I was asked this morning in a email from my web page if I thought a 16 year old that loves cooking yet dislikes certain veggies and foods will be able to be a chef.

Here is my answer.

Dear Writer,

 

When I was 16, I had beeb working for 3 years at my mothers bakery, as I was a great outliner and was able to draw anything on a birthday card directly onto a frosted cake. I then had that job on a part time basis as well as doing the actual filling with color frosting or piping gel.

I believe at that time I wasnt to keen on certaing veggies like eggplant which I adore nowadays and even artichockes. There is time for everything and I suggest you keep an open mind and try to taste things when possible. Little by little your palate will grow to like almost all foods. To this day there is one thing I don't really like and that is mondongo, a favorite of many in my family and our country. I had to learn how to make it and taste to get the best for my first Colombian Cookbook.

If you want to know how poosible it is for you to be a great chef, find a summer job at a restaurant and don't be dissappointed if you start washing dishes and peeling carrots. I remember my first job peeling a whole 100 pound bag of carrots to peel. If you enjoy being in a kitchen, with all sorts of people working in a certain strange unisom, to create wonderful dishes for others to enjoy... then you will be a great chef...

Best wishes,

Pachi