BECOMING A CHEF
Blast from the Past. I had always been reluctant to be called a chef. For me, I have always liked to be called a `cook´ instead. Since that´s what I consider myself to be. Now that am more matured, I have realized that I can´t forever be a cook.
But in my heart would always remain as such, but I need to up my game since here in Norway, I can´t get a job as a chef without the certification or what they would call a `fagbrev´. Which means I can´t and won´t be able to receive the right salary appropriate for me as an experienced cook or a chef. I have started my road to becoming a chef a few years back. And this summer will be taking it to another level.
In December 2013, I got accepted to study at ACS-Ashburton Cookery School which won the Best Cookery School for the last 2 years in the UK. And this is my immediate goal of equipping myself with the knowledge and techniques of a professional kitchen. I worked on my own catering and coffee shop business. But shut down the business at the end of 2011, to give way for my other personal goals. It was a good learning curve for me setting up & running a café. I had lots of ups and downs, but the best thing for me was whenever I get sincere feedbacks from returning guests to the cafe.
After a few years of having the business, I felt burned out, so I tried looking for jobs outside my field. But since its a different country and minimal experience on the jobs I was applying for. I did not get any call backs and felt so frustrated. So ended up applying and working again with food & hospitality service in an institutional kitchen (canteen/cafeteria) for one of the biggest food service provider in the region. I was not able to enrol in UK since it would mean taking a year off from work. I just need to prepare myself and save for the tuition and for the months that I will not be earning any salary before I can go to the UK and pursue further studies. For the meantime, will work on my craft here in Norway and hone my skills.
Fast forward to the present. Now, I am working as a restaurant manager/chef in a one-man-operation restaurant/cafeteria in Stavanger and I have yet to achieve the goal of becoming a chef. The desire to get the coveted certification is not far yet not near enough. Am enjoying the planning, preparing & executing the menu for the company I work for. Through the years, I have seen myself improve my skills & knowledge in cooking. As I was moving my blog from another site, I realized that the way I took my photos before were bland & boring. The more I immerse myself into my passion, the more I crave to learn.
Nowadays, titles are no longer an important issue anymore for me. What is important is the passion I put into my job day in and day out. My confidence & self-esteem has totally changed through the years, I have developed my own style and way of cooking that no one can take away from me. I can proudly wear the chef´s uniform without any hesitation.
As for the future. I do not know what the future holds but am ready to face it heads up high and with an open heart and mind. I have lots of ideas, plans & passion projects but all it needs is the focus, determination, and persistence so that all will fall into its place.
Note: This article is updated from an old blog I wrote & published on March 1, 2014.