Vegan Chef, now that’s an accolade I can live with!
They say a picture paints a thousand words so judging from the expression on my face and my Hells Kitchen apron it’s clear that I am a chef on a mission. I am also displaying the skilful traits of a vegan multi tasker. I am stirring one pot, whilst checking the progress in another all the while listening intently to what my fellow chef has to say.
This pictured was not staged. I actually had no idea it was being taken and only stumbled across it when someone pointed it out in the Metro Newspaper, so not only am I chef, I’m famous too! I’d like to claim the chef hat but the truth is in this picture I was actually attending a training workshop and my awesome presence caught the attention of the photographer ( well that’s my version of events)
I learned a few powerful lessons well worth remembering as you embark on your vegan journey:
- The kitchen is your space whether you are an expert or a newbie. Show up and own it. Your attitude and love for your craft adds additional flavour to your plate. We always know when a dish has been created with love. It always adds a little extra spice to a dish that you cannot find elsewhere.
- A chef is just like an artist. With the plate as the canvas your job is to make it colourful and visually appealing.
- You don’t have to have made a dish before you simply need to be willing to experiment and season as you go. I have long since discovered that the greatest chefs in the world have been awarded that accolade because they were willing to experiment in the kitchen. All recipes we see are the results of that experimentation. We never get to see all the challenges they had to overcome along the way.
- We all have a chef living on the inside of us, we just need to give ourselves permission to let it out every now and then. I never thought I would be so comfortable in the kitchen. My track record with food would have led you to believe the exact opposite.
- Cooking and creating in the kitchen is wonderful therapy, much cheaper than a therapist and far more enjoyable.
Embracing the good the bad and the flabby