I'm chubbyalaskagriz and am pleased to find my way into your neighborhood. Your place comes highly recommended and I look forward to making my way, earning my stripes, sharing, learning, contributing and otherwise taking part.
Took my first kitchen position at age 14- and after over 25 years, just left the field to take a kinder/gentler job in a completely unrelated field with more normal hours so I could try having a personal life for the first time ever. Not sure if this professional departure is forever or not, we shall see.
My experience ranges from restaurants & country clubs, to resorts, a crusie-ship company & remote site work camps for Alaska's oil, commercial fishing and mining industires.
Posted By: Cook Chatty Cathy
Jun 17 # 2 of 19
Welcome CAG!!!
You sound like you will be a wonderful addition to our forum and the morre the merrier!
Good luck on your new adventures in making a living, but never forget your ROOTS......turnips, beets, carrots:D Just kiddin'.
I love stories, and your adventures in cooking sound like you'd have many!!!
Please share:p
Cathy
Posted By: chubbyalaskagriz
Jun 17 # 3 of 19
It appears you work in insurance? Funny- the new "kinder/gentler" job I just took is at the humungous corproate headquarters of State Farm Insurance here in Bloomington, Illinois. Gonna be SO weird. Cheffing has been my only bread-and-butter in this life- never done anything else. I expect it will feel a tad bit odd to work only 35-40 hours, M-F, wear pressed dockers & oxfords, instead of whites, baggy trousers & clogs...
Commercial kitchens are wonderfully warm, close "family" places for the most part. Many in my family work at SF and they tell me to expect an entirly different environment- so I am really crossing my fingers! BUT... I am excited and hopeful about the change! I expect to miss kitchens, but I was ready for something new, so...
Posted By: Cook Chatty Cathy
Jun 17 # 4 of 19
Dear CAG,
OH nooooo you work for one of our BIG Ole' competetors LOL!!!
I love State Farm it is a great Comp. and I am sure if you are at the Corp. office you'll be very busy, and have lots of new stuff to learn, once you get the handle on it you will not be disappointed and I am sure you'll be just fine. Totally different than what you are used to though!
I love my job, but it did take some adjusting to being stuck at a desk for hours on end:o I love it when we are busy and have lots of customers, but when it is slow time DRAGS...........so I play on my computer when my work is all caught up, thank Goodness I work in an Agency that is very cozy, comfortable, and the apmosphere is relaxed. The owner and lead agent is close to my age (51, me not him), and we laugh and enjoy life when we are not swamped. Our slow time is July, so we close for the entire week of 4th of July for an enitre office closed vacation, this yr. we get a whole 10 days off since the 4th is on a Fri. Yeee-Hawww!!! I can not wait. KOA here we come, along with my cane pole and a good iron skillet!!!
So do you garden, I know you must at least have herbs? What is your favorite type food to prepare, and I really am getting more & more interested in accompanying sauces and am wondering have you any to share? Like you know romaulaude's, gastriques, etc....?
