It was in the spring of 2009. Highschool was coming to an end, and proffesional orientation class couldn’t have been more boring. When this tall kid, blonde and curly hair kid stood up in front of the classroom and exposed his plans for his professional career.
“I want to be a chef” he said, no fear on his voice, nor hesitation. Just determination.
Everyone stared at him with a skeptical look. Hundreds of degrees to choose from, and he wanted to be a chef. The words used by the instructor to reply Sergio’s statement are still loud and clear in the depth of my memories.
“Sergio,” the instructor said “cooking is a hobby, not a profession”.
Silence became present, and in his eyes you could see he was mad. He didn’t say anything back, just kept his presentation about the school he was going to attend in Barcelona, and how bad he wanted to work in this small restaurant, called Noma, in Copenhagen, Denmark.
For those that don’t know, Noma, was considered the best restaurant in the world for three years in a row (2009-2011). If you want to see their menu, prices and make a reservation for the next time you’re in Copenhagen, click here to access their website.
Sergio, finally made it to Noma and worked in the kitchen for 6 months on 2012. I can only imagine his satisfaction working in this restaurant everyday, fulfilling a highshcool dream. Later that year, he went back to Mexico and he was recognized in the country for his work in this prestigious restaurant
Last time I spoke with Sergio, I told him that I will never forget the words of the instructor during that class years ago. “When I’m tired, or I miss home, I just hear those words in my head and tell to myself: Cooking is a profession, and beyond that, is my passion and I getting paid to do it; so, I just keep going on.”
As in February of 2014, Segio is in Santiago, Chile. He is doing his final months of his confectionary specialization. Here is the link to his profile in a social media highly used by chefs around the world: http://chefs-talk.com/people/Sergio_Meza …. who would have thought that this kid, from this small city in Mexico, would become a nationally recognized chef? He made it, and I wish nothing more to see what our instructor would say right now.