our craft
Ruhlman has a great little post about why we cook
I grew up not liking having to help my father work on cars, mow, clean up the felled leaves/branches/ trunks as we pruned, painting, roofing, plumbing or really anything that left me dirty. I was always grumbly about having to get out and help 'clean up'. I was the son who didn't have the engineering focus like my older brother, and so I missed out on a lot of lessons on how to work on cars, trim trees, paint buildings, design new walls, build anything, or get myself out of car trouble that I could have taken with me from having to do all those things with my father...because I was too busy griping about it.
And while I did pick up a little 'making it work' ability that I've used throughout various kitchens and a little DIY mentality...I have to call people to come fix things that are beyond me more often than not.
And I wonder why...now.
But the main point of all this is that I have an ongoing struggle with how my parents, who are a couple of generations apart from myself (approaching their 80s), view me and my choice of careers and what I am doing with my life.
Case in point...
A few weeks ago they were in town for a college reunion and stopped by to chat. I was discussing how Austin is changing and has changed and how the focus of things here is different.
My mother grew up on a farm outside of town. No one has lived on this land in decades. My brother had the thought to move there and I have too over the past few years given thought to farming/cheesemaking/doing something more natural on the land as well. But in the recent years my mother and my aunt have sold the farm.
I brought this up as I was disappointed that they had sold it, because I had been thinking about taking up farming. My mother, giving me this look of wtf?/disdain, said "you know how much hard work is involved in farming?"...I said well not personally, but I know it is difficult. And then we moved on...
You see, my parents have not eaten in any restaurant where I have cooked in at least ten years. Maybe ever...I cant recall...I mean, yes they have been to a few restaurants where I was a manager...but never to place where I have been responsible for the food. In fact, the only food of mine they have eaten in the last decade was the dinner and reception I prepared for their 50th anniversary. And I will admit that I have different tastes in food than them and even though I don't like new things as much as many other chefs, I do have a more adventurous palate.
And I wonder why they never have.
And I wonder why my mother in particular gives off this vibe that she doesn't approve of what I do, or feels like I am lazy, or don't work hard, or something disapproving. Because it rubs me the wrong way.
If she only knew...
And if only I could get across my feelings about how we should be eating as compared to how we do eat...and how things should be grown sustainably, and how organic is good most of the time, and how we should be focusing on the land we have.
And so I guess this is my defense...that I did take the educated path and have chosen to do something that makes me happy, in an 'engineering' sort of working with your hands type of way. I chose to cook in a professional kitchen. And I am damn good at it.
Soulcraft: The Real Reason We Love To Cook
and it has a link to this article by Mathew B Crawford in the NY Times magazine...The case for working with your hands
Why this?I grew up not liking having to help my father work on cars, mow, clean up the felled leaves/branches/ trunks as we pruned, painting, roofing, plumbing or really anything that left me dirty. I was always grumbly about having to get out and help 'clean up'. I was the son who didn't have the engineering focus like my older brother, and so I missed out on a lot of lessons on how to work on cars, trim trees, paint buildings, design new walls, build anything, or get myself out of car trouble that I could have taken with me from having to do all those things with my father...because I was too busy griping about it.
And while I did pick up a little 'making it work' ability that I've used throughout various kitchens and a little DIY mentality...I have to call people to come fix things that are beyond me more often than not.
And I wonder why...now.
But the main point of all this is that I have an ongoing struggle with how my parents, who are a couple of generations apart from myself (approaching their 80s), view me and my choice of careers and what I am doing with my life.
Case in point...
A few weeks ago they were in town for a college reunion and stopped by to chat. I was discussing how Austin is changing and has changed and how the focus of things here is different.
My mother grew up on a farm outside of town. No one has lived on this land in decades. My brother had the thought to move there and I have too over the past few years given thought to farming/cheesemaking/doing something more natural on the land as well. But in the recent years my mother and my aunt have sold the farm.
I brought this up as I was disappointed that they had sold it, because I had been thinking about taking up farming. My mother, giving me this look of wtf?/disdain, said "you know how much hard work is involved in farming?"...I said well not personally, but I know it is difficult. And then we moved on...
You see, my parents have not eaten in any restaurant where I have cooked in at least ten years. Maybe ever...I cant recall...I mean, yes they have been to a few restaurants where I was a manager...but never to place where I have been responsible for the food. In fact, the only food of mine they have eaten in the last decade was the dinner and reception I prepared for their 50th anniversary. And I will admit that I have different tastes in food than them and even though I don't like new things as much as many other chefs, I do have a more adventurous palate.
And I wonder why they never have.
And I wonder why my mother in particular gives off this vibe that she doesn't approve of what I do, or feels like I am lazy, or don't work hard, or something disapproving. Because it rubs me the wrong way.
If she only knew...
And if only I could get across my feelings about how we should be eating as compared to how we do eat...and how things should be grown sustainably, and how organic is good most of the time, and how we should be focusing on the land we have.
And so I guess this is my defense...that I did take the educated path and have chosen to do something that makes me happy, in an 'engineering' sort of working with your hands type of way. I chose to cook in a professional kitchen. And I am damn good at it.
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