urban beets

It’s not about what it gives, but what it takes

As shows like The Bear and movies like Burnt have gained attention, people are starting to get a glimpse of what “true” kitchen life is about: a bunch of burnouts working the stoves, cooking nice and fancy plates while eating uncooked noodles (as crackers), cereal, or snacks for dinner, and drowning their thirst with beer, whiskey, or (pick your favorite poison and insert it here).

If you are dating a chef, don’t expect fancy dinners every night. But if we cook for you, it is definitely made with love. Unlike in the restaurant, where it is sometimes made with rage and anger (especially in the last minutes of a shift).

One statement I won’t ever argue against is that every cook develops an addiction. Name it: alcoholism, smoking, gambling, drugs, sex, coffee, even anime! Kitchen life is a life of vices, known for not having boundaries or limits. You could have killed a man, but if you make a god-damn-good Wellington, who the fuck cares?

I’ve seen chefs make servers blow into breathalyzers installed in their cars (due to their DUIs); sleep with different waitresses each night; or pass out on the floor of bathroom stalls. Sadly, we need something to numb this life…

On a personal note, I don’t think I could ever find the same adrenaline, excitement, and thrill working in any other job. Being “in the weeds” or “in a rush” tests your temper, and in the end, you know, only food and steel are forged in the fire. And hey, I COOKED FOR AVRIL LAVIGNE a couple of days ago! Not my first celeb, but for sure, one of the coolest ones.

But in the end, as the title states, kitchen life does not give an equivalent exchange. You give your time (up to 18 hours a day without breaks), your social life (we don’t have weekends, holidays, or usual vacations), your health (burns and cuts that never heal), and your mental health (a sick competition about who has the largest balls or is exploited more—stupid thing to brag about, I know). But that’s what passion is about, right? Right…?