Day 6 – Remember Your Chef Misses You Too (12 Days of Encouragement for the Chef’s Family)

I don’t know about you, but I tend to be a pretty selfish person.  Many times I get wrapped up in what I’m thinking about or struggling with, that I forget to listen and look at what’s going on around me.

A perfect example of this is the Christmas season and my chef/husband.

So often I start to feel sorry for myself or for the girls because of the hours Tom is working at the restaurant, that I forget to think about him.

Well, I think about him and how I wish he could be around more, but I forget that he wishes he could be around more too.

I forget that he misses us as much as we miss him. (more…)

Day 1: Twelve Days of Encouragement for the Chef’s Family

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The holidays are a tough time for our Emulsified Family.

12 days of encouragement for the chefs familyBy the end of December, my chef/husband and I are usually just ready for Christmas and New Year’s Eve to be over.  I know that sounds horrible but December is a really hard month when you are married to a chef.

It’s 4-5 INSANE weeks of working way too many hours for my chef/husband.  We really don’t see him much at all during this time.  Because of this I struggle with loneliness, even with 3 kids.  I also feel bad that we are out doing fun Christmas things and my husband is slaving away at work to provide for us.  I could say more, but it would really just sound like complaining, so I’ll stop.

I thought maybe this year would be different, with him being the COO of a restaurant group and out of the kitchen, but the hours have still been crazy…including a restaurant opening.  I am thankful for his days off this month and don’t want to take them for granted, as I remember many years, he rarely had a day off in the month of December.

Since so many of you can relate to our family, I would guess that we are not alone in feeling this way each holiday season.

While in the past, I’ve dreaded the month of December as a chef’s wife, I’ve decided this Christmas season is going to be different.  No more moping around and wishing it was over for this chef’s wife and kids. (more…)

When the Chef Brings Home Samples . . .

I’ll have to admit, one perk I love about being married to a chef is the random samples we get to enjoy as a family.  You know what I’m talking about.

Your chef walks in the door late one night after work with a box full of samples – bread, steak, seafood, forks, knives, napkins . . .

The funny thing about samples, is that the chef only needs a bite or two to tell if he likes something and wants to use it in the restaurant.  And what do you do when you have 10 different steaks to try and get only one of each?  You can’t sell them in the restaurant, obviously.  So you cook them and try them (and depending on the job, you can do this at home so your family gets to enjoy the samples.)

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What is it Like to Date a Line Cook?

If you are like me, (and I know you are), you think about the future of your chef’s career.  You wonder what the next position up in the kitchen is like, or wonder what their current position is like at another restaurant.

I always love reading about other chefs and their families.  But I’ve noticed that the chefs who do write (I have no idea how they have the time) and the chef wives that write, are usually Executive Chefs or higher.  So what’s it like to be married to or dating someone in a different position than that?

I’m so excited to bring you this series, written by chef/cook girlfriends and wives that will take us through each position in the kitchen as each one is so different.

I’ve asked these ladies each the same questions and I hope you will not only enjoy getting to know them, but also a little bit more about a specific position in the kitchen and what it looks like for us who support our chefs/cooks from home.

Today, we are starting off with the position of Line Cook. Chef Girlfriend Corissa Johnson is sharing with us today about what it’s like to date a line cook.  When you’re done reading, I know she’d love to hear any comments or thoughts on how you can relate!

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