“Prep time passes ruthlessly.

You think you have another full hour left to prep, but then you realise that your section isn’t as set up as you thought it was, you notice orders that need to be put away, and before you know it, it’s fifteen minutes before opening.”

“Over the last few decades, the status of chefs has seen various boosts thanks to the rise of celebrity chefs, books, and other media related to chefs and restaurant cooking.

The chef, previously hidden away in the kitchen, was shoved into the limelight.“

“Previously, each unfamiliar dish was a foreign matter comprised of a collection of unidentifiable and potentially nasty ingredients whose sole purpose was to surprise and disgust me.

By cooking something myself, I could deconstruct the unknown and conquer my fears; I could simply take a few ingredients I liked, combine them, and safely enjoy the final product.

It was empowering.”