How to Have a Successful Career and be Married to a Chef – Part 2

Today, I’d like to continue the discussion about having a career AND being married to a chef.

Last week, I shared my thoughts and experiences about this, but I totally left kids out of the equation, as I have never worked full time outside the home since we’ve had children.   However, I know many of you work full time outside the home AND are married to chef AND have kids.  So I decided to ask for some help on the topic. Today and next Monday, I’ve asked two of my fellow chef wives to share their thoughts and experiences about raising a family with a chef AND working full time.

Today, I’d like to introduce to you Nina Sargent.  Her chef/husband Eric is a chef at Blue Moon Cafe in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire.  They have 2 boys. Here is her story . . .

Since the very beginning I’ve been a working mom while my husband has been a server then chef.  There were times when I supported the family because he was between jobs. We have two boys ages 8 and 5.  Each job that my husband has held has brought with it different demands and requirements. Some jobs required him to work 16 hour shifts 6 days a week and I was essentially a single mom.  Other jobs have him working dinner shifts, allowing him to be with us in the morning as we get ready.  Being a working mom and married to a chef is not easy.  Heck, being a working mom is not easy in and of itself. (more…)

The Best Way to Communicate with a Chef

I don’t know about you, but there are times when I feel my like chef/husband is a stranger because I haven’t see him much.

It’s not always easy to get a hold of him when he’s at work.  So when he finally has a day off, I could talk his ear off (but I try not to)!

With the limited time we have together as a chef couple, what’s the best way to communicate both while at work and at home?

When I think about communication with my chef/husband, there are really a few ways I go about it.  It’s very different trying to talk with him while he’s at work vs. when he’s at home.

Let’s start off with home.  I don’t know about your chef, by my husband is pretty exhausted when he gets home at night and on his days off.  I usually have a few things I’d like to talk to him about, and there’s usually time.  It’s finding the best time that’s important.  I have found it best to never, ever, ever, ever, ever talk to him about something important when he’s tired.  It never goes well.  If he’s too tired to think clearly, that’s not the time I want to be talking about money or problems with the kids.  (It’s the same if I’m totally exhausted as well.)  If a good time presents itself (kids are occupied, chef/husband is rested, etc.) then we talk about the important things.  If not, there’s always plan B . . . (more…)

What is an Emulsified Family?

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Emulsion

[ih-MUHL-shuhn]

a mixture of one liquid with another with which it cannot normally combine smoothly (like oil and water);  an atypical combination of two things

After a year of blogging on EmulsifiedFamily.com, I have come to love the name “Emulsified Family” and feel it’s the perfect way to describe our family (and probably many of yours.)

Emulsified FamilyWhy?

I’m so glad you asked!

Let’s start off by looking at it from a culinary perspective.  Emulsifying is a delicate process.  It needs to be carefully prepared.  It requires ideal conditions (temperature, balance, interaction, etc).  It won’t hold together forever unless it’s cared for, but can be repaired if it breaks.

Have you ever tried to make mayonnaise?  If you just throw all the ingredients into the blender it’s not going to work.  (Maybe it would work with a Vitamix.  But in my Oster blender . . . no way!!)  But if you take your time and carefully follow the correct procedure, you’ll get something that is far better than what you started with.  All the ingredients on their own are fine.  But together, they can be AMAZING.

Do you see what a perfect term this is to describe the family of a chef?

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