It's Just Lunch
try again tomorrow
Blisters formed almost immediately as the burning hot oil splashed across my forearm and implanted itself in my neck. I’d only been cooking for a few years at this point and a lot of what I’d done wasn’t exactly creating culinary masterpieces. A lesson in searing fish had been learned that day.
One should always gently lay the fish into the pan as if you are swooshing an annoying fly away, so that the oil splashes away from you as opposed to in your face. A strong mentor in the kitchen helped bring me along as chef but they couldn’t always be standing over my shoulder. The lessons would have to be learned the hard way. The only way I make consistently good food is because I’ve made a lot of bad. I’ve burned hundreds of pounds of food. Over cooked the fish. Scorched gallons of soup to the bottom of the pot. Let the pasta go for just a few minutes too long turning it to mush. Fortunately it’s just food and I’ve usually got the opportunity to try again at some point. My approach to cooking has been, well… “It’s just lunch”. We have to eat lunch every day and if it doesn’t work out we’ve got a chance to try again tomorrow. Of course I’m not a huge fan of wasting food but in this profession it’s just a reality sometimes. Throw it in the trash and move on. “Save it for later” they said. “Maybe we can turn it into something worth serving”. Naw… the let’s save it for later, usually means wait till it goes bad and then throw it out.
Cooking is something I do. Most days I do it well and it brings me great joy and pleasure, others days I’m content eating canned soup or some fast food. Yes, even chefs eat fast food from time to time. I’m not proud but I also don’t beat myself up for it. I admire people that are passionate about what they do all the time, but suspect most people have their moments of I could really care less. People act surprised when I occasionally express my lack of interest in cooking. We all have our moments and sometimes I’m just tired. I also have some tools and know how to use them when I’m feeling less than inspired. So today, if you burn the soup, cut your finger while trying to prepare yourself a healthy meal or just don’t care about what goes in your body, give yourself a break and remember “It’s just lunch” and you get the opportunity to try again tomorrow.