Tuesday 17 February 2009

Cooking with passion

Richie's blog about passion for cooking prompted a few feelings within me. Firstly I thought his description of the Head Chef sounded a lot like our very own Cartouche. Secondly I totally agreed with his sentiments about passion in your work. He's totally correct. Whatever it is, if you are doing it not for the wrong reasons he mentions, like to get rich, or score a chick or something but with such a passion that you just have to get it out of you, you'll do it well, and succeed.

Check out Richie's words of wisdom on his Line Cook blog.

http://linecook415.blogspot.com/2009/02/decisions.html
Posted on by Rita
15 comments

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just checked out that site Rita,and he's right on the money, I will be keeping an eye on that blogger, thanks for the heads up!

G.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a load of shit to me Rita.
Another one who doesn't know if he wants to be a writer or a cook.
Presuming to tell others how to approach anything is arrogant in the extreme.
I think Bukowski wouldn't even bum a beer off him.

Rita said...

Thanks G - glad you've made the link. I like Richie's style and what he has to say.
Unlike Sir G - christ, you're getting more crotchety as the days pass Sir G! It definitely DOESN'T sound like a load of shit to me, in fact it makes total sense, and I passionately believe it!

Anonymous said...

Bukowski would definitely bum a beer off him, that was pretty well his job. He would bum a beer off anyone.

And he did write a bit. People did write more sensible stuff before blogs were invented Sir G, do you agree?

P

Anonymous said...

I don't want to agree with anyone. I want a woman to build me a bed with an extra supprt leg in the middle.
Like Bukowski did in Women.
I think Bukowski would liken this linecook fella to just fluff.
Not worthy of a poem. Maybe you are right he might bum a beer off anybody, But sometimes he let scruples get in the way of drinking. But not often.

Anonymous said...

Sir G you are as arrogant in your assumptions as you accuse that line cook to be.
Firstly, why cant he be a writer & a cook, who made you the guidence councellor? Secondly so what if he cant decide what he wants to be? Just because you were fortunate enough to make your way as a blow hard, opinionated, pink eye eating skinflint, dosn't mean everyone else is as blessed-so go easy & dont judge the line cook.

Anonymous said...

I can tell he ain't a writer from reading it, nutmuffs.
Can't say anything about his cooking as I haven't tried it.
Look if you want a writer, read Bukowski and not someone using large tracts of his stuff to try to add some glamour or street cred to their site.

Anonymous said...

Get the carrot out of your arse Sir G. It will make you less grumpy.

Anonymous said...

Hi Rita, I read the link & I like the Bukowski poem.

It might explain why I have always rushed tests & exams, rationalizing that if I didn't truly absorb the information when taught to me, then it will surely pass through me just like water.

This might also explain my appalling test results!

I will say though, I did like the idea of the line cooks article. I disagree with sir G on whether he is a writer or not as I think these days it ultimatley might depend on the amount of readership or hits he gets & 406 followers plus I suspect a huge amount of daily readers might qualify his status as a writer-whether he meets our high watermark or not, such are the changing prerequisites of how to measure ones validity thes days, I'm still trying to do it as a chef for crissakes!

To me & sadly though, anything post Bourdain especially from America about kitchen shenanigans will forever seem derivative as I feel, rightly or wrongly, (my jury is still out!) that Bordain owns the genre

Anonymous said...

My goodness, Rita, just when I thought things were bad enough comes an ad in the paper.
Henry's restaurant says it is serving up ``works of art'' from the chef and his team of ``artists''.
I want cooks and chefs to fry up grub for me and artists to stick to paintings and stuff.
Is this too much to ask?
Cooks who want to be writers, cooks who want to be artists....where will it all end?
I believe Picasso did a nice double egg and chips that looked just like the Mona Lisa.

Anonymous said...

Sir grumpy
In your (occasionally laudable) desire to spike pretension and avoid pomposity, you go to such extremes that you risk throwing the baby out with the bath water. Methinks a bit of reflection on your part would make you a more decent example of our species.
PS Howzat for f..king pretentious prose?

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I have to agree with Sir G, that does sound a tad pompous and cliche`d, certainly in these times of frugality and economising. It is an Art Hotel though and Hobart is going to become the art centre of the universe in the next few years!

Anonymous said...

Hey Sir G I get what you are saying!
Just like Ex-Mercury staffers wanting to be blogging commentaters, surely they know just to plod along with what they know, they aint no writers either & aint in a position to judge.
Dont you agree?

Anonymous said...

Can you not see I was revving you up.
I can be a shocker and do confess I read tons of cheffy blog sites and most are good.
Even the one Rita recommended here has its charm and anyone who likes Bukowski and his character Chinaski is okay with me.
I read Ut Si, Steve Cumper, Eating Asia, Andy Hayler, Noodlepie etc etc.
I do admire their skills and passion for sharing. But the chef is often a temperamental beast and I do pull their tail a bit much.
Just give me a serve back.
And no, I don't think people are ``just'' cooks or ``just'' writers.
Some bright buggers have loads of different skills. Half their luck.

Anonymous said...

Yes Rita, I do see myself sometimes looking through people a million miles away and thinking about all the other things I have to consider other than the one thing on my teams mind.
Generally when it comes to the apprentices I take them through their paces and put the pressure on gradually. I allow them freedom to concoct their own ideas, and give them almost free range at the specials board.
I try to encourage them to develop their own style, then show them how to cost it out and deliver it consistently, or show them why its going wrong when need be.
I think the biggest thing you can give them, rather than formulaic recipes, is confidence in their ability, and how to be part of a team under pressure.

Cartouche