Hello from California (Bay Area)

[rjx]

This was my intro on another site. To lazy to re-type a new intro, so here it is (edited) ;)

My name is R.J. and I just turned 29. I started cooking when I was about 8 years old and remember watching Julia Child with my Grandma quite often. However, even though I started at a young age, I never evolved in the kitchen until recently. I was always somewhat fascinated with cooking but was always turned off by how long it took to cook, and I dreaded cleaning up after myself. So thats that.

21 years after being introduced to the kitchen I find myself being quite interested in cooking and wanting to please peoples taste buds.

I watch food shows on television all the time and are in and out of the kitchen trying new recipes frequently. My family enjoys what I make and I constantly hear from them, "why don't you go to cooking school?" etc. I would usually ignore them because, well, I don't know why. Anyways, I have been looking into cooking schools for a while and decided to take that question "why don't you go to cooking school?" more serious.

So here I am, 29, watching cooking shows all the time, trying recipes, increasing my knowledge, and building confidence. I am not married (yet), have no children, and have been unemployed for two months. I am real close to getting educated in the culinary field, hopefully for a future career.

Living in the busy, fast paced Bay Area we have many fine dinning restaurants all over the place. I have learned before attending a school, I should work in a restaurant FIRST! So after I read a few books that I ordered I will start my search for an entry level position to make sure this is something I really want to pursue. Hopefully it will work out.

I have been asking myself what my goals (dreams) are? I would like to be an independent personal chef, open a catering business, and maybe open a restaurant on the island of Kauai (Hawaii). Whoa, first I need to learn how to crawl before I can walk hehe.

I spent a lot of time researching books and put together an extensive list of books that I would like to read. After searching the net the other night (all night) I ordered many books. I admit that I went crazy.

Some of the more important books I ordered are:
Professional Chef (8th edition)
The Professional Chef's Knife Kit
LA Varenne Pratique
Becoming a Chef
The Making of a Chef
The New Making of a Cook: The Art, Techniques, And Science Of Good Cooking
On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen

One school that has really caught my attention is CIA. I also requested brochures from Scottsdale Culinary Institute, New England Culinary Institute, J&W, FCI, ICE, CCA (about 40 miles from me), NY restaurant school, and PCI (about 4 miles from me).

And to wrap up my first post on this site I would like to mention that my ultimate goal is become the best cook/chef I can be. Whether pro/amateur, or even home chef.

[kadesma]

Welcome to DC rjx,
you've found a place where just ask a question and people will flock to answer and help..Weekends here are fairly quiet, as we are usually, shopping, enjoying our family and COOKING Here's hoping your dreams in the food field come true.

kadesma

[JoAnn L.]

Welcome R.J., so glad you joined us. I know you will like it here.

[Half Baked]

Glad you found DC! I find food sites a joy because it's fun to talk cooking with enthusiatic people.

[kitchenelf]

Go to culinary school - be the best chef you can be - so I can live vicariously through you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Andy M.]

Welcome aboard!

[corazon]

Welcome to dc! Keep us posted on your culinary adventures and schooling.

[pdswife]

Hello, welcome to the group!

[thegrova]

Hi there and welcome from New Zealand. I was in California last year and visited Napa - absolutely could not resist visiting the Culinary Instutite while we were there. It was a bit of a food and wine holiday for us so visiting CIA was like walking into a bit of a food shrine for us. Even managed to squeeze in dinner at The French Laundry - yep it took some negotiation to get a table and it did break the bank. Having said that it was all part of a fab food journey.

If you are serious about your goals do not let anything stop you. Find yourself a mentor or coach (life coaching is great for getting what you want in life), and simply get on with it.

I look foward to visiting a restaurant with your name over the door some time soon.