Well, wine class is over. Has been for a week now, and it’s amazing how quickly I went from a total nub to a total wine geek. It’s an area of great enjoyment for me, and something I’ll definitely expand on as the years go by. That being said…
Culinary Management! My new class, a two week course that is currently half over. It’s a trip, really..it’s like…idk, I never realized exactly how much work went into starting and owning your own restaurant. It’s kind of daunting to think about. Maybe it’s because we basically have to do an entire business model and everything that comes with it in only two weeks, with a group of four. This is something that typically takes 6+ months in the real world, bringing together the dreams and aspirations of a chef’s entire life work. We get the two week crash course, so it’s basically the same thing. Right….
Either way, that side of the business is basically one big desk job. It’s probably got a high level of satisfaction that comes along with having your whole dream in place, where nearly anything and everything is under your control. If and when I ever own a restaurant, I’m thinking I’ll have a partner to handle that shit. I’ll stick to the kitchen.
Kinda the same ole’ same ‘ole, eh. Well, life’s not always that simple. I met a girl, I really like her. Of course, things are horribly complicated. That’s what life’s all about though, right? It’s about taking risks, come hell or high water. Who knows where it’ll go.
This weekend itself has been pretty fucking terrible. Pretty much all of my plans completely fell through. I sat at home in my swelteringly hot room the entire weekend thus far. I wasn’t always alone, but it’s still not what I was looking for. I don’t feel like I got that release I really needed, and really don’t feel like going back to school on Monday. It’s this management class I’m telling you. It’s one thing to know how to cost out a kitchen and do inventory and shift schedules and purchasing and all the things that go along with being an executive chef. It’s quite another thing to learn what it takes to be a successful restaurant owner.
Profit/loss statements, lease agreements, balance sheets, business models. Dealing with licenses, health inspectors, etc etc. The list just goes on and fucking on. It’s like, I guess I should be happy. I know what to expect if/when I decide to go into business for myself. I mean I’ll keep an open mind but, yeah.
Anyway, after this week is summer break. It’s only a week long, thankfully. I’m expecting to be fairly bored. It’s good, I’ll probably force myself to finally get a job which is entirely overdue. There really is no reason whatsoever that I’m unemployed except being lazy. At first I thought I wouldn’t be qualified and was kinda like, uneasy about the thought of going out and making a fool out of myself. At this point I’m pretty sure I could do the work I’d want to do, I just haven’t the experience to walk into the door and get that job. Fairly certain I could work my way up if I could get my foot in the door.
After summer break will be perhaps the most enjoyable two months of school thus far. 3 weeks of modern European cuisine, 3 weeks of the cuisine of Asia, and then 3 weeks in foods of the Americas class. Awesome! These classes are a step up on the skills classes I was accustomed to. I’m looking forward to taking things to the next level.
Now all I’ve got to do is make it through these next two weeks, and get my social life sorted out. Get out there and get a job, and maybe, just maybe, I’ll turn a big corner in my life and start totally supporting myself.
