My name is Jennifer and I have been married to a chef for 25 years.

I blog about my life as a chef wife and how we combine restaurant and family life each day.

If you are new to my site, start here.

Recent Posts:

Are You Really a Chef or is That Your Halloween Costume?

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As a chef, my husband is often asked questions when he’s in the grocery store during the work day with his chef coat on. I guess if I was looking at an ingredient in the store and saw a chef walk up, I would probably ask a question too.

However, Halloween is a bit different.

“Excuse me. Are you a really a chef or is that just your Halloween costume?”

No. I just went to all the trouble to have a restaurant group logo and my name embroidered on a coat. AND I chose to embroider Culinary Director instead of Chef.

Haha!

That was apparently the question of the day as he was out and about running errands on Halloween. He obviously didn’t respond that way, but it’s pretty funny if you think about it. read more…

An Eggless Omelet Video, Tipping Chefs and Eggnog – A Few of My Favorite Things

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Another month has passed . . . too many leaves in our yard, another promotion for my chef/husband, still adjusting to having all the girls in school, Seattle Restaurant Week is over tonight (maybe we can see my husband for a minute!!), and now the holidays are just around the corner (which makes me miss my husband even more than I already do)! Crazy.

In the midst of the craziness I found a few things entertaining . . .I learned there are 25 things chefs never tell you. Hmmmm . . . not sure about all of those, but it’s an interesting read.

Going along with my husband’s obsession with Top Ramen, I found this article. This looks much more like something I would eat. (I refuse to eat Top Ramen!)

Apparently making grilled cheese in a pan has now become too difficult for some people. I wonder if these actually work?

I came across this great article about the life of a chef’s wife. Read it. It’s wonderful! read more…

Equality of Pay Between Front and Back of House

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I read a lot of articles online about chefs, restaurants, being married to a chef, etc. If they’re any good, I share them or pin them. Today I came across one that just keeps popping back in my mind.

The article was titled, “Why You Should Start Tipping Chefs.”

I know that in some restaurants, chefs and line cooks get a portion of the tips each day. My husband has never worked in a restaurant that has done that. He has always been paid an hourly rate or salary.

What frustrates me, is the inequality of pay between a server and a line cook. (Neither of which apply to my husband so this post is not about me saying I think my husband deserves more money. Just clearing that up.)

It takes a very different skill set to be a server as it does to be a line cook. I will not get into a debate about which is harder as I think different people are good at different things. However, when a server walks out of the restaurant after working 6 hours making more money than my well paid Executive Chef husband who is on hour number 15 that day and still not ready to leave, does that seem right? read more…