Inaugural Post aka "Where did my champagne bottle get to?"

Thought I would create a blog. Not exactly sure why, at this point...but why not? Seems to me I've alot to say anyway. Can't seem to keep my mouth shut long enough to keep my foot out of there, even on a good day. So, why not put some of my yammering and random musings down in black and white? Text. Times New Roman, if you will. I'm not sure if anyone other than me will ever read this. One step at a time, I suppose.

Perhaps I will begin my mentioning what this blog is about. I am a professional chef, and have been in the grueling hospitality industry for about 22 years. Probably seen and heard it all. 'You should write a book!', they say...well, maybe one day. For now, this blog will have to suffice...I will primarily be making entries that cover interesting things I see and do throughout any given day. Some see life in a professional kitchen as glamorous, rugged, and strenuous...I suppose 2 out of 3 ain't bad.  It's certainly rugged, and, more often than not, very strenuous. Lifers like me, we're born into this. We aren't made this way via external forces, coddling and molding...we are BORN this way. Seriously. My fate in this industry was predetermined at some point when I was in utero. I was cut out for no other thing than being a chef. I love it, and hate it, all in the same breath. Would I change a thing? Not really. Well, the hours are pretty crappy, but that is common with the territory. And the industry is filled with misfits and miscreants, weirdos, flakes and other unsavoury sorts...one just has to navigate around (and often THROUGH) these individuals, just to make a day of it. I'm almost certain a few of these types may get mention in my musings here. It really does take all kinds to make a whole, and the hospitality industry is a true reflection of that, believe me.

What I truly hope I can do is be somewhat interesting to any prospective readers, or 'followers',  as it were. I tend to be a bit of a smartass, so that may provide some sort of comic relief at the very least. I take lots of snapshots with my Blackberry at work. Things I'm doing. Things I find funny, unusual, interesting.    For instance, I took a picture of a French boned rack of venison yesterday, sent it to facebook, with a clever (at least I thought so) caption that read something like: "Getting my Bambi on here at Pepperwood". Random, I know. But it is what it is, and I am what I am. At some visceral level, I think others must be interested in what goes through a chef's mind, and I endeavour to elaborate on such.

I just hope you can keep up!

Cheers!