Hard Learned Lessons

Winter at Leaping Waters Farm

Ten years ago I finished college and moved from New York City out to California.  I discovered my inner hippie in San Francisco, my inner hipster in LA, and my outer foodie all across the state.  After eight years of good work for a good cause, my outer foodie and inner chef teamed up and demanded a career change.  I left a secure , meaningful job to explore my newly-indulged passion.  My first step was to stage - fancy French word meaning "work for free" - at some of my favorite Bay Area restaurants.  I was nervous, but determined and quickly fell in love with my new adventure.  The two weeks I spent at Chez Panisse were incredible, but that’s another story for another time...

I came to understand that in order to become a chef, I either needed to run off to culinary school or work my way up from the bottom.  Although it meant earning a fraction of my previous income, I decided to go with the latter.  And I decided – for a variety of reasons – to move back to Roanoke, VA where my family lives.  I found a great job as a prep and line cook at a restaurant downtown.  For a year I woke up early and stayed up late, I bought knives and read cookbooks, I burnt my hands and cut my fingers, I  came to understand why they call it "the weeds”, and I learned a thing or two about how to cook good food

Some lessons are hard learned.   And I learned, finally, that although cooking is my passion, it is not my profession. 

Discouraged, I volunteered on a couple of farms I had gotten to know through the restaurant.  And I finally came to know my inner farmer (a genetic and latent predisposition, I’m guessing, since I've got farming on both sides of the family).  I herded cows, watered pigs, and de-wormed sheep.  And when I was done, I found my way - thanks to a kindly shepherd - into a temporary gig as the general manager  of a local farm-to-table restaurant.  After six successful months there, I passed the torch and took on another temporary gig helping out a good friend and an excellent farmer.

In a few weeks I move on to a new chapter of my life living and working in the D.C. area.  But for now, I get to learn new life lessons as the Farmer’s Apprentice.