I am suddenly feeling very southern.
I had the urge for some down south comfort food, so decided to make a project of it. I smoked a pork shoulder and have it braising in the oven with some chicken stock, apple juice, apple cide vinegar, and some vegetables.
12 hour cooking time!
Tomorrow morning I can start the collards greens, some candied beets, corn bread, carrots, and whatever else I can find.
I spend all day cooking at work and have two days off to cook at home. Go figure.
At least I get to make what I want here. It is frustrating having to make the crap food the owners want.
You want to be creative, you want to be artistic and all they do is stifle you and tell you to produce crap food the average American wants. A bunch of applebees and red lobster bullshit.
At least the shmucks pay well.
I feel like a complete whore working here. I want to spend some time making perfect, beautiful dishes that people will really love and instead it is just turn and burn. Slap it on the plate and push it out.
I would love to go work at a nice restaurant that does it all the right way. Organic, local, varietals. Straight from the farm ot the table. Shake the hand of the guy who's got it growing from the ground. Meet the cows, see the goats that made the cheese. Serve maybe 100 to 150 customers a day, all leaving happy, healthy and satisfied.
Instead I make ugly food and a good salary. I'm happy we get to serve so many people and they seem to enjoy it, but it's just another facet of this fucked up, agro-industrial market that is killing the way we eat and live. Every week I feel the urge to pack my shit up and find somewhere to work that will make me feel good about what I do.
I still have to pay those student loans bills. Two college degrees and 10 years experience, and here I am sending out cheap crap to the masses.
It is hard to just leave though. All we here form people applying for jobs is that they can not find work anywhere. They want any job in the kitchen for any pay. People who have been sous chefs and chefs, people with degrees, people with 15 years experience.
It sucks. The jobs are out there, but the pay isn't. If I didn't need to keep chipping away at my loans, I'd chase down the dream.
All I want to do is farm and cook dammit. I'm not asking for a penthouse or a fancy car, just rows of vegetables and somewhere to put heat to them. I like cooking for myself and my friends-- it's great.
Buuuut... it's not the same as sending out perfect dishes to strangers. Just tingling with anticipation, waiting for the server to return to the kitchen with feed back and to pick up the next course. It's like having a flawless first date, day after day; giving someone that perfect night and sending them home to fall asleep with a smile.
I had the urge for some down south comfort food, so decided to make a project of it. I smoked a pork shoulder and have it braising in the oven with some chicken stock, apple juice, apple cide vinegar, and some vegetables.
12 hour cooking time!
Tomorrow morning I can start the collards greens, some candied beets, corn bread, carrots, and whatever else I can find.
I spend all day cooking at work and have two days off to cook at home. Go figure.
At least I get to make what I want here. It is frustrating having to make the crap food the owners want.
You want to be creative, you want to be artistic and all they do is stifle you and tell you to produce crap food the average American wants. A bunch of applebees and red lobster bullshit.
At least the shmucks pay well.
I feel like a complete whore working here. I want to spend some time making perfect, beautiful dishes that people will really love and instead it is just turn and burn. Slap it on the plate and push it out.
I would love to go work at a nice restaurant that does it all the right way. Organic, local, varietals. Straight from the farm ot the table. Shake the hand of the guy who's got it growing from the ground. Meet the cows, see the goats that made the cheese. Serve maybe 100 to 150 customers a day, all leaving happy, healthy and satisfied.
Instead I make ugly food and a good salary. I'm happy we get to serve so many people and they seem to enjoy it, but it's just another facet of this fucked up, agro-industrial market that is killing the way we eat and live. Every week I feel the urge to pack my shit up and find somewhere to work that will make me feel good about what I do.
I still have to pay those student loans bills. Two college degrees and 10 years experience, and here I am sending out cheap crap to the masses.
It is hard to just leave though. All we here form people applying for jobs is that they can not find work anywhere. They want any job in the kitchen for any pay. People who have been sous chefs and chefs, people with degrees, people with 15 years experience.
It sucks. The jobs are out there, but the pay isn't. If I didn't need to keep chipping away at my loans, I'd chase down the dream.
All I want to do is farm and cook dammit. I'm not asking for a penthouse or a fancy car, just rows of vegetables and somewhere to put heat to them. I like cooking for myself and my friends-- it's great.
Buuuut... it's not the same as sending out perfect dishes to strangers. Just tingling with anticipation, waiting for the server to return to the kitchen with feed back and to pick up the next course. It's like having a flawless first date, day after day; giving someone that perfect night and sending them home to fall asleep with a smile.