For One Night Only

I arrived in class early enough this morning to peruse through the new edition of Sauce Magazine. A local foodie magazine here in St. Louis. I noticed a large ad announcing the Anthony Bourdain was coming to St. Louis on October 1st. I was intrigued. I've followed Mr. Bourdain for several years on the Travel Channel, in fact he inspired my ex husband and I to get off the beaten path when we travel and really discover life and food in the places we visited. Now, he's completely eccentric, I mean who else wears a Ramon's t-shirt while in a rice field in Vietnam and combat, or were they cowboy, boots to Norway? Apparently, during the release tour of his new book "Medium Raw" he has been quoted as saying that he's grown up now and has even taken his earring out.

"Medium Raw" was released about the same time I made the decision to go to culinary school. So of course, everyone had to point out his chapter entitled "So, you want to be a chef?" As you may guess he was not super supportive about attending school, but he did not knock it either. He himself is a CIA (Culinary Institute of America) graduate. He stated the same thing I've heard time and time again, you've got to pay your dues if you want to be the best. Cooking on the line is a hard life and is physically demanding. He suggested if you are over 30 you are probably too old to hack it etc.... Ok, I get where he is coming from. Mr. Bourdain has a certain way of putting things that is blunt and to the point and not very PC. But, you know what, not everyone's end goal is to cook at the best restaurant in New York City. The culinary arts is just that, an art. It's different for everyone, and what they want to get out of their career is also different. It is what it is. I'm not sure why I'm so hung up on this issue. I guess I'm seeking validation from "the industry" that I've made a good choice. I don't think I'm gonna get it.....

I haven't decided if I want to see him speak or not. I know he'd have interesting stories to share, it defiantly won't be a motivational talk, but I'd bet it'd be entertaining.