Plan B is Once Again Employed

For those of you who I haven't squealed with delight to...I recently was hired to work for a new venture which has the potential to not only be an incredible learning experience, but also an amazing first entry on my culinary resume. Jose Andres is starting up a catering business and I've been hired on as one of a small number of lucky chefs who get to learn how to make his food. I'm still somewhat in a state of disbelief to be honest. I've been putting in really long hours, all on my feet, am in a considerable amount of pain (thanks ankle and knees!), exhausted but completely exhilarated by what I've had the opportunity to do and see the last couple days.

Things I've learned so far:

• Slicing ham for four and a half straight hours did not change the fact that ham is one of the few things that makes me nauseated on sight.
• I can peel roughly 30 lbs of onions in 25 minutes.
• I really really need to become fluent in Spanish ASAP.
• I can still smile through anything, even four hours of back spasms while working.
• I'm able to make about 400 potato pancakes in 3 hours.
• Using the palm of your hand to cut off the ends of shredded potatoes against a metal scoop will leave scoop shaped welts on said palms for at least two days.
• Handling dry ice with bare hands will burn your skin.
• Working with food and chemicals and fancy schmancy equipment is ridiculously fun.
• Saying "I personally prepared food for Jose Andres, Placido Domingo, and their wives" does not get old. Ever.

In all honesty, I am so totally geeked out about what I'm getting to do. It's such a tremendous opportunity for me, having absolutely no industry experience, I wake up each day (sometimes as early as 3:30 am) looking forward to going to work. It's, thus far, been a blessing and a great reminder that this is what I want to do. This is the industry I want to be working in, these are the people I want to be surrounded by and learning from. It's such a great feeling I almost don't mind the fact I'm making less than half of what I was before. I will somehow find a way to make it work so that I can continue pursing my passion. After spending the last 20 years searching for it, I'm not letting it go. It feels too good.