Back to "Normal" (whatever that means)

new job... again

Three months since my last post, hmm. That's no good.

Apparently I'm going for a new record: most W-2's in a year. Yeah, I changed jobs again and - perhaps to the disappointment of some - I'm no longer working in a restaurant! I'm back working in IT for Kids' Headquarters, a company that designs, manufactures and distributes clothing for kids (Skechers, Calvin Klein, Ecko, Beyonce's new line, Hillary Duff's new line). I started on November 14th.

It came down to a lifestyle choice, really. Working at Perry St was awesome - I really did like the food and the people. However, the only reason to work as a cook is because you want to become a chef someday. I didn't have that desire. I looked at my sous chefs'lifestyles and knew that, as much as I admire them and respect what they do, I don't want their jobs. Noon to midnight. No holidays. No benefits. Even if they did have a vacation time, they couldn't afford to go anywhere.

I wasn't even looking for something new, but at the end of October I got a random call from a headhunter who had seen my resume on Monster. She set up an interview for me and I went, just curious what my options were. Within a week I had an offer, and it was solid enough to make me really consider what lifestyle I wanted to live. I just couldn't justify cooking, barely being able to pay bills, and knowing that I didn't want to be a chef.

So far, I'm enjoying being back in an office, having a lunch hour, and problem solving. I went back to visit Perry St last week and, suprisingly, I didn't really miss it. I miss the people and the food, but what I really love about cooking is sharing the food with family and friends. You don't get that working in a restaurant kitchen.

Of course, I'll always be obsessed with food and cooking. Maybe someday I'll find a niche in the industry that fits. For now, I just need to work on paying back a loan...