A Note from the Chef

I know that everyone has had the experience of being out on a limb…way outside their comfort zone.

As a chef, my day to day skills are very low tech. In fact when it comes to cooking, the more low tech, the better…at least in most cases. Pasta tastes better when made by hand rather than by machine – so does bread, tomato sauce, dressing and on and on.

Recently I’ve had to become comfortable with being uncomfortable as I spent months, photographing my cooking, recording audio and learning new technologies to present a low tech skill and deliver it in a high tech way.

It’s the back story of my experience trying to finish a project that I’ve eluded to for weeks now. I’m so very close. All that stands between it and you is…technology.

Many months ago I decided to go pro with my online presence so I took classes, read books, purchased tutorials, got a new website, started contributing to other blogs and today I wouldn’t even recognize my old self. But never in this push did I image I’d be developing a cooking series such as the one I’m soon about to launch.

My inspiration took me by surprise, but so did my discomfort. I could cook and talk (at the same time even) on stage before live audiences, on TV and in my classes. But stick a microphone in my face, in an empty room and suddenly I couldn’t speak at all!

I knew that when it came to live events, I never focused on cameras or anything else except connecting to my audience. Picture the audience. Speak to a person, I was told. It didn’t help. But I knew I had come too far to let my fears stop me, so I persevered.

“Where was my old, natural self and why was this so hard?” I wondered as I recorded take after take…until one day…

It wasn’t.

I realized that I had forgotten about my fear as I focused on cooking a dish with you. All I wanted to do was guide you, tell you the things that would make a big difference in making a spectacular dish, as if I was right beside you.

I imagined how you would feel to have someone like me show you how to cook; like my mother showed me; like the years of professional experience perfected in me.

I imaged all the people out there who never had a mother, or father, or grandmother to teach them these practical skills necessary to take care of themselves and their family; that would bring so much joy and pleasure; that would last a lifetime and give them control over their health and well-being; connect them to the earth and each other, and so much more.

And the fear just naturally melted away like butter in a hot sauté pan. Thank God!

I knew while standing on that limb I had a choice. I could turn back or I could jump. I’m leaping.

And as I stand suspended in mid air waiting for the last glitches in the technology of all the moving parts to be worked out by some very savvy professionals…I know that these challenges have no power over something packed with loving intentions.

Wish me well my friends. It helps more than we can really know.

With loving gratitude,

Silvia

And now to you. What limbs have you been on? What did you do to outside your comfort zone?

Or do you have words of encouragement for me and others? Tell me in the comments below. I read each and every one.

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