More than 30 years in kitchens taught me that experience is not measured by how many dishes you have cooked. It is measured by how much you have learned from every dish that went right — and every dish that went wrong.
I have burned food. I have made mistakes. I have created dishes I was proud of and others I knew immediately were not good enough. Every one of those moments taught me something.
Experience means knowing the difference.
Standards are what you do when nobody is watching.
Every plate that leaves my kitchen carries my name, whether my name is written on the menu or not.
Good enough has never been my standard. If the flavor is wrong, fix it. If the texture is wrong, make it again. If I wouldn’t proudly put it in front of my own family, it does not leave the kitchen.
Respect the ingredients. Respect the customer. Respect your own work.
Years give you experience.
Standards decide what you do with it.