Self realization sponsored by: Black and Tans

Back a few blog posts ago, I wrote about the moment that I really knew that the service industry was for me. Ive had a change of heart. Before I couldnt recall an exact moment. Thats because it hadnt happened yet. Im not sure if its happened now, but ill share a little insight I received the other day. I started back at Harbor Docks over the summer, and pretty much 5 to 6 days a week, we go out there and make this delicious sushi for hundreds of people who a.) Know nothing about what we're serving or b.) Dont care. This frustrates me. I want people to appreciate what I do. What ive, and the rest of us for that matter, have worked years to hone and perfect our skill. For the first month I would sit and just wonder how these people could sit there and really not know or understand what they're eating. The history of something so wonderful, only few of us in this world are blessed to be able to know how to deliver. It really did bother me. I began to drink alot more. I started to question my life choices up to the point. Id hit a low point in a matter of a month. One day I was just sitting in the shower, wondering how bad my body would ache from the beating I was about to receive. From that day I started to search for my purpose in this business. Culinary business in general. Ive always wanted to be a writer so I though about hanging up the old chef coat and trading it in for a laptop. That brings us to now. Talking to one of my friends this evening, she was asking me about the past few days at work. I was telling her about some customers I had on Friday. They were from Atlanta or something and knew Yoshie pretty well. Naturally, she would wander in to make sure I was taking proper care, like a den mother watching over her cubs as the hunt. I did my best to treat them the same way i'd want to be treated at a sushi bar, with respect. And they reciprocated. One girl in the group asked for something she'd had at Nobu in -insert random big city-. 95% of the time this pisses me off. Today was the 5%. It was thin slices of Yellowtail (In the jack family. Light, oily, delicious) with thin slices of jalapenos, covered in ponzu sauce. Easy day. I made it. They loved it. They left our restaurant happy and full. At that moment, I had this overwhelming sense of pride im my work. That little reminder of why im doing this. Its what makes me want to continue on down the culinary path and ultimately towards chefdom. Anyways, that was just a little thought ive been keeping inside for a couple of days. This friday I head to New York City to visit my bestest of friends and check out my possible future stomping grounds. We'll see how it goes.....