Back to the EC, Breezy, Charmed Cooking Life

The long Holy Week was finally over and I am back to the kitchens. Like a child in school, I rummaged through my bag to reorganize stuff and in so doing, stumbled upon my chef's essentials - those things that make my existence luckier and better by the moment. A calculator, tasting spoons from my travels abroad, Post-its, rosary beads, clip, thermometer, that fragrant oil for those bouts of dizziness, and a picchu jade from China.

Of course executive chefs from all over the world have different job descriptions. Except for a few emotional moments in my career, I see it now as a fairly breezy job. I don't stay in one restaurant (which I wish I do) but travel north to south and east and west to oversee ten outlets - and we are opening three plus more this year. Yesterday I had a meeting with my chefs, and I just realized that this EC life is not all about cooking but Food Cost! Inventory! Product Turnover! Customer Feedback! - but ended up nevertheless in steak cookery which I love.

The only ironic thing is, although I have a lot to cook and blog about- the fish and meats and other goods in my walk in fridges are always calling me in unison "Cook me!" "Cook me!" ; and although condiments suppliers are waiting are my feet to have their products approved (why, I build the commissions of these salesmen! ha!), the ironic thing is, I don't have much time. Sigh.

And hey, another great thing to be grateful about is that someone gave me a laptop. Now who would give you a laptop this height of world- wrecking financial crisis? And I got it- for nothing! Not a single penny, not under a loan, and I didn't take my clothes off :) Someone just got fascinated with you and give you gifts. That simple.

I received the new laptop with a deep bow, tearful eyes and an enormous heart. Thank you. Now it pays to keep some rosary beads, gold teaspoons and lucky charms inside your bag :) Thank you again.