{Tuesday Truths} Marrying a Chef

A couple days ago, I came across yet another list of life facts on Facebook. This one was from the always clever Huffington Post, titled, '5 Things No One Tells You About Marrying a Chef'. Obviously I couldn't resist clicking through, marrying a chef is definitely not for the faint of heart, nor is it what you'd expect, so I was interested in their take on it.
Sometimes internet articles are grossly disappointing, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this one was spot on. However, some areas deserve a little expansion, so today I will tell you the truth about my experience being married to a Chef.

The truth is, their mind is never truly away from work. Its 5am and you're both sound asleep and brrrrriiiinnggggg! Phone rings, and its a prep cook wanting to discuss some assinine problem that probably could have waited until Chef rolled in around 8am.
Or you're on vacation, and restaurant choices are based solely on menu items Chef is intrigued by. He might even start a list on his phone of new ideas he could work into specials at his own restaurant. Or perhaps he will forget his phone, and you'll wind up with photos of recipes or menu items on yours, so he can recall them later.

I'm terribly sorry but I can't recall what magazine this recipe was in. Maybe Coastal Living? If someone knows the original source, please email me or leave a comment and let me know!

The truth is, when they cook at home, it is a masterpiece. My family now really looks forward to James cooking because they know it will be gourmet, starting with homemade demiglace and ending with profiteroles, fresh out of the oven drizzled with homemade chocolate ganache. The truth that comes hand in hand with this is that, they cook like they have a paid dishwasher on staff at home. This is by no means a complaint like it sounds, but when James cooks dinner, I have to be in the kitchen at every gap in cooking to wash any dishes I can get my hands on. He will use almost all the pots and pans we have, numerous bowls and utensils, and pile ingredients on the counter even after he is done with them. Again, I am not complaining, because when I cook, he cleans up. Its kind of our unspoken agreement.

Beef Bourguignon... Epic

The truth is, get ready for an unusual schedule. Restaurants are busiest on weekends and holidays, so that's of course when Chef will be working. Lucky for us, I also work at a restaurant, so this has been a benefit rather than inconvenience for us. We typically have Monday and Tuesday off as our weekends, which is actually a blessing. We can get to the doctor or other weekday only businesses without a problem or schedule interference. The hardest part is passing up on holiday trips and family events due to work, but once baby gets here, hopefully that can become more a priority. Hand in hand with this, is the truth about taking vacations in the off season. It may sound like a pain, but travel is so much more affordable and painless when the standard vacation season crowds are back at work or school. September is our big travel month, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

The truth is, being married to a chef will show you  a new level of passion that you didn't imagine possible until you got roped into this lifestyle. I am so proud of my husband and the hard work he puts in for his restaurant and staff, the love he has for what he does, and the fact that it shows in the product you receive when you visit his place of employment.

So spill... whats mealtime and lifestyle like for your family? Have you ever dreamed of having a personal Chef? Me too... Oh wait.