My Mission.

I never have any desire to be a chef who works with oversized proteins, root vegetables, or any sort of dead carcass.  I don't want to sear anything over a hot grill;  poach anything having to make sure to add the right amount of acid so the colors don't fade; fabricate anything that swims, making sure to get the best possible yield.  I don't want to be a sous chef, or an executive chef.

I want to be an Executive Pastry Chef.

I want to work with sugar, and chocolate, and vanilla, flour and fruit.  I want to be able to use lavender and rose water in my strawberry shortcakes if I feel like it.  I want to make poundcake a thousand times until I understand the chemical makeup of it enough so that they never crack or fall again.  I want to roll dough.  I want to frost three layer tortes.

What I don't ever want to hear again is someone telling me that I should "expand" or "research" or "learn" more about what they like to refer to as REAL FOOD.

To me REAL FOOD is Italian meringue and creme brulee and genoise sponge.

Why can't they understand that to me, being a pastry chef is not limiting.  It's not a one way street to me.  It is my dream, my goal, my future.  To learn as much as I can about it, to understand the chemical makeup of butter, and know which one is best for my recipe.  To use Valhrona chocolate, because it is one of the finest chocolates in the world.

What I don't want to worry about is dealing with a shady seafood purveyor who brings me stinky salmon.  If I am sending anything back it will be my strawberries because they are not red enough, my oranges because their skins are too soft or too green, or my mascarpone cheese because it's too runny and I cannot possibly make a good, firm tiramisu with it.  These are the issues I want to deal with; and not whether I should boil, blanch or saute the spinach for the evening dinner special.

THIS IS MY PASSION.

I don't want to make sliceable aspic to pour over a smoked trout.  I don't want to spend my time whipping and egg yolk and oil to make an aioli.  I don't to poach or boil eggs.  I never, ever want to make veal stock, or shrimp stock - they smell bad.

However...Poundcake smells heavenly.