...todays title brought to you by T.S. Elliot.
One of the things I learned while making my way up and down the radio dial (WKRP, anyone?), is that you can never not network. If you don't, you're not going to last long. Suffice it to say, this (as I've found out, but really shouldn't have been much of a surprise to me..) is the same in the world of professional cooks.
The more you connect with others in the industry, the better.
Over last summer I started writing for the Food & Wine section of ThePortlander.com, my first idea and supposed regular column (it's not that I've been slacking, that's for sure) "Back Of The House" where I would interview a local chef and take the readers 'behind the curtain" - kind of like "Behind the Music" only not.
The first interview I did was with a chef I had been stalking following on Twitter, who at the time went by the handle of @BellyTimberPDX (that has since changed, more on that in a minute.). Chef David Seigl of Belly Timber, with the magic of aforementioned twitter I asked if he'd be my first (get your minds out of the gutter folks..) he was more than happy to oblige.
If you're interested in reading the interview click here: "Back Of The House: Chef David Seigl".
Recently he (read: last week) left his post as executive chef of Belly Timber, and hit the road. He's decided it was time to get out roam, and as my understanding is - headed to Europe. He's charting his travels over at Executive Dishwasher, which I fully urge you to add to your RSS reader of choice. You can also follow him on Twitter under the same name as the blog: @ExecutiveDishwasher.
"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving". - Lao-Tzu
..photo credit: Dave Seigl, Executive Dishwasher.
In his first post, he talks about the who/what/where's of why he's tossed his apron in the laundry bin and headed out to travel the world. It doesn't take him long to get to the heart of the matter.
Within the last paragraph or two boils it down to the million dollar question.
If that doesn't get you thinking, I'm not sure what would.The more personal questions is: as a chef, what motivates me? Could I work and exist in a place where diners don't want to be challenged by food or may not notice or give a damn when care and love have been put into the product?
Or, is personal satisfaction in a job well done enough to keep me going?
I'm looking forward to following David's travels, and trying to answer those exact questions. I too have my own questions which I need to explore more in depth than I have in the past. For the first time, (in which I can safely say - has been a long time) I have a new set of goals, and as always with new goals - one will have new questions - maybe questions that might lead to more questions.
Though I will say David and I are at two different points in our lives, but a lot can be applied both ways. He's single, while I'm single - I do have a 14 year-old son. And thus things have to be adjusted (not that it's a bad thing).
I have never been one to shy away from a challenge. .
