There is a song by Joni Mitchell, and I have heard it countless times. In her album, Miles of Aisles which is a live album, she talks to the audience briefly about the difference between the performing arts and being, for example a painter, she goes on to state, that a painter can paint a painting, and it will live on forever as such, in an attic, on a wall in a museum, where ever, but it exists as it is. She goes onto say, and I quote
"you know, nobody ever said to Van Gogh, you know, paint 'A Starry Night' again man..."(which she says in the most stoney, lackadaisical and poignant kind of way) I always loved that, thinking to myself, not knowing who Van Gogh was yet, or what kind of masterpiece a starry night actually was, but I remember thinking, how being a performing artist, rather than an artist by trade is rather different. On one hand, I am sure she had been asked by someone, you know, sing 'Circle Game' again man. And I know that I have certainly been asked, you know, make that pasta with the vegetables again man.
There certainly is a difference, and when I think about it, being a chef is much like being a performing artist. We are given obstacles to success, we work against the odds, which are many, we endure thousands of hours on our feet, we have to work with products that sometimes aren't up to our standards, feed people because we find it satisfying not because it pays the bills, much like a musician or a thespian. We aim to please. We aim to learn, and if you are really an artist, one day, you will gain some recognition for all those efforts. Although we don't use guitars, pianos, or for that matter oil paints or canvas, we do have knives, fire and butter.
When I was young I can remember listing to Joni Mitchell's voice through the stereo in our car, her guitar in our living room or at the beach from a boom-box. I remember mostly though, that quote. I wonder, sometimes how those little things that a person hears as a child can foster a little gem inside them. As we grow, that gem grows too. The idea of creating something which can be improved upon, or given a different setting be better or worse, concepts and of course inspiration. Who knows. But for me its these little connections, which we can make to our childhood, that can help steer us into the directions that can maintain what we truly strive for, and with that our future can finally become just a little clearer.
Although I am not Van Gogh or Joni Mitchell, I still want to have someone say to me one day, ya know, feed me that thing I love that you make again man. And just like 'A Starry Night' or Joni's 'Circle Game' everyday, I can strive for a masterpiece. Which will always make me smile.
