Being a Chef

I was born in a family with fondness of food and cooking. Yup, my father was a chef for the temple he used to attend. While my mother famous for her home cooking. Me and my siblings since the beginning was spoilt of having delicious and healthy foods. The repertoire both my parent's having are enormous. Let say, my father used to cook exotic meats. Dogs, monkey, snake, even the pangolins. Not to mention, wild boar, deer and shark. While my mother's dictionary ranging from Indonesian, Chinese, Hakka and Dutch. From both of them I think only me having the urge to make kitchen my dominion professionally.

After high school my mom offered me to attend the normal university. Being a secretary or English teacher. To please her I attend the exam test and got accepted for both faculties. But I also promised her that if ever I got accepted in cooking school, they have to accept my decision of becoming a chef. I passed the test for cooking school and I was named as the best candidate during the entrance examination. I was grateful that my parents also pushed me to learn English, and allowed me to read so many books so that I am not narrow minded when it comes the interview session I had during the exam.

 The beginning was just like playground for me. Basic cutting techniques, basic cooking methods and many other basic things. Was wondering though, why they taught us in French Culinary. But frankly to say, the basic of becoming a chef means that French is a must. Three years I spent there. With further one year to finish my paper. I got delayed because I had found a job as a chef in a cafe. Smelling money, my eyes turns green. Almost forgot that I am just merely an inch to finish my study. Until my mom, seeing me squarely that I need to finish.

Then I am embarking the life of being a chef. So many stories of those years to become what I am now. I used to lose my temper and throwing pots around for my minions to understand me. I even pointing knives once to my second in command because he kept doing the same mistakes. But the most extreme I ever done is when I broke the wine bottle and pointing the half to my CDP. The reason? He was drunk during working, and kept whining to be send home back to Indonesia. Now, I am more assertive in facing the situations within my kitchen. I always tried to see objectively and judge by logical thinking. I notice that being wiser in the kitchen much more needed than barking orders. And after being a chef for more than five years, means that I am more mature.

"To become a good chef means that you always have to sharpen your knives all the times. That is the basic rule in cooking" I learnt that from someone who gave me inspiration and aspiration to become a chef. He doesn't hold any Michelin star. He doesn't have the proper training of being one. He is just my dad.

In memories of my father, the first ever chef I ever encountered.