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I may not be a chef or a restaurant owner, but my father is, and growing up in M&D’s kitchen as well as working in the restaurant and bakery for a large portion of my life, I’ve heard a lot of the questions thrown his way. I love the curiosity surrounding chef life, especially when it comes to silly assumptions or … well let’s just dive into the post.

I decided to share the top 5 questions that I’ve either heard my father get as a chef or that people have asked me about him.

When people hear that my father is a chef, the first thing they say is, “Oh my gosh, you must eat gourmet meals every day!” Which brings me to question number 1.

“Do you cook gourmet meals every day at home?”

Wow so absolutely do not cook gourmet meals all the time. We love to make soup; pizza, burgers and moms family recipes all the time.

“How do you feel about fast food?”

Fast food gets a bad rap but plays an important part in food culture. Some of my best childhood memories involve fast food. My mom would take us to KFC every couple of weeks and to us that was a very special night out. We didn’t know it was because she was simply exhausted after a long day because she made it feel like an adventure. My best friend in high school and I met every morning at McDonald’s and plowed through about 6 egg McMuffins. I still crave a Big Mac quite often. Even today I read the trade mags and watch trends in fast food dining to help gauge what’s going on in the industry.

“Does it bother you when people alter a menu item when they order?”

It only bothers me when people change how a dish is prepared if they do it just for the sake of change. If it’s because they don’t like a certain flavor component of a dish or a dietary restriction I’m fine with that and grateful that they have come in.

“Do you ever get sick of cooking?”

I absolutely never get sick of cooking.

“What is your favorite thing to cook?”

My favorite thing to cook would be a hearty soup or stew. I love how it tastes really good when first made and even better the next day and I love the aroma that fills the kitchen and the entire house when something simmers all day.

So there you have it, friends! Those answers came straight from my dad aka my favorite chef!

Any other questions you’d like me to ask him?

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Rebecca McKinney

I was born a foodie. My dad is a chef, baker, and restaurant owner and my mom might as well be because she owns whatever kitchen she walks into. I grew up working in my family’s restaurant and bakery in Pawling, New York – McKinney and Doyle. I started behind the bakery counter at 12 years old after begging my parents to let me start working. At 16 I worked as a hostess. By 18 I was serving tables and training behind the bar where I then worked every other weekend throughout my college career. Even now, when I am visiting my family in New York, I help out where I’m needed. To make a long story short, the food and restaurant industry has been my life for as long as I can remember.

I wanted to create this blog for a few reasons. First and foremost, to share tips, tricks, and knowledge about the food and beverage industry in general but also to help people see a different side of the restaurant world. Every restaurant has a totally unique culture and world within it. I want to help open people’s eyes to more than how fast the service is or how easy or hard it is to secure a reservation.

So, thanks for stopping by! I welcome your ideas, input, and feedback and hope you enjoy!

Eat well & travel often,

Becky McKinney

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