Quote 383 of 495

Cooking is a craft, I like to think, and a good cook is a
craftsman--not an artist.  There's nothing wrong with that:
the great cathedrals of Europe were built by craftsmen--though not
designed by them.  Practicing your craft in expert fashion is noble,
honorable, and satisfying.  And I'll generally take a stand-up
mercenary who takes pride in his professionalism over an artist any
day.  When I hear "artist", I think of someone who doesn't think it
necessary to show up at work on time.  More often than not their
efforts, convinced as they are of their own genius, are geared more
to giving themselves a hard-on than satisfying the great majority of
dinner customers.  ... When a job applicant starts telling me how
Pacific Rim-job cuisine turns him on and inspires him, I see trouble
coming.  Send me another Mexican dishwasher anytime.  I can teach
him to cook.  I can't teach character.  Show up at
work on time six months in a row and we'll talk about red curry paste
and lemon grass.  Until then, I have four words for you: "Shut the
fuck up."
		-- Anthony Bourdain, Kitchen
		   Confidential, p. 63

Tags: fashion pride cuisine sixmonths genius standup dishwasher professionalism craftsmen craftsman mercenary goodcook kitchenconfidential pacificrim lemongrass rimjob greatcathedrals anthonybourdain cathedralsofeurope redcurrypaste