FRIED COFFEE

 

 

• In an interview with a San Francisco Chronicle reporter c. 1965 Jack Weinberg, then 24 and the leader of Free Speech Movement, is credited with coining the phrase “…..don’t trust anyone over 30.” Respectfully Quoted: A Dictionary of Quotations. 1989.

My thought as I turned 30 was, ” hooray, I’m an adult now, ” and there was none of that crisis business anywhere in my psyche. I had attained an age where I would be taken as a serious contender in my personal and professional pursuits. I was a bit leery about 40, but that was a long way off. Nevertheless the next decade flew by, another milestone birthday appeared and still no crisis. Even the half-century mark didn’t present itself with the angst often foretold.

The next decade was, however, a different story. I had left my chosen field as a Chef and embarked on a commercial enterprise with another person. We worked hard and long on our project and due to his remarkable talents and my sheer doggedness we began to see glimmers of success. Years of deprivations and anguish interspersed with moments of welcome exhilaration began to pay off.

Here comes the crisis part.

Personalities clashed. I was into my fifties, a time when I should be getting ready to reap the rewards of my labors and look forward to retirement. Nay, nay. We went our separate ways. It was time for me to return to the kitchen and start anew.

There are volumes written about starting “second careers.” My return to food service, an industry that is definitely youth oriented, has been a problem indeed. The knowledge acquired and the skills honed during my years in the kitchen were of little consequence. The excellent reviews and positive press meant little.

There are many of us in similar situations on the verge of retirement. Baby boomers are NOT a group to go gently to the sidelines. Then it hit me. We’ve got the internet, a lifetime of experience, a solid work ethic, and DESIRE.

Temporarychef.com was born

Diners have become more sophisticated and knowledgeable about the foods they consume. We are involved in macrobiotics, vegan diets, sustainable consumption, and terms such as “Fair Trade” and” food miles” affect the decisions we make about the food we ingest.

Senior Chefs have the panache and experience to address these issues with the passion garnered through years of dedication, study, and a compulsion for excellence.

No, it’s not the sidelines yet.