This hit home even as someone who started in kitchens in her early twenties. I just wish I had been brave enough to experiment and work on my craft the way you did. Regardless, anyone who has worked in a restaurant kitchen has likely experienced plenty of suffering, a little joy and a few hard lessons.
It can be a very difficult place. But I was very lucky that I had the opportunity to move on from there eventually, which I will likely talk about in next week's letter.
Thanks for the comment, Jenny. I'm looking forward to taking a look at your writing!
And, one thing... It's easy to question or lament our past choices. All I know is I didn't feel brave at the time, I just had no other option but to put up with a bad situation.
I hear that. Def looking forward to reading more! I actually started my newsletter coming from a similar place having left restaurant work with the hope of not losing the passion that got me there in the first place. Now I'm 29, also trying to forge a new path/career! I've branched off a bit to write about other topics but I shared about some of what I experienced in restaurants in my first post. I promise it's not all negative haha https://jennyclark.substack.com/p/welcome
Really enjoyed this one. Also, for the first time I listened to your audio version! You’ve got a great voice for narration and the quality is great. Did you record this on one take or multiple takes?
This is beautiful, and I thank you for writing it, Wil: "it is also true that the most positive of my experiences likely feel only so because of the occasional bad experiences I also went through to find them."
This hit home even as someone who started in kitchens in her early twenties. I just wish I had been brave enough to experiment and work on my craft the way you did. Regardless, anyone who has worked in a restaurant kitchen has likely experienced plenty of suffering, a little joy and a few hard lessons.
It can be a very difficult place. But I was very lucky that I had the opportunity to move on from there eventually, which I will likely talk about in next week's letter.
Thanks for the comment, Jenny. I'm looking forward to taking a look at your writing!
And, one thing... It's easy to question or lament our past choices. All I know is I didn't feel brave at the time, I just had no other option but to put up with a bad situation.
I hear that. Def looking forward to reading more! I actually started my newsletter coming from a similar place having left restaurant work with the hope of not losing the passion that got me there in the first place. Now I'm 29, also trying to forge a new path/career! I've branched off a bit to write about other topics but I shared about some of what I experienced in restaurants in my first post. I promise it's not all negative haha https://jennyclark.substack.com/p/welcome
Ooh, thanks for sharing the link. I'll be checking it out!
Not poor choices. It's impossible to know what any job or the people will be like until you're on the inside.
Kitchens are hives of tension and kitchen politics; occasionally great humour and friendships.
Very well said
Really enjoyed this one. Also, for the first time I listened to your audio version! You’ve got a great voice for narration and the quality is great. Did you record this on one take or multiple takes?
You are too kind sir. It was one take and, lazy arse that I am, you can hear my stomach rumbling occasionally if you listen carefully enough.
Hah! I DID actually hear some grumbling a few times. Did you record this one on an empty stomach?
Haha, oh dear. If anyone else mentions this I'm blaming the sounds on the dog.
This is beautiful, and I thank you for writing it, Wil: "it is also true that the most positive of my experiences likely feel only so because of the occasional bad experiences I also went through to find them."