Josh Even

Until then, I was still just feeling my way through each and every day. I put my head down and got to work, and wasn't really sure whether I was doing well, just getting by, or absolutely floundering. When April floated the idea that I should take on a Sous Chef role, I was completely caught off guard, but I knew instantly that I wanted the responsibility.

a good attitude and work ethic, and a passion for working in a restaurant kitchen. Cooking in restaurants is completely different than catering, or private chef'ing or cooking at home. Cooking in a restaurant kitchen is about the rhythm and motion of service and the ability to repeat the same tasks with absolute consistency in an extremely hot and intense environment. There has to be a desire to work as part of a team and take joy in succeeding as a group. A good restaurant cook or chef has to enjoy the service, not just the cooking.

It wasn't until I started cooking that I understood the full force of my mother's advice. I could literally out effort the people around me and that would provide me the opportunity to learn more and gain greater responsibility. I always tell people that cooking is not necessarily difficult work, but it is hard work.

The Spotted Pig was where I fell in love with comfort food. Before taking the line cook position at The Spotted Pig, I always assumed I would go the way of French fine-dining. I thought that I needed to cook precious food and plate with tweezers and make my way through a brigade of 30 chefs putting out 15 tiny plates for each individual diner, until I accepted the position there. I knew I wanted to cook food that people can and will come back for. I wanted the satisfaction of having regulars who can't go without that one dish for too long. It was at The Spotted Pig where I learned that comfortable casual dining was a legitimate and noble pursuit.