This is my third and last post in my "My experience as a chef " serie. I thought it would fit in one post but I was a bit wrong ;)

If you want to read my other two posts, you can find them here:

• Post 1
• Post 2

School Exam

After the internships and lessons in the final year it was time for the exams, to show what you have learned and that you master the techniques to cook a complete menu (on order) for the exam-teachers. I think it is murphy's law, but just days before the exams I was playing basketball with some of my friends and tried to catch the ball. I landed the wrong way with my ankle and broke it.... When I went to the hospital they told me that I had to walk with crutches at least for 4 weeks. I thought things couldn't get any worse. I had the school exam in the next weeks and I have my exam for my driverslicense... Bot very important to me because I wanted to get the diploma and I wanted to drive a car :).

I had to take rest with my ankle for a week even before I could walk with crutches , so after a week I went back to school. I talked to the teachers and there was no change to do the exam a period later so we agreed that I (it was still two weeks ahead) just would try to the take the exam (the exam exists of practicum, cooking a complete menu so a lot of walking).

On the exam day I was quite nervous because my ankle still hurts and I didn't were sure if I could manage the load on my ankle. The teacher was friendly and arranged that I did got help to get the ingredients and materials so I didn't have to walk to much. I remember during the exam that things were not going very smoothly, I was a bit distracted cause of my ankle. But I managed to serve a proper meal and I thought I (at least) got a good grade. When I had the results from the teacher he told me that during the process of cooking I made a lot of little mistakes from which he wondered if I would pass the exam. I could see by the look on his face that he really meant it. So I started to sweat a little and thought "oh no, did I failed the exam".... But he continued his evaluation, he told me that I recovered during the "throughput" of the dishes , I managed to decorate and put the food trough in the desired maner. So the endresult was that I passed my Chef exam. I remember the relief, I was so happy that I now officially was a chef and the way I passed the exam.... Couldn't believe it... But it was true.....

The next hurdle was my driverslicense. My exam was already planned so I could cancel it (without a refund) or I could try it... So I practiced with my dad together in is car (yep illegal, sorry) to look if I could do all the necesarry things with my feet. And suprisingly it did work, we drove towards a empty spot where I got behind the steeringwheel and practiced several times. It was my left foot so I had to practice the clutch a lot.

Then there was the big day, before the exam I had another lesson just to practice the obligatory exercises. When my drivingteacher arrived he looked at me and said "Well that is not going to happen, the examiner will not agree on you driving the exam". I told him that I would still would like to try and that I can show him that I really can drive and that he could judge in the lesson. So he agreed, I drove one hour with the instructor and he was convinced I could drive even with this ankle. So when we went to the exam-location the examiner came to the outside, he looked at me and siad (as expected) , sorry son but you ain't going to drive in that condition, I think it is not safe. At that moment my instructor told him "We just finished a one hour lesson and he is doing ok, so I think he can".... It took some convincing but finally the examiner agreed, he said "Well the time is already booked and paid so we can give it a try"... So we did.. I remember that he put me in some situations where I had to do some breaktests (very hard), afterwards I was laughing because the brake I used my good foot with :P So that was no problem at all.

With the drivers exams in the Netherlands the search the special routes with a lot of signs, trafficlights and special situations, just to check if you master the skills, drive safely and look around the car in the right way. We drove for about an hour when we got back at the location. We got out of the car to the inside of the building, I still did not know if I passed. We took a cup of coffea and then the examiner started his evaluation. He told me that I drove safe, looked to the other traffic in the right way and was grown up in my driving and that I passed..... I recall throwing my papers into the air out of happiness.... Didn't saw that one comming in the condition of my ankle.... So I was delighted it was done...
The sad part was that I had to wait on my license for several weeks because of my ankle and de medical agreement which stated that I was healthy again...but hey.... I got my license...

Well, and then... I was a chef and had my license

After I gratuated from the hotelschool I got a job in a restaurant. (just before I had to do the military service).
Although I like the work very much I did had problems with always working when my friends had weekends or days of. also the working hours where exhausting. Often I cam at home after midnight, the kitchen was open untill 10.00 pm and of course afterwards the cleaning.

It was then when I started to ask myself if this really was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I talked about it with my boss, I said to him that I can't get used to working in time other people are free... He said the remarkable words "Try to see it the other way, you are always free when other people work" , although I thought that was a awesome reaction I still didn't think it was my calling... I only thought "Well great, everbody is working and there I am, the only one in the bar, park, city".... the wages in the hospitality industry are also very low, it's not the motivation but it is a aspect of the decision...

So I did kept working for a bit longer time, it could also just be a adjust to the routine.. But after a while I did decide that a carriere as a restaurant chef wasn't something for me... So I made the promise to myself (because I did had to do the military service) that I made the decision when I left the army.... And here I am..... Never worked in a kitchen again..

I still love cooking, and with special occasions I still cook. But I don't like to cook standard meals. For instance a diner after work isn't my thing, I like to cook the more complex, delicious and rare meals :)

So that was it, my carriere as a chef ended prematurely... Do I regret it? No, not a single minute.... My job today is great, I tend to do a lot of different things ( in IT), and enjoying every day :)

Have a great day,

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