As culinary professionals, we have a language all our own. Whether we’re talking about positions like garde manger or eighty-sixing a dinner special, we communicate by using words in a way that might be foreign to the outside world.
But then there are the words that simply have a different meaning beyond kitchen walls. Take balance, for example. When you set out to create a new dish, balance is a critical element. Off the plate though, the same word can mean many things, and in recent years, it’s especially tied to wellness and striking that elusive balance between work and life.
In theory, that always sounds pretty great.
But food careers are famous for being physically and emotionally challenging, which makes finding balance within them seem impossible at times. And while it’s not exclusive to our industry, we’re intimately familiar with another word that describes what happens when you can’t find that balance: burnout. Even before you start your professional life, you may experience this feeling. Many people talk about burnout as if it means just being overworked, but let’s be real — sometimes that’s life.
To me, burnout isn’t about needing a nap or a vacation, it’s when I feel like I have nothing left in the emotional tank. Physically, my body can outwork my mind, but true burnout means I am incapable of performing according to how I have trained and prepared myself, no matter how badly I want to give 100% (and then some).
Succeeding in this industry isn’t just about putting together a perfect dish. It’s about developing a sustainable lifestyle that supports your physical and emotional wellness so you can contribute to a team and pursue your own goals to the best of your ability. It’s about striving for longevity in your career and joy in your life. And although our industry presents unique challenges, and sometimes the broader advice doesn’t quite translate, there are steps we can take to find our footing and thrive within our own special ecosystems.
Physical Well-Being
It may seem like a no-brainer, but being well begins with your body. Not only is your physical health necessary to staying on your feet, reacting and executing in the kitchen, but it is essential to having a clear head and the ability to make sound decisions in all aspects of life.
You may have to work long hours, nights, weekends, or even holidays, but prioritize rest whenever possible — it’s essential to recovery, and for our bodies to be at peak capability. Try to eat well whenever you can. You may not have time to hit the gym, but taking a walk will cost you nothing and make a huge difference to both body and mind. Stretch before and after service. Take a deep breath whenever you have a beat. Pause to look at the sky when you step outside. Look after yourself every day — there’s no backup for your one body.
Community & Support
Beyond yourself, support and community is everything in this industry — and in this world — and success is always more than one person. I cannot emphasize this enough. No matter how well you prepare, you will absolutely have days when you’re struggling.
It’s just as important to ask for help as it is to give it; when you’re honest with the people around you, that creates a reciprocal sense of trust and strengthens bonds between you and those in your life. The answers may not always be easy, but sometimes just opening up — saying it out loud — is that little push to get through.
Asking for help from colleagues, friends, mentors, and family is not a sign of weakness — in fact, it’s the opposite.
You might choose to reach out to someone you work with or another person who can offer you support and perspective. I often talk to my wife, Bianca. I share honestly when I’m feeling pushed to my limits and not sure I have anything left, and she reminds me of who I am, what I’m capable of, and what matters most in life.
Make Learning a Lifelong Practice
Never forget that no matter how far you get from your classrooms, continued learning is the lifeblood of every successful career and any life worth living. That may mean broadening or refining techniques you use in the kitchen or improving how you communicate with your guests, colleagues, and community. But it also means learning about yourself.
Escoffier encourages students to follow their curiosity and to continually grow and experiment, knowing these are qualities that will serve you well throughout your life.
When you’re first starting out as a professional, you might not know right away what will push you to the limit. You may say yes to a job or a task or a shift without realizing that you’re too close to the edge. Give yourself credit when you’re able to honor a commitment, and grace when you realize you’ve overcommitted or overextended yourself. But once you’ve gotten to the other side, it’s important to take stock, stop, and say, “Okay, I know not to do this again.” These lessons are critical to your growth as a culinary professional — and as a person.
Training yourself to recognize your capacity requires that you get still, that you tune into your intuition, and that you be honest with yourself. It demands patience, persistence, self-awareness, and reflection. It takes work, but that’s the only way you can hone your internal compass, which will be your most valuable tool in the future.
Break for the Little Things
There’s nothing wrong with dedication and determination, and it’s helpful to have goals to guide you along the way in this line of work. But I can tell you from experience that even when you really love what you do, it can get hard — and if you don’t take time to recognize the small victories, the moments of connection, and the little milestones along the way, you’ll miss the best parts.
Pursue Joy
In this industry, we are so closely tied to what we do, and our personal and professional lives are frequently intertwined. Be sure to differentiate what it feels like when you cook for loved ones or community versus when you do it for a job. Separate yourself from the identity of what it means to be paid to serve other people.
Stay in touch with the person you are at your core, when you’re outside the context of your career.
Also stay connected to the people in your life outside the kitchen. We may work long, intense hours that don’t leave a lot of time for sitting on the couch on a Saturday, but no one is too busy to carve out a few minutes to make a phone call — even if it’s just a few minutes to say hello. Reminding yourself that there is a life outside of what you do for work is critical for perspective, and I often find just hearing the voice of someone I love brings me joy.
Define What’s Best for You
Being encouraged to seek balance is usually done with good intentions, but not all advice works for everyone. Balance is defined as an even distribution of weight, and at times, trying to achieve that in all aspects of my life felt impossible. Somewhere along the way, though, I heard another word that really stuck with me: harmony. Harmony is defined as forming “a pleasing and consistent whole.”
I realized that for me, harmony is something I can feel; it’s an internal sense of well-being. Harmony is different for every person, and it can change day-to-day, minute to minute. It’s forgiving and allows for the weight to be distributed differently at various points in our lives. It’s not a one-size-fits-all ratio that will guarantee success or happiness if you adhere to it rigidly.
In cooking, we know that not many recipes call for equal parts. Instead, we select flavors and textures that complement one another. We strive for harmony among those elements. Sometimes finding that quality seems effortless, while at other times, it takes some trial and error, refining and note-taking, and reflection.
Much like cooking, wellness is a practice. It’s about developing healthy habits, working on a daily basis to get to a place of holistic health. But when you commit to the pursuit of longevity in your career and joy in your life, you’ll be on the right path toward a pleasing, consistent whole life — and those words require no translation.
