitch. I nailed every trick, everything came out to perfection, and everyone was happy. Being a hibachi chef is almost like being a rockstar. You perform every night for crowds and your money is reliant on whether you went out there and nailed it, or totally bombed. People can and do idolize you to a certain extent just for the fact that you make fire out of an onion and throw around some knives. After that table, and the subsequent bar hoping there after, I got into a conversation with one of the girls about life in the service industry. She was wondering what I was going to do for a real job when I got older and it really got me to thinking. There was no other job than being some flavor of chef that really interested me. Its never been about money or security for me. Its keeping with a long line of brigands and scoundrels like myself that pass through those kitchen doors everyday, suit up, and put out the best food they possibly can just because they enjoy it. Do I want to make a ton of money in the future? Yes. Do I want people to know my name and the kick ass food I make? Yes. Will I be disappointed if none of that happens? No, I just love the industry that much to keep crawling back on my hands and knees to that kitchen in hopes that I can put out some of the tastiest food anyways has ever had.
After writing this I think ill actually try to write something semi-serious for the application, but this is for everyone else. Hope you enjoy.
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