Chico: The Master Chef

52 Stories in 52 Weeks: ## 43 Chico: The Master Chef (Based On The Dreams Of A Future Master Chef.)

By: Mr. George D. Patnoe,. Jr.'s Ambidextrou Brain + Spiritual Mind

The new, shiny and sharp knife came swinging down hard, with a precise force and direction of the hand, but it created a sloppy mess anyway. Chico tightly held onto the clean knife for the first cut of the day because part of his work demanded that a knife be used. After dreaming about a knife in his hand, Chico woke up thinking about what kind of knifes would be needed for certain cutting during his long night at his job. Long before he ever picked up a knife for the needed shredding, cutting, slicing and dicing, he had prepared his mind for the very careful use of the knife for his life’s speciality. A knife in the right hand can help create moments of joy for all who reap its benefits.

After a long day and night of handling knifes and other tools of his trade, Chico usually needed a good nights sleep, and it was in those dreams where he discovered many of the dreamy discoveries that made many people happy; when they were awake that is. People of many traits enjoyed his creations with a knife, even if they never dreamed about them.

Every night provided Chico with his passion of being a master chef. During the day of preparing gourmet meals for others to enjoy, Chico would use the knife to slice and dice so many kinds of food ingredients that he almost felt like a medical surgeon who uses an even sharper knife to cut the skin of a human to repair the human body. The physical surgeon cuts slowly and very carefully, while the master chef can cut faster then the eye can see.

After a long day and night of cutting up food for others, some meals important for rich and poor people alike, those individuals who demanded the best gourmet meals that money could buy. The master chef was not always so handy with a knife or with preparing food for the deserving palate. Chico was always really to cut anything that he needed for the day meal or the night meal, so if a sloppy mess got in the way, he would just grabbed another piece of fruit to slice and dice into evenly sliced squares. Chico actually knew the fruit was sloppy before his hand forced the knife down through the fruit, but every once in a while, he would play the game of cutting the sloppy fruit with a sharp knife, just for the fun of it.

As a youth, Chico had watched his uncle slice and dice fruit and vegetables much slower than any master chef would slice and dice food. Chico’s uncle was extremely happy to simply cut the fruit or meat or whatever ingredients were needed for the simple meal of the day. He rarely created a sloppy mess with his knife because he never bought a sloppy fruit at the local grocery store. Chico’s uncle would bring Chico shopping with him, teaching him how to purchase fruit and meat and other food ingredients. They would then go home together for the real fun of the day.

Chico would watch his uncle smile as he turned the stove top’s black plastic knob. Turning up the stove top’s white hot flame to a certain height would bring a smile to Chico’s uncle’s face, just as if he was a scientist in a lab who was turning up the flame for a chemistry experiment. The uncle would place a heavy and thick steel water filled pot onto the stove top, over the white hot flame to begin heating the water for the boiling process. Such a simple act for the preparation of the best beef stew or soup in his town. Chico had watched his uncle experiment with so many kinds of ingredients for stew and soup, and then take careful notes too, that Chico felt he was learning from a master chef.

And then, in no specific order, Chico’s uncle would begin throwing the needed ingredients into the simmering water to create a great family stew. Usually, he would begin by slicing up a slab of beef into odd looking squares, to throw them into the pot’s simmering water. In no specific order, the next ingredients to be sliced up into imperfect squares were the potatoes, carrots, beans, celery, tomatoes, macaroni or noodles, and other juicy ingredients into the simmering water. Each ingredient was perfect all by itself, with some butter, but combined together; well it was like a meal made in heaven. Just to add a taste of heavenly delight into the already perfect stew, the uncle would add some flour, salt and pepper, and a pinch of a few or more spices from around the world into the simmering water. To top that all off, just for that added special touch, the uncle would then add an ounce or two of wine.

The now sizzling and spicy hot steam would raise up into the air like a floating spirit who needed the love of people before floating away towards the stars high above earth. The fizzing steam would sound off as if filled the exact sense of smell, long before the food ever entered into a human’s mouth, the brain would be filled with the spirit of the food, as the tasty spirit danced around in circles within the enclosed kitchen; even as it filled the noses of all animals who possessed a nose to smell with. Their family dog loved smelling the dancing spirit too. Still floating up into the air, through the cracks in the walls, it slowly snuck out of the kitchen for all to smell the hopeful dream of a great stew.

Each tasty stew or meal would be a little different than the night before, but that was ok with everyone because they all knew of the uncle’s love for cooking. They trusted him with food. As with many families, the big daily meal is the only time when family members get to talk with each other. They are forced to sit down and look at each other at the faces, into the eyes, to ask questions, laugh, become angry, to be serious, or to be quiet. For some people, the evening meal may be the only moment for their rest of their busy day, so that meal should be as enjoyable as humanly possible.

