What lies ahead, baby, I have no way of knowing.
But under my feet, baby, the grass is growing,
yeah, it's time to move on, it's time to get going.
- Tom Petty
This post has been edited.
Although I was completely blindsided, scared, and upset about the news of my job status, there was a part of me that felt a sense of freedom. I honestly felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders, and that this was some sort of sign that a time for change was upon me. Do you know what I did that night? I went home, put on some of my favorite music (The Strokes, Tom Petty, and "Trick Daddy Howard's Mix" special thanks to Mike Howard), and baked about 10 batches of cookies to bring as gifts for friends and family the next day. And I loved every second of it!
I can honestly say that I was born obsessed with food. I was born at 9lbs 4 oz, and I was hungry! I learned my way around the kitchen at an early age, and I loved helping my mom cook dinner. I remember the first cookbook I learned to read and cook by - The Fannie Farmer Cookbook. By the time I was in high school, I became the resident baker of the household. My skills in the clean-up category were somewhat lacking. However, I could definitely hold my own when it came to knocking out several batches of lemon frosted sugar cookies and loaves of banana bread. While I attended school at St. Helena High, I would celebrate each of my friends’ birthdays by bringing them their favorite flavor of birthday cake – never from a box, and always from scratch. Experiences such as these taught me the true power of showing my love for others through the sharing of food.
Over time I became more comfortable with food preparation, and made a transition from spending my time baking to experimenting with cooking. My mom has always been more of cook than a baker, and I remember her telling me she enjoyed cooking because she was allowed to make her own rules – whereas with baking, every gram should be calculated to an exact measure. At first, the idea of making my own rules in the kitchen took me aback. How would I know something would turn out ok, be cooked enough, be tender enough? How would I know what to shop for, how much to prepare, how to serve it? Well it turns out, I just had to put myself out there and hope for the best! I could continue to express myself through baking and doubt my abilities as a chef, or I could take my chances and try something new and exciting.
Situations like these - going from something safe and comfortable to something unknown and challenging - come up for all of us at some point or another in our lives. As someone who resists change and unknown situations, these come up for me all the time. I eventually did make the decision to up the ante and try my hand at cooking, and I am glad that I did because I have found a true passion and way of life in which I believe I can excel. In the past, I have come home from a 10 hour work day, and all I’ve wanted to do was spend an hour or so in the kitchen preparing a healthy dinner for myself and others. I believe that for me, this drive can amount to more than just a hobby because I find energy to cook and bake during times of stress, exhaustion, joy, boredom, excitement, celebration, sadness – and basically any other genuine human emotion. It’s a time for me to utilize my creative talents to show love and provide nourishment for others and myself.
I believe that the news that my work status would change served as the world’s way of nudging me into putting into action an idea that I had been entertaining for years – applying to and attending culinary school. I think it’s time for me to grab the bull by the horns and go after my dream career in the culinary industry. It’s a competitive industry that requires a tremendous amount of energy, enthusiasm, creativity and stamina – but I am ready to give it my all and work hard to find my place in the industry. I think this quote explains things perfectly: ‘Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life’.
I have been accepted into the Associate Degree program in Culinary Arts at The Art Institute – San Francisco. I will continue to work part-time as I begin classes on January 10th. I have given great thought to attending school at The CIA Greystone, however I have decided that for now, I wish to continue living and working in San Francisco – which is in many ways at the forefront of the culinary industry. I may well move back to St. Helena in due time, however I am very much enjoying building a life of my own in San Francisco and wish to continue doing so for the time being.
I look forward to sharing my experience with you guys via my blog, which will undoubtedly be filled with inspiration, breakthroughs, challenges, and discoveries. Thank you to everyone for your love and support!
