Finally, vacation time is here! Denise and I are going to France and Spain for a short vacation to meet our friends, the Bultemeiers. I have been looking forward to this vacation for weeks. Mostly because I've been working my ass off lately (yesterday was a short day, only 13 hours), but also because this is the first time for me to go to Paris as a chef. I wonder how I will perceive the city now through the eyes of my new profession. I hope to become inspired by what I see and taste, so that when I get home again me approach to cooking is invigorated.

Not that I've lost my enjoyment for this new career, far from it. But on some days, it has become a j-o-b. Meaning that I go to work, get done what I have to, then go home. It's not always like that, but I'm becoming comfortable with how things go. Maybe that's a good thing!

I'm looking to gain some motivation about high-quality cooking, fresh ingredients, precision, and detail, and just an overall love for the craft. As silly as it may seem, that animated movie, Ratatouille, was very inspiring to me. The way that the kitchen was portrayed as a temple of precision, inspiration, and a drive for improvement still gets me going today. The culture of the kitchen was evident in all the characters and storyline.

Since I've never worked in a restaurant kitchen myself, I haven't really had that culture of the kitchen instilled into me. Gabe tried while I was his apprentice, but it wasn't the same. The closest I have come was while working for Brian O'Connor a couple nights at Madison Park Cafe. Being a restaurant chef still holds some allure for me: the regularity, the high standards, the precision, the camraderie, and even the strict brigade system (but yes, I realize I wouldn't be happy with the hours, stress, etc). And it's funny to think that even though I am becoming an accomplished chef and business owner of my own at Starry Nights, in the restaurant system I'd be lucky to work the line. I would probably rate as an experienced day-prep cook.

So in Paris this time around, I am going to keep my eyes open, my tastebuds working, and my mind focused. I am heading into the culinary capital of the western world which is as intimidating as going to the Shaolin Temple to study kung fu. I'll only be there a couple days, but it's going to be a lot of fun!