Required reading

Greeting and Salutations people,

I thought that I would write an entry to give any aspiring chefs some reading material before they make the leap into this lifestyle. You'll need more than Culinary School text books and recipe books...they don't give you the feel for the enviroment. Especially if your proverbial "leap of faith" is from another career. You are going to have to have faith, determination, and insight into what it is going to take to succeed at the highest levels. There are two books that provided the emotional and spiritual support for my journey so far. "Kitchen Confidential" by Anthony Bourdain and "Letters to a Young Chef" by Daniel Boulud. What is great about these books is that they provide an extremely useful look at the mentality of the workforce that already exists in any kitchen. The people you'll work for and with are essentially pirates and the corporate/HR structure doesn't exist here. Bourdain and Boulud are New York Institutions with articulate and funny writing styles that capture the essence of what you'll be subjected to. One can not approach this career with the mind set that things will be handed out based upon your success or accomplishments doing something else. This field's treasures are given only to those who have proved themselves amongst their peers, doing all the nasty things they've had to do...and that is what is so pure about cooking...you got to get your hands dirty. Abandon your thoughts and preconceived notions about the glamour of being a chef that the Food Network publishes...it isn't real. The stuff in these books are. Chef Bourdain and Chef Boulud are the real deal and their candid observations will prepare you for what is in store. Do yourself a favor get your hands on these babies.

Until next time, rest well my liege