Dream Job, anyone?

Knifethrower · Joined: 29 Oct 2006 Posts: 218 Location: Heaven, actually.

Erin, I feel your pain. Being cooped up in this weather, the weather we cannot stand, has me cruising chef jobs in Belize...

I was watching videos from the Taste 3 conference this morning, and Dan Barber from Blue Hill spoke twice. The video of how he fell in love with what he does is rather entertaining and thought provoking. While he was in school someone asked him what he wanted to tell his guests as a chef. Dan had a great answer, a vision, a hope he wanted to fulfill... I don't, except to have fun and get paid for it. Its a total weenie of an answer, but truthful.

This gets me pondering yet again what kind of experience I should be having when I get let loose to do an internship. Do I want to really hang on the fringes of that Uber Cool movement such as Blue Hill offers, or do I want to go for a Baptism By Fire experience? Am I really going to end up in a fancy restaurant with a formal brigade, or am I going to vagabond it with my Man, my laptop, my dog and my knives? (The latter being my preference, as long as the dog can go and I can pay my loans off!)

I guess I need to pull out the bike, put it back on the trainer setup and spin my way to an answer... I used to do my best thinking on my saddle.

And Heck Yeaaaasss, cooking for you on some beach would be fabulously more exciting than the Pearl, but you'd have to reciprocate in Seattle for me (so long as you don't leave out Salumi on the shopping excursion!).
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There is only one way to die- With a full stomach and a good tan.

Erin · Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 1:01 am Post subject:

We braved the roads of North Seattle to get to the BMW dealer so I could sit on my dream bike today. I say dream, but I am getting one in a few months or so . . . after I learn to ride. I have been obsessing over this web site ever since I got home: http://www.ultimatejourney.com/home.html

What kind of bike do you have?

It is pretty cool to see what drives different people to do a certain thing. There is a PBS program, I can't recall the name, that does a tutorial and interview with the chef and it is the same kind of real in-depth thing, not just a celebrity chef-a-thon.

It's a deal!
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"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

Judy · Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:48 am Post subject:

Jen, how exciting! I'm thrilled for you.

But don't limit yourself to the US - come to Adelaide and learn with The Master - Cheong Liew. Great weather, it never snows here, and there are plenty of bike tracks all around the city.
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Liking what you do is happiness

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Knifethrower · Joined: 29 Oct 2006 Posts: 218 Location: Heaven, actually.

Judy- Got room for a tent in your back yard and wireless internet? Smile

Erin- Nothing warms the buns like a nice BMW, although I am too chicken to ride a motorcycle. For the moment. I have an old Klein Performance that we call Frankenstein- heavy, clunky and put together too many times. I hate to part with it, and I hate to haul it around, its so huge.

I'm not ruling out internships in places where I know people, like Israel, Queensland and other places through the States. Spent all day long cruising the web after my spin.

Can you imagine, Hershey Resorts has a formal internship program! Mmmmm, chocolate... could come in handy for my Baking and Pastry internship later next year. Not high end or Disney, but to work with Scharffen Berger and Dagoba products would be a hoot.

(Sigh) Where to go, what to do...?
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There is only one way to die- With a full stomach and a good tan.

David · Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 5:07 am Post subject:

Okay Erin, I can't help it--I'll bite "bi mongol khel......"???
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Vivant Linguae Mortuae!!

Erin · Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 6:04 pm Post subject:

David, it means; I'm learning to speak Mongolian. When Phil retires in 8-10 years we are hopping on our motorbikes and having an adventure and we both want to include Mongolia. I am the language expert in this team, so I learn it as well as I can and then teach it to him.
_________________
"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

Erin · Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 6:05 pm Post subject:

Jen, have I mentioned that I love the new picture? Lovely.
_________________
"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

Knifethrower · Joined: 29 Oct 2006 Posts: 218 Location: Heaven, actually.

Erin,

Mongoliaaaaaahhhh! I guess I fell in love with that part of the world while watching Michael Palin's series on the region. Then again when Ewan Mac Gregor and Charley Borman went from London to NY the long way- on motorbikes across Asia. All that adventure made m itchy feet worse. Top that off with a fiance who turned 18 while trekking in Nepal, and you wind up with a Jen with massive migration desires.

I applaud your non-native linguistic skills- Mine is limited to the vocabulary of a 2 year old Israeli child and the ability to order beer politely in Spanish without getting slapped or jailed.

Thanks for the picture feedback. Its all I can do to not change it to my sunbathing in a kayak picture from times much warmer...
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There is only one way to die- With a full stomach and a good tan.

David · Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 7:46 pm Post subject:

Yeah, Erin, Kudos on the linguistic front--not so talented here. Enough French to get around and I can say "crazy white man" in Cree!
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Vivant Linguae Mortuae!!

Erin · Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 9:19 pm Post subject:

LWR! Phil credits Ewan and Charley for sparking my interest in motorcycles. I was scared to death of them before I saw their adventure.

You should go to Mongolia and spark a new food craze. I've heard veggies are few and far between.

Thanks both of you, it comes in pretty handy. I am not a master, but I've got an ear. It helped me ingratiate myself to my Czech landlord.

I totally forgot about this resto: http://www.artofthetable.net/. It first appeared on my radar last summer when Pesto Man and Pesto Wife came to town. They raved about it and I had to go. It is trendy, but has staying power unlike some of the tragicly hip places out there right now.
_________________
"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

Dalal · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Posts: 5

I am curious. Where did you decide to go and would you recommend it?