24 years ago today my chef/husband asked me to be his girlfriend.  And with the exception of a few short hours one night in college, we’ve been together ever since.

I’m not exactly sure how that is possible, since I’m only 29 (ok, not really), but wow!  That’s a long time!  I feel old.

I’ve known my husband since I was 4 and he was 5.  Our families went to the same church and our parents were friends.  While I don’t really have many memories that include my husband when I was young, my mother-in-law loves to remind me about how I sang and danced in front of their fire place one evening when I was little.  I’m sure that never really happened and she’s probably making it up . . . (Can I tell you how many songs and dances I’ve had the privilege of watching since we’ve had kids?  If my mom were still alive she would be laughing and probably calling it payback for all the “shows” she had the privilege of watching when I was little!)

Fast forward to High School and me being a foot taller than practically everyone else. . . I finally noticed him.  He was taller than me, a Christian, he played the piano and sang and he was handsome.  (Apparently he could cook as well, I just didn’t know that yet.)  He asked me out on a date and a few weeks later, he asked me to be his girlfriend.  I was 15 and he was 16.  We were young!!

Now truth be told, I have never dated a chef. My husband did not start working in a professional kitchen (unless you count In-N-Out) until after we were married.  But there was always food around . . .

My husband has always loved to cook.  I have seen the pictures of him and his Holly Hobby Baking Oven when he was little.  (I wonder if he will appreciate me mentioning that on the internet?)

I remember one time when we were dating, he and his best friend decided to cook their girlfriends (my friend and I) dinner.  So two 16 year old guys in the kitchen making a romantic dinner for their new girlfriends. . . how sweet!  I don’t remember much about the dinner, except that he got grounded afterwards for using the broiler when he was told not to.  Oops!

We dated through high school and got married in college.  About 6 months after we got married, my husband got his first line cook job at Gordon Biersch in Old Town Pasadena.  Never having gone to cooking school, he read every cookbook he could find and asked to learn everything he could from his Executive Chef and Sous Chef.

Nothing really could have prepared me for this transition!  This newlywed life that we had, changed drastically as he worked opposite hours than I did and came home smelling like a kitchen!  Our apartment was so small, there was no getting away from those chef clothes.  (You know what I’m talking about!)

I wish I knew then what I know now.  I would have done things differently as a chef’s wife over the years.  (Blog post on that coming in July.)

So happy 24^th dating anniversary honey!  Oh, to be young again!

Did anyone else meet their spouse/boyfriend at a young age?  Did you know them before they were a chef? I would love to know.