Not sure how I found this site. But definitely worth staying around and bookmarked.
So where to start? (earlier attempt to post my intro got wiped out so redoing it).
About 30 years ago, while going to grad school, I worked in back of the house. Some memorable times. Cramped space in hot muggy NYC summer and AC going out was an experience. The pandomonium and chaos when we got slammed, almost a daily occurance was always interesting. Luckily no one had a short fuse.
Then about 10 years ago, I had a side biz going with a high end cookie biz like so many others but my regular day job got in the way. Profit margin was okay, hard work and people liked what I made. Some items were bit odd but it was well received so that made me feel pretty good about what I was baking.
Now I've been forced into early retirement, or put out to pasture or what ever you want to call it,down sized, out sourced... I have time. And just the other day, I was at a pod (its a collection of semi-permanent roach coach in a parking lot, empty field) looking for good eats and saw a for sale sign for one of the lunch truck. Now these lunch trucks and what they serve are not your ordinary roach coach affair. In Portland Oregon, its a gastronomic destination for many. If you want real Thai food, go to a POD and hit one of the trucks. If you want Indian food go to a POD... Pulled pork like the deep south, again hit one of the lunch truck. And so I'm tempted.
Do I consider myself a pro? absolutely not even though I did have my ServSafe and had taken some real cooking classes. Yes I do know how to handle my knives. Still have all my fingers and thumb intact without scars!!. Cut I hate to do is tourne. Too much "waste".
Type of cooking or kind of food? It's all over the map except for two things. Low fat or no fat and low salt or no salt. I depend on the quality of my ingredients for the yummy /"umai" flavor. Make my own stock, broth, consomme using (truly) free ranged or pasture finished meat. Heirloom vegetables well because it has real flavors. Haven't cooked beef in a long time though I do use yak meat from time to time. Much much better tasting than beef. Leaner more flavor (more expensive unfortunately). Buffalo is okay but I think Yak is far superior.
Anyway, I'm enjoying reading the threads. Chef Burton has lots of good info and videos so I'll be viewing them.
my two pet peeve at a restaurant: staff wants to rush you through your dinner so they can turn over the table three or (gasp) four times in a night. The other is manufactured croutons. ****%$ Make your own from stale day old bread and season it with your flair and not just salt. Food shouldn't taste like it came out of dead sea!!
Not sure if I can contribute in the forum but worth reading what others have to say.
Thanks and sorry for the long post.