What Does It Take

Okay guys, so instead of the first entry launching into a big discussion about the merits of molecular gastronomy and whether or not it will be a fad versus a movement, I've opted to to simply pose a question to you that I've struggled with for some time now: what does it take.

Every time I tell people what I do or a living, I typically get a seemingly forced ooooh or ahhhh (thanks to the likes of Emeril, Rachel, Gordon, Mario and the rest) and when it's a guy, it's usually followed by the one-liner that never gets old, "dude that's awesome, I can't even cook cereal." My usual reaction is to simply ask why they can't (or don't) do other things in the kitchen, to which most people reply that they're just not "born with natural talent."

Generally speaking, that might be true for many professionals (i.e. if you're not 6'9 you're probably not going to play power forward for the Lakers) but on the whole, I disagree with this statement. In my industry, I can tell you that talent these days is conditioned by culinary schools across the globe. So does that mean you must spend a quarter of a million dollars to be able to cook? Absolutely not. 

Okay fine, you say. Then what's the secret remedy for repeated nights of cereal for dinner, burned chicken, another casserole disaster, or some 'creative' Wonder bread concoction you and your roommates created during freshmen year of college? It's simple, it's unassuming, and it's probably the last thing most people will reach for in the spice cabinet...

Imagination. 

That's right, imagination. A healthy dose of imagination and a handful of patience and your next meal just might be endless. 

Try it now, thank me later. 

Jonathan Martin