What’s a guy or gal to do when the passion to perfect the art of outstanding food service is too strong to settle for hosting in their own dining room?
“My father always told me to stay out of the food business,” Alex says, laughing, “but I’d like to use my knowledge as a kiruv tool.” He’s currently working on a Southern kosher cookbook, and creating a food-based Web series that he hopes will engage those who are unaffiliated. “Food is a vehicle that brings us together,” he says.
When asked about the most valuable lesson he learned in culinary school, Alex sheepishly admits, “You’ll actually learn the most out of school. You have to get through the course, because in a busy kitchen the chef isn’t going to be able to stop and explain why or what he’s doing, but the lessons won’t set in and become second nature until you’re doing it on a day-to-day basis.”
One of the aspects of culinary school that caught Alex off guard was the amount of math required in his coursework. He was used to doubling, tripling, and quadrupling recipe amounts, but getting into the nitty-gritty of purchase orders and cost control was a wakeup call for him, demonstrating that a solid math foundation is necessary even in the culinary field.
Another important component for religious students to consider is the atmosphere in the kitchen. “Everyone’s wearing uniforms, so modesty isn’t much of an issue, but you have to draw boundaries to uphold your values,” he advises. There’s some good-natured ribbing, and sometimes rougher talk, that goes on in the kitchen that you have to be able to handle. A fellow student once told Alex that for a Jewish kid, he was pretty bad at math. “If you can’t handle that give-and take, or won’t realize that it’s not said with ill intent, this isn’t the place for you.”
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