An Insane Chef Might Be The Perfect Role Model For Becoming Excellent at Your Craft
emotion, has unfortunately, left the kitchen
Tonight I watched Burnt on Netflix and I think Adam Jones, the main character, serves as an example of the emotion that should inform the passion and perfection we put into our work.
In one scene, Adam dramatically screams and yells at his kitchen staff (a lot like Gordan Ramsey), which, in its own right, isn't the best model for making friends. But soon afterwards, the staff rapidly improved their cooking methods.
Although I don't condone yelling at employees the way Adam did, I think the emotion in his eyes and tone indicated to his employees that something was seriously wrong with what they were doing. And because of that emotion the other chefs took his advice and adopted it immediately. After all, the restaurant they were running was attempting to achieve 3 Michelin stars, which one of the sous chefs likened to becoming Yoda. You can’t have a goal like that and not be serious.
As I look at working culture today, it seems that the seriousness people take in their work has been put on the backburner. People aren't fired up by their work; instead, they set themselves to a simmer.
Burnt provides a refreshing look at the intensity that is missing in so many people's minds.