Foodlife

The rattles, clashes, yelling, curses thrown around like baseballs in the summer, the smell of hot oil and searing flesh, the constant buzz of electronic devices spitting out commands for a legion of people to fulfill, and large plumes of flame coming from the back.  Sounds like fun eh?  This is a typical day in a busy working kitchen. The labor that goes into that plate of food you have in front of you, if dissected process by process is mind- numbing in the details that had to come together to produce it.

 I walked away from the food business in 2008. After spending most of my working life cooking, I one day decided I had enough and took the proverbial hike. With occasional forays into the kitchen with a good friend of mine (who by the way is probably the hardest working chef I know) I still get a taste of the life I left, and it tastes good.

I have recently taken up the expo station at my friends latest project on Saturday nights and I won’t lie, it’s fun. The sounds, the smells, the buzz of the ticket printer, the flames, the adrenaline rush of just getting slammed relentlessly by the hungry masses who just want a good bite to eat. I realize now why I did it for so long. It really, truly is a buzz. If I had to do it for a full time living again it would probably drive me nuts so I am thankful for an opportunity to just dip my toes into the pool once a week.

I have been hunting and pecking to find my voice on this blog for awhile, and I do believe I am going to start adding some stuff regarding the food industry. Still car stuff yes, but I realize after spending a little time in a professional kitchen again that there are stories, hundreds of stories to be told about restaurant life as it is a lifestyle. Just about anyone who chooses the food industry as a profession and career, has an interesting story to tell.  People from all walks of life settle into the groove of foodlife, from college students looking to pay the cable bill to people who started that way and spent years going to school and countless hours developing methods and techniques perfecting their art. Because yes, food is an art, not the hopeless crap you pick up at a fast food joint, but in the restaurants with real kitchens, and real people who take pride in what comes on the table in front of you. This series will be about artisans and their art. The restaurant scene in the Fox Valley has been progressing in a very impressive manner with brilliant operations both in atmosphere and decor and with unique, thoughtful dishes that you would not expect to see in such a "meat and potatoes" oriented part of the world. There is plenty to talk about and see.

With no idea what you will read about food in the future from me as I never know what is coming next since 

I am a little flighty that way, and somewhat compulsive. On a whim. But that’s ok, nobody reads this anyway haha. Till next time….Joe D