Archive for December, 2009
Pursing a Culinary Career
My best friend from elementary school through high school had some trouble finding his niche in college-to put it lightly. After attending six different universities, most of which he flunked out of, he decided to pursue a career as a chef. After completing an 18-month program at a culinary school, he was able to land a job as a sous chef in San Diego.
While he loves working in the food industry, he said that it took some time for him to adapt to the fast paced atmosphere and large scale cooking duties. One of the most daunting tasks, he told me, was entering the restaurant’s large food storage cabinet and having to locate product. Now that he has had time to adjust, he is thriving in the highly competitive restaurant world.
Down-Home Cookin’
When my wife and I opened a diner off of I-5 last summer, we certainly didn’t have any grand aspirations. We had always been the ones hosting large family get-togethers and cooking meals for friends, and we figured that the diner would simply be home cooking on a slightly larger scale. To our surprise, within a few months we were forced to add a new dining area to the small space we had bought a mile off of the freeway.
At first we had basic cooking equipment, like ovens and several stove top burners, but with the influx of customers, we recognized the need to upgrade. We began investing in commercial grade equipment that greatly reduced our prep time. It also made it easier to churn out better tasting cuisine.