On being Chef

      Sorry I've been away for so long.  I tried to do some posts for you over the Christmas holiday, but I think I burnt myself out a little bit with all of the Thanksgiving fixins.  Of course it also hasn't helped that I've been working 70 hour weeks, and when I get home I just don't have the energy to do any more cooking.  Many new things in my life that I am adjusting to and lots and lots to learn!
      I have been amazed to find out many things about myself in the past few weeks as well as about how to deal with other people.  What I have learned the least about (so far anyway) is food.  I hope that I will get back to more playing and learning about my food, but for now I am content with the endless discoveries of being a MANAGER.  That word has always scared me.  I feel like I don't know how to balance the time I need to spend on the phone, in the office, on the computer etc, with the time I want to spend in the kitchen with my people and with my hands on the food.
      There is a little list of things I'm developing to keep in mind for the future so that I can run a sucessful business.
#1- I must, absolutely must hire someone to be the general manager of my restaurant.  I just want to be in charge of the food! I need someone to tell me that I am not allowed to spend money just because I want something. 
#2- I cannot be the only person there who knows how to do everything.  I honestly don't care if every single person there has the ability to do everything when I am away, I have no NEED to be physically there, I enjoy being in my kitchen playing with food, but I hope that I can hire people that are just as passionate and intelligent as I am (or more so, that would be helpful too). Which leads me to
#3- I must schedule days off for myself.  and with this in mind I need to acquire myself a sail boat, or some other method for occupying my time that does not involve a TV, computer, telephone or stove. 
#4- People want to be trusted.  One of the most interesting things about my new position is that I have people working under me that have been at the restaurant for YEARS longer than I have.  What has stuck out the most for me is that these people don't resent that I was given the position over them even though they have been there longer or are older.  I am sure some of that is simply the desire not to have the stress, but I hope that it is also the fact that I make an effort to ask their opinions and take what they say into account.  To be honest I would not be able to operate the restaurant at the level I am now without each of my employees knowledge, trust and patience.
      It's just the beginning, but I'll tell you what, while I am exhausted most of the time, and even in my beautiful Danskos my feet are killing me at the end of the day, I LOVE, love, love, LOVE running a restaurant.  I love the feeling I get when people say "this was absolutely delicious, the best _____ I've ever had" or "Thank you so much for accommodating my allergy/diet." and my favorite this week was after a customer asked if they could talk to the Chef hearing them say. "But you're so young . . . and so strong.  Next time we are coming in we are bringing you a bottle of wine."  Yes, they are coming back, and bringing wine :) .
       So I just wanted you all to know where I've been and why I've been ignoring my blog a bit more than usual.  I'll get started up again soon, now that things are settling into a bit of a routine at work.  Please let me know if there's anything you want to know more about, or how to make, or just why you can't make something work.  I'm getting a little low on ideas for the moment, and input is ALWAYS appreciated.

LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!