Chico had gone to grade school and highschool, but they offered no culinary classes or courses for food preparation. Chico knew enough not to ask his parents to send him to culinary school, so he had learned to wait. He knew that they could not afford it, nor would they understand his desire to become a master chef. His parents worked in the fields and farm as a common labor, while his mom worked in a hotel as a common cleaner upper.

Chico’s parents worked all day, so they were happy to have Chico’s uncle preparing food for them and the family. After Chico’s dad picked up Chico’s mom, they would drive home knowing that the cooking uncle and their son would be preparing the family meal. The uncle had been a chef for most of his life, but now he was retired; except for the family meal. There was a special feeling the uncle received when he watched people eat his food. It seemed the only way he could give pleasure to people’s minds, and sometimes their lives. He could not give pleasures to people in any other way. He could not play the piano or the violin, nor could he play sports or write stories for people to read. But in the old days of millions of years of human tradition, when fast food restaurants did not exist, hungry people would hunt and gather and cook together for the survival of the human race. But now, the modern day human race can enjoy the simple pleasures of eating delicious food without so much trouble and bother.

As a young boy, Chico never knew about the history of his people, but he did unknowingly learn something about the food of his culture; food besides the stew. But later, as he grew older and wiser, he began to read more about food, and as he visited the many restaurants in his hometown and those from around the world. He realized that the food business is not only huge, but it was also very diversified. Every culture had its own culinary history. The Mexicans have their Mexican food, the Chinese have their Chinese food, the Italian’s have their Italian food, the French have their French food, the Russians have their Russian food, the Japanese have their Japanese food, the Africans, Indians, and every other cultures all have their specific recipes. Of course, Americans can eat all of those foods in one American city or another. America’s foods from around the world! How could the simple concept of cooking and eating be so complex? though Chico.

The isolated young Chico had not known that many children grew up never knowing what they wanted to for their employment, but Chico always knew that he wanted to become a master chef for a grand restaurant; and maybe to own his own restaurant one day. He did not know or care about the other ways to earn money, he only knew that if he had ever obtained the culinary mastery that his uncle had obtained, he would make many people happy. ‘What could be better than that!’ thought Chico. Chico would watch his uncle’s face lit up with joy when he knew everyone loved their meal, his homemade special meal for his beloved family.

Chico guessed that his uncle was a happy man, and it seemed only natural that maybe his uncle had discovered some secret for obtaining some degree of happiness in human life. The uncle never paid for any of the food, nor did he ever get financially rewarded for this food preparation. He was simply happy seeing his hardworking kinsfolk chomping down the food and loving every minute of it.

Chico realized that if he could make people happy by cooking for them, that might be a nice life. He started going to restaurants, testing their foods, trying to guess how they made the food, which ingredients were in the foods, the oven’s temperate, the time for cooking, how the food could be improved with new ingredients and combinations. Chico soon realized that every restaurant had its recipes for creating food. It became quite an adventure to take a ride to a new city just to visit a new restaurant in order to eat and to explore its culinary experience. Chico was always searching for the most delicious meals. Chico slowly realized that he wanted to create the most exciting meals for people to eat, so he began taking notes whenever he visited a different restaurant.

Sometimes; more times then not, when the waiter would ask Chico if everything was ok, Chico would make a remark such as, ‘Not bad, but may I speak to the master chef. The waiter would usually state, ‘Let me see if the master chef is available for you.’ The waiter would turn around and leave the dinning hall. Of course the master chef would have no inclination of Chico’s true desires to learn about how the master chef cooked the meal. The master chef could not guess that he was talking to a master chef in making. Usually he would only think that a person was going to complain about the meal or make a complement about the meal. Rarely would a person ever ask how the meal was created and made. But whenever the master chef walked up to Chico, he would always hear the same kind of questions, ‘How did you make the food? What was the order of the food? What kinds of spices, and special ingredients did you use? And last, but never least, Chico would always request for any individual cooking tips from the master chef.

The master chef or even a lower leveled chef would always be surprised by such questions. So they would always ask the young Chico why he was asking all of these questions. Chico would always state that he loved learning about food and that he was preparing to go to culinary school, so he wanted a jump-start before he ever stepped into a culinary school. Every once in a while, when the master chef was a kind hearted man who wanted to teach, to show, and to instruct an aspiring master chef, the master chef would ask Chico if he wanted to visit the kitchen.

The master chef would lead Chico into the kitchen as any proud master chef would. Chico would look around, surveying the kitchen’s layout. He would look where the pots and pans were located and where the knifes were placed and if the stove was located next to the sink. Chico would make a mental note on how large the sink was and if the tables were small or large and if they were by the wall or in the center of the kitchen. He would analyze the layout of the kitchen, to see if chefs would be able to easily move around the kitchen and its stoves, sinks, and tables as they were preparing the food. Chico was always amazed that there was usually never a window where the chefs would be able to observe the restaurant’s diners eating any chef’s rewarding meal.

