It's not 2010 anymore.

October 16, 2010.  That's the date on the last post.

Today is July 22, 2016.  Lots of time has passed, and many things have changed.

One question still remains;

Am I a chef yet?
No, but yes.
Why not?
Of course!
We all are

My first reaction to that question is a quick no.  It's an easy way out of a difficult situation, because looking within and labeling one's self is a very selfish thing to do.  Selfishness is another topic for a little later.

Even now, when so many look up to me, expect answers from me, demand direction from me, I have a hard time calling myself a chef, but the term is becoming more familiar to me.

Eight years ago, I saw the term "chef" as somewhat esoteric.  I saw it as a label for television celebrities, owners of high-end fine dining establishments and leaders of huge hotel and cruise line kitchen staffs.  I had a hard time calling the guy cooking some french fries in a bar at 3am a "chef".

Building a Craft
Finding what i'm good at
finding what i enjoy
working with people I enjoy
Creating an environment that I enjoy
Hoping other people (customers enjoy that)

A lot has changed in eight years.  I have cooked so many things.  Even when i'm not cooking i'm thinking about how things I see in my everyday life relate to my craft.  Cooking is part of my craft, but my craft has come to encapsulate so many different duties and responsibilities.

Linear vs. Deviation
TFL->ad hoc
fine dining to comfort food
beer!
beer and food
wine
learning about creating an experience - has not gone away
stuggling with margins and keeping costs happy
managing (directing?) people

Some days go by and I feel that there has been very little direction to my life and that bothers me.  And then there's days I wake up and love the amount of improvisation I am capable of doing in my day to day life, and realize that having that freedom and doing that kind of improvisation is part of my success, and I don't get to do it by accident, I have built that into my craft.

My Team
I never thought I would say that.  Even just a few months ago I didn't think I was going to have that as a topic I want to enjoy.

-What are we trying to create today?
-What am I trying to create today?

I still struggle with that, but

 And being a cook for eight years by no means makes me a chef.

But isn't food fun?