Will B.

To some, cooking is simply a chore they must begrudgingly do on a daily basis. For me it is something I love to do. Not so much baking but cooking in general.

Much like my passion for photography, my love for cooking started at a young age, although I didn’t become really good at cooking or photography until my early twenties. I always feel closer to my mom when cooking, but after age six or so when we were sent to live with my dad, I only saw my mom sporadically until I was about 13 or so.

What I remember most besides our long talks is her skill and passion in the kitchen. Mom was an excellent cook. So naturally it rubbed off on me.

I have about 16 or so years of restaurant experience. I have worked every position from busboy and dishwasher all the way to manager. I know restaurant work like most people know how to breathe.

Being a manager ruined my love of working in restaurants forever though. Being a manager is no fun at all and the last position I held as manager I worked 60 to 70 hours a week and most managers work on salary with no overtime. Anyway, I am diverting from the reason I am writing about this topic today.

I still love to cook at home even though lately I don’t get to cook as much for more people because it’s just me, Bruiser and my new pup Daisy May.

As most people who love to cook will tell you, we love our own kitchens, oven, stove, pots, pans and knives. Sometimes I get into a bit of trouble because I like to have the kitchen free of people and do not like to be disturbed when I am cooking. In fact, when in my own kitchen I usually wear my earbuds and am jamming out to 80s music while chopping away.

I do cook sometimes together with my wife but I am sure I must not be too much fun to cook with because I like everything a certain way.

Cooking for me is about creativity, ritual, passion and a bit of therapy. Like when I am photographing, everything melts away as I focus on what I am creating.

For the most part things I create come out relatively good. There are some mishaps from time to time. You can’t make an omelet without breaking some eggs.

So, you can’t make a new recipe without the proper trial and error. To be a great cook you must be daring in your choices and willing to break away from the norm.

I do have a family recipe book but most of my dishes are in my memory and never are the dishes made exactly the same way twice.

Baking is the only place in my kitchen that measuring cups and measuring spoons are called for. Next time you cook, take a chance, put away your cookbook and just cook with your heart.

This is Will B. saying step away from my stove and don’t even think about using my chef ’s knife!