You cannot let it get to you. Often, times of frustration get to me. As we have been working through dishes in a new kitchen, more failures than successes have occurred. We’ve talked about the need for practice and rehearsal in cooking so that when dishes must be executed, they are the best they can be. Yet, these past few days, recipes we have written, rehearsed, tested, and tasted are failing. We are not doing anything differently; we are just doing them in a different environment, and still, the recipes fall flat. Intellectually, I know the importance of cutting bait and moving on. At times like these, Aki may indulge me even when she feels that I have waited too long to cut my losses. Frankly, even when things aren’t working, it’s hard for me to abandon the previously tried and true. Four combined attempts later, I finally had to admit defeat.
Where does that leave us? Testing new ideas in a place where we have learned more than we anticipated. Read: failed way more than we anticipated. Still, we were able to dust ourselves off and carry on. It dawned on me yet again that working with others and being surrounded by passionate individuals is essential in the process of learning and improving. The inspiration of your peers can push you past failure to eventual success.
This weekend, we are very lucky to be working in a kitchen filled with passionate individuals who really care about food and cooking (and it boasts a well-stocked pantry to boot). Now, with tools in hand, we must move beyond trivial frustrations and work towards creating and executing tasty food. That’s what tomorrow’s dinner is all about. With a little help from some friends and fellow cooks, we know that we can make it happen.
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