entirely in command.
I hope this happens for you. All of the chefs in this book
started somewhere. True, many of them went to culinary school,
but many of them didn’t. And though many come from families of
great cooks or spent years working in restaurants, the key element
is experience: cook, cook, and cook some more. The more you
cook, the more you’ll know, and the more you know, the more
you can start stepping out on your own.
And even if you don’t, ultimately, feel confident enough to
cook like a chef, writing this book taught me that cooking is, as
José Andrés said, a lifestyle. A very rich and rewarding lifestyle. It
means you’ll constantly be surrounded by friends, family,
neighbors, and other assorted loved ones who will relish the
opportunity to eat your food and share your table. For that reason
and that reason alone, I hope this book and its lessons make you
more of a cook than you were before.
It all boils down to an absurdly simple notion, but a valid one,
nonetheless: Cooks cook. That’s all there is to it.