If humans had taglines, what would yours be?
Well, that’s easy! #chefbari

As a retired Executive Chef who just turned 70 years old ten days ago, I would say that hashtag fits me perfectly.

In my own experience, my parents owned a donut shop called Spudnuts, and after years of working in that shop, I desperately needed a break from the restaurant business altogether. Because of that, I transitioned into becoming an Architectural Technologist, working in that specific field for a good eight years of my life. Unfortunately, that career didn’t last due to rapid technological advancements like CAD, and I simply couldn’t afford to go back to school for it at the time.

So, I made the decision to go back to cooking and took a three-year culinary course through an Alberta sponsorship program. In Canada, things were quite different back then in the late 1980s. During the week, I was in school, but I still had to support my family, which meant I had to work weekends and nights around my classes. Honestly, it was a completely draining experience, but through hard work, I became the Top Culinary Student of Northern Alberta by my third year.

The one thing they never truly tell you about the culinary and hospitality business is the grueling reality of working 14-hour shifts, six days a week, and always having to work every single holiday. Along the way, I did have three different encounters being on television, which was nerve-wracking for sure. Early on, I had the choice of becoming a Baker or heading into the Fine Dining mainstream. Because bakers back then were hired to start their day at 11:30 PM and work the graveyard shift, I chose the path of becoming an Executive Chef instead.

This lifetime of grit, adaptation, and surviving the heat of the kitchen is exactly why my tagline is defined by real-world experience.

Tell me your work experience in comments below 👇

Cheers!

Chef Bari