On Work, Life and Cooking

The past 3 months I have worked as a waitress for a busy restaurant in an upscale area of Boston. I'd been working at the same hospital for 4 years and needed a break before starting grad school this September. My blog has suffered from lack of attention, my room looks a bit like a clothing tornado and paperwork earthquake have simultaneously struck it and my diet is, at best, erratic. Thus, it it with extreme relief (glee? exhaustion?) that my serving days are coming to an end.

To those who follow my blog, I apologize for my absence, but know that this fall I am in school full-time, not working at all (yippee!) and am excited to begin posting on a regular schedule.

The Alchemist Chef started when my boyfriend (tired of hearing about my going on and on about food, yet mysteriously never sick of eating my meals...hmm...) recommended my starting a blog. At first, it was just a place to record my favorite recipes, new twists on classics and to experiment with my cooking. Then, I discovered FoodBuzz and several grand meals were sponsored by their company as part of a regular blogging event. I won a recipe contest (along with 7 pounds of assorted pork sausages-I apologize to my roommates for monopolizing the freezer space) and international acclaim (at least in my own head!). And I slowly began to get to know other food bloggers, probably my favorite part of blogging. If you are looking for a supportive, creative community, foodies are the perfect audience.

So in the next few weeks, I aim to produce better photos, unique recipes and a story rather than simply a recipe. Working as a waitress has made me appreciate the purity of cooking and the experience of sharing meals with friends. A bonus, if my friends don't like my food, they don't have to eat it. When I ask them how they are, they don't answer by saying "water, we aren't ready, or get me (fill in the blank)." Restaurant workers have an insanely demanding job, both physically as well as emotionally from rude patrons and, at times, mean bosses. At the same time, I have met incredible people from around the world (both coworkers as well as customers) and virtual strangers who have offered me invaluable connections to the nursing world (I am getting my master's in nursing) which will hopefully help me gain employment and build a professional community. That kindness is memorable.

Happy eating,

Caitlin