In the beginning

In the beginning there was school, and from school there were contacts made, and paperwork was done, and eventually an agreement was made. I would move to Cambridge Maryland (USA) for 18 months, and work at the Hyatt Regency hotel there. If you're visiting this blog for the first time, and reading my first post, to get an idea of who I am. Then here goes.
My Name is Joshua @#%*^& (I'm not putting out my last name on the internet!) I'm a culinary arts graduate. Food is my passion, food is my life. I live to cook, and to make other people happy by stuffing the most beautiful food they've ever had in their lives down their throat. I'm a glutton for punishment. I'd rather break my own back then let anybody else do any work for me. If for any reason someone does a favor for me, it becomes a personal debt I must pay back. Other than that, I like to be silly and goofy, sing songs and whistle in the kitchen, and experiment with flavors I've never tried before (coconut glazed beets anybody?) I'm pretty easygoing, but I take my work seriously.
Anyways, I started cooking in Highschool. I was lucky enough to have a cafeteria program that offered Chef's training. The instructor was the former executive chef of the Fairmont Hotel in Vancouver. Very passionate and talented instructor. As one of his apprentices said (who later taught me at culinary school) "Everything he touches turns to gold." He was largely responsible for getting me passionate about cooking.

I can still remember the moment I decided I want to become a chef for a living. I was volunteering at a banquet for the highschool. I was standing there cutting onions, and my back was sore, and my eyes were stinging. I'd cut myself earlier so my hands were sore. But I was having fun, I was getting along with everyone, we were making some beautiful food. And I was having fun. So I realized...."if I have to do one thing for the rest of my life, it might as well be something I enjoy." So I threw myself wholeheartedly into everything cooking. I told my chef. "teach me to be a good chef." And he pushed me to better, and it wasn't until I got to culinary school did I realize just how much of a head start I got over everyone else.

Once I graduated Highschool, I worked for a brief while at a local
cafe with another extremely talented chef. That was one of the best summers of my life. I've yet to work in another such beautiful place. I was right in the middle of a park. Making simple but high quality food. It was gorgeous. From there he got me a job at a hotel about 20 minutes drive away.

Once I started at the hotel, I realized just how fucking little I knew about cooking. I was in way over my head. Luckily I had a tiny little east indian chef named Elvis....awesome guy. He pushed me and pushed me and believed in me. It took me 3 months, but I finally got the hang of things. And I was starting to cook real professional food.

I cannot tell you how awesome this hotel was. The management was excellent, the employees were excellent. Everyone was so passionate about making beautiful food and making people happy. I couldn't think of a more beautiful place to start off my professional cooking career.

After about 6 months of cooking at the hotel, and improving upon my skills more than I ever knew. I started Culinary school at Vancouver Community College. And thus began the next chapter of my career.