I grew up in a small town in Central New Jersey (Central New Jersey is a thing, come fight me), about 45 minutes to 1 hour outside of the city. I have a love-hate relationship with NYC depending on who I’m around. I’m proud to have lived near the biggest city in the USA, and that I can navigate my way around. On the other hand, I don’t like many of the same things most people would complain about living in the city. Crowds, cost of living, small apartments, strong attitudes and personalities, crime, garbage, etc. However, most of the people I knew growing up still live in the city, and I’ve visited many times over the years and had an amazing time eating around the city. Although I said I never wanted to live in NYC, a part of me felt like I needed to just to prove a point and have the experience.
After graduating from the CIA, NYC seemed like the right choice because now I can always say I gave it a shot.
NYC Isn't So Bad When It's Like This.
One of my best friends and I have argued about the pros and cons of living in NYC for nearly a decade. When she found out I was moving there after school, she took the time to really pour salt on my wounds for giving in to the draw of the big city. While we didn’t actually get to see each other as much as I expected due to conflicting schedules of restaurant life, I’m glad I could finally use this as an opportunity to really back up my sentiments on the city. To really enjoy the city, you just need to have thick skin and not let the annoyances overwhelm you. The apartment I was living in was fantastic, but it came at a price. I still had to be pretty diligent about finances, but having worked in a white-collar job for years before entering the industry, I was in a much better place financially than most would be out of school. My advice to new students is to just be diligent and make sacrifices for the experience of living in a city. I think the experience is rewarding and will help strengthen you as a cook for your future careers. There’s so much living in a big city that can teach you and so much you can experience living with like-minded ambitious people.
When it comes time to leave, I can guarantee you that you will be stronger for it.
In early 2019, I found myself living in NYC and was going to start working in February. I had previously staged at Daniel before deciding to work at The Barn at Blackberry Farm in Tennessee for my externship but now had to find another place to work. I knew I wanted to try working at an East or Southeast Asian restaurant and after several interviews, I narrowed my choices down to a Michelin starred Japanese restaurant in Soho, a trendy Southeast Asian spot in the Lower East Side and a Thai sister restaurant to a Michelin starred spot in Nolita. I eventually opted for the Thai restaurant to get more responsibility and having a good conversation with the owner. The kitchen was pretty small and hot, but it fulfilled the biggest items of my checklist including more job responsibilities early on, being Asian cuisine, and being a challenge for myself.
I'm still not great at wok tossing.
Over the six months that I was working, I got to learn how to multitask between 2 burners, a wok, a salamander, and a flat top. I learned how to not burn myself cleaning a fryer with minimal space, I learned everyone and their friends and family ordered delivery while watching the series finale of Game of Thrones and so much more. I had my first health inspector visit that led to a panic-inducing cleaning session in the middle of a busy service. I learned the pain of a sizzle platter hitting your elbow. I learned how to lift 50 lbs+ crates of prep up and down NYC retail basements. I learned that the smell of frying dried shrimp lingers on you all the way home. I learned how to get home after sweating continuously for hours and through the drunk crowds on the Lower East Side on a Friday and Saturday nights. I learned that people take dining out and delivery for granted. I learned that you need a good team to sustain a restaurant.
I learned that mentors and leaders have patience. I learned that you can’t do everything by yourself.
A few days ago, I found out that Uncle Boons will be permanently closed due to the pandemic. You can still go to Uncle Boons Sister for delivery and take out or dine in at Thai Diner. The casualties from COVID-19 on the industry are so brutal and the losses will continue to pile up. I wish that landlords could allow more flexibility for their tenants or that government leadership (Trump) cared more and could aid small businesses. If you’re living in NYC please do everything you can to support your local restaurants that are struggling. The rest of the year isn’t looking any better heading into the fall with schools reopening, the pandemic not under control, and outdoor dining demand softens with the drop in temperature. Also, please vote this November to make sure Trump doesn’t ruin literally everything for another four years.
Kommentare