with as a human being, seen as an equal—a sensitive, multidimensional
entity with hopes, dreams, aspirations and opinions, the sort of qualities
you'd expect of most working persons—then maybe you should
reconsider what you'll be facing when you graduate from whatever six-
month course put this nonsense in your head to start with.
I wasn't kidding when I said earlier that, at least in the beginning, you
have no rights, are not entitled to an opinion or a personality, and can
fully expect to be treated as cattle—only less useful. Believe it. I wish I
had a dollar for every well-meaning career changer who attended a six-
month course and showed up to be an extern in my kitchen. More often
than not, one look at what they would really be spending their first few
months doing, one look at what their schedule would be, and they ran
away in terror.
To those serious ones who know what it is they are entering, who are
fully prepared, ready, willing and able, and committed to a career path
like, say, Scott Bryan's—who want to be chefs, must be chefs, whatever
the personal costs and physical demands—then I have this to say to you:
Welcome to my world!
And consider these suggestions as to your conduct, attitude and
preparation for the path you intend to follow.
- Be fully committed. Don't be a fence-sitter or a waffler. If you're
going to be a chef some day, be sure about it, single-minded in your
determination to achieve victory at all costs. If you think you might find
yourself standing in a cellar prep kitchen one day, after tournéeing 200
potatoes, wondering if you made the right move, or some busy night on a
grill station, find yourself doubting the wisdom of your chosen path, then
you will be a liability to yourself and others. You are, for all intents and
purposes, entering the military. Ready yourself to follow orders, give
orders when necessary, and live with the outcome of those orders