How I Stay Inspired in the Kitchen
I’ve been cooking professionally for 33 years (yes, we are counting my college days-if I was getting paid in beer and compliments, it still counts). Wow. That number stings a little. Over the years, I’ve had my fair share of highs and lows in the kitchen, but here’s the thing-I still really love cooking. My passion doesn’t waiver too much-except for the annual two week stretch where I want to banish my stove, order takeout, and pretend I’m in a witness protection program for burnt out chefs. But hey, when you’re cooking every single day(yes, even on days off-because someone has to feed me), that’s not a bad average.
What keeps the fire burning? Curiousity. Plain and simple. I’m constantly looking to other cultures, techniques and flavours for inspiration. I still geek out over new ingredients, shopping at the market and I still gasp at a beautiful plating. I still say “just one more pinch of salt” like it’s a love language.
My love affair with cooking shows started off early. I remember when the Food Network finally arrived in Canada-it was like Martha had descended from the heavens and handed me a mixing bowl. I’d sit for hours, notebook in hand, scribbling down recipes as fast as I could(this was back before google, when we had to work for our recipes, uphill, in the snow, both ways). To this day I still find random scraps of paper tucked into books with half legible notes like “saffron? Fish? lemon maybe??”
As a kid, I was glued to Julia Child, Graham Kerr, The Urban Peasant (who cracked me up with his carefree chaos!), and Wok with Yan. Were other kids watching cooking shows in their spare time? Probably not. But for me, it was like someone had tuned into my brain and broadcast it on TV. It just made sense.
I also have a cookbook collection that borders on unmanagable. I used to read them like novels-full of stories, glossy photos, and wildly anbitious recipes that made me want to cook everything, immediately, preferably all at once. These days, I scroll the internet like it’s a digital spice rack, picking up tidbits from all over the world. And I’m still learning. Still curious. Still hungry-for knowledge and lunch!
Global cuisine? Always a win. I love hearing about how people gather, what they cook for celebrations and holidays, that sense of ritual and joy-it never gets old,
Most of my career has been in catering, and that’s brought me into some of the most joyful moments in people's lives. Weddings, baby showers, birthdays-just a parade of good vibes and full bellies. Every event is different-a new menu, a new location, new guests. I sometimes can’t believe I got to play a tiny part in so many people's happiest memories (and let’s be honest, the behind the scenes drama could’ve made for some great reality TV).
At the end of the day, it’s trying new things that keeps me going. Sometimes they flop. Sometimes they really flop. But most of the time, I figure it out. And when I do, it’s magic. That’s the thing about cooking-you never really arrive. There is always another dish to discover, another skill to learn, another person to feed.
And that’s what keeps me inspired.