Finally, after his last day of high school, Chico knew that he had to have a plan to become a master chief. He knew that he have to attend a culinary school so he could learn all he needed to become a professional licenced chef. He knew that he would have to take and past many tests in order to obtain a culinary licence. There was so much to learn, but Chico finally passed all of the required tests to obtain a chef’s license. Chico intently listened to the master chef instructors and he studied all of the books and recipes and he passed many culinary tests. For one assignment, all culinary students had to prepare an original recipe and cook it. It was an official contest for all students.

Chico prepared an original sweeten chicken, topped with a mellowed sweeten pineapple sauce. Chico had studied the international culinary concept of the sweeten chicken with the sweeten pineapple sauce, but usually he found the cooked product way to sweet, or a sour sweet sauce that did not add spice to the already sweeten chicken. Then there was the problem of frying the chicken so to much in cheap oil only left the chicken coated with a yucky coating that only hid the moist chicken’s favor. Of course, Chico solved those problems with his special sweeten chicken with sweet pineapple sauce, so he won the contest and the admiration of both teachers and students alike.

Chico’s first job was like that of many newly licensed chefs; he was going to be an apprentice for an established master chef. When he applied at a fancy restaurant for his first real job as an apprentice chef, he noticed the very expensive colorful carpet, and chairs and tables, and lighting, and the walls, and the ceiling, and the sound systems, along with the big bar. But he knew that in the end, all of the material glitter was not the reason why people would walk into the restaurant and then spend their money. In the end, they wanted the tastiest food to satisfy their mental desires for gourmet cuisine.

Chico thought that he was prepared for his first day as an apprentice chef, but was he in for a surprise. The master chef hired Chico because he saw the gleam and desire in his eyes. The master chef always gave a chance to a young culinary dreamers, or those who desired to create dishes and meals that would send people into a high dinning heaven. The master chef definitely knew that most people never desired to become a chef, to cook for others. He also knew that most people would not spend money on gourmet food because most people did not enjoy the hunt of entering a new restaurant to eat strange foods. The master chef knew that most of the population were not concerned with becoming a food and drink connoisseur, with a discerning palate for un ordinary foods and drinks. There are people who love good food and drink to experience a certain heaven on earth.

Unlike his uncle, the head chef always wore white pants and shirt and even a white hat. Even when he interviewed Chico, the head chef was wearing his clean white clothes. They were clean because the head chef had not started preparing his fancy meals for the day. Soon enough, after many years of dedicated service and devotion to preparing and cooking meals for food connoisseurs or just plain people were learning to dine outside their houses, Chico was able to remember the smiles on people who loved to eat his food.

As many people know, dinning outside the home has its own proper etiquette and mannerisms. This is especially noticeable when a diner is dinning out at a restaurant of a different culture. But even so, to expect to enjoy the dinning experience by ignoring and / or being rude to the waiters and waitresses as if they were only slaves for the diner only shows the waiters and waitresses the unsophisticated nature of the rude and uncivilized person.

Chico finally was finally promoted to assistant chef. There he leaned more about the culinary cooking business. He began to learn about how to order and purchase food from food suppliers and he learned some basic economics of making a profit for the kitchen and for the restaurant. Just for the fun of it, on his off time, he began watching the futures markets so he might be able to predict when many food’ s prices; oranges and other fruit, tea, coffee, wine, and chocolate, etc., so he could help change the menus prices if the master chef or the restaurant owner needed to adjust the meals prices.

One night Chico saw unexpected surprise in the dinning room of the restaurant. His brother and wife were eating out for a special occasion. It was their wedding anniversary, but they had also brought their two children with them. Chico exited the kitchen to greet his brother and his family. After a few handshakes and hugs, Chico pulled up a chair and the started to chat with his relatives. After catching on small talk and family business, Chico heard his nephew blurt out, ‘What do you do here uncle?’

Chico laughed out loud before he proudly and joyfully stated, ‘I am the soon to be master chef.’ And because he trusted his family, he said to them, ‘I have a surprise for all of you. I have written a cookbook with my special recipes that I have developed over the many decades of studying cooking. I have dedicated the book to my uncle, who was the first person to inspire me to become a master culinary chef.’ He unwrapped a first edition from the white cloth and presented it as a signed gift to his brother. His speechless brother took the cookbook and looked at the cover. It was Chico’s smiling face in his kitchen creating delicious meals for many people from around the world.

Everyone congratulated Chico. He stood up just before his nephew asked, ‘Can I see the kitchen?’ Everyone laughed. ‘Sure! Why not responded Chico. ‘When everyone is finished with your meals, just have the waiter get me and I will show the kitchen to all of you.’ Chico stood up and he returned to the kitchen. He looked around and he was ready to show his nephew a few tricks of the trade. After an hour, the waiter waved at Chico, indicating that his relatives were ready to visit the kitchen. Chico walked to the kitchen’s door and he waved them into the kitchen. He watched as his nephew look around the huge kitchen, exploring with the young eyes and mind of an adventurous soul, the soul of a child and the eyes of a future master chef.