Tourism and immigration

“Don’t  confuse tourism with immigration!” replied the Devil…..

I have the fortune to know a handful of people that had made cooking not only their life but also their profession. Among them Ian Hutchings, Chef at LUC an amazing restaurant in Corvallis, Oregon.

Ian’s approach to cooking is very meticulous and at the same time very spontaneous, is the king of cooking that makes you feel that everything is going to be jus perfect, thanks to great ingredients choices and amazing technical knowledge. Also, is the kind of cooking that comes just after you had been doing it for such a long time, that is hard to remember when you started.

Ian in action at LUC

Being invited to somebody’s kitchen is an extreme act of trust, for the first time I was fortunate enough to have the chance to share the kitchen with this great chef and friend. After having cooked a thanks giving dinner and breaking down a pig together (in other works playing around) Ian invited me to help in the kitchen due to a impromptu absence of the kitchen helper and several innuendos from me, that were more like “I you need somebody one day I would love to do it…please?”.

I joined Ian a Wednesday and a Saturday being the last one a very heavy shift since everybody is out for dinner.

Now here is where things get real, I am not going to romanticize my position I was the dish washer/helper/utility of kitchen.

I want to emphasize that for me it was amazing for several reasons. First I got to see Ian in action, and pick his brain. You never stop learning in the kitchen but when you are playing with the big boys you can’t help yourself to ask about everything.

Second I got to remember and feel again the rush of a professional kitchen, after having some experience in the restaurant industry (many years ago) it felt just great to feel that rush and the “don’t’ mess things up, not even a soup!!” feeling.

The menus were, as always, a good example of a farm to table proposal great executed dishes like a beets salad with goat cheese vinaigrette, hand made pappardelle in 12 hour lamb sugo, a wonderful bavette with lobster sauce (a meat lover delight) among others. All perfectly executed, planned and put in scene by Ian.

The point of these words is that, after doing it I could only think: “How can you do it every night?” “With a family too?” I came home exhausted with good memories but with a great insight.

I see people wanting to start restaurants and talking about “how amazing would be to open a little restaurant”. But there are a few things to remember and consider.

There is not such thing as a little restaurant, cooking for other people means work!! Don’t believe me? Try and organize a 10 persons dinner party with entrees, first, second and dessert.

When you are cooking in a restaurant you are not cooking for friends you are cooking for costumers, and it doesn’t matter how nice you are they will demand nothing but perfection from you. You have to deliver!!! This creates a good deal of stress on you.

Is extremely hard on your family, the way I had seen this working is because this chefs have amazing and supporting partners that understand their passion. But trust me is a hard test for you and for them.

Having a restaurant dream? Find a way to help in a professional kitchen one night. Then after doing it ask yourself “can I do this every night? “ “What if my name was on the menu of the restaurant? ” “What if my money depended on the success of the restaurant?”

I am lucky enough of being able to play with the dream and get some lessons from friends like Ian. However those are questions worth asking yourself.

Some people just like to cook and they are amazing at it, some had done it and have a good idea of what implies, others just like the idea and have a romantic idea of it, but don’t forget one thing is tourism and other immigration.