Food Writing & 'Chefitude'

I am happy to be dipping my toes back into the food writing waters. I was away long enough that I had time to miss it, and it is much easier than it was 15 years ago (I used to turn my stories in ON A DISC before everyone got online). No more trying to take notes while the server is away, and no more stealing the menu so I could work with it at home.....EVERYONE has a website these days, or at least a Facebook page with a link to their menu. The one thing about my food writing career that I did not miss was the attitude that some chefs would dole out. And I use the word chef loosely here, since often times the biggest offenders weren't actual trained chefs. I think running a restaurant and cooking on the line are two of the toughest jobs in the world. You do it because you love it, because unless you are quite lucky, you won't become rich and the hours are long and hard. I always approached people like 'we are all in this together, interested in food, restaurants, getting more customers, highlighting what you do, etc.' Sadly, there would often be the time in the interview when the 'chefitude' would arise, and I would get to hear all the things this person would NEVER do. I would NEVER serve this, I would NEVER put that on my menu, I would NEVER eat such and such. Believe me, it got old. Over the years I had one chef literally get in my face because the magazine I worked for hadn't written about them enough. Personal space invasion, spittle, the whole nine yards. I also was kind of afraid of a lawsuit or maybe a mysterious accident after writing that I thought a restaurant's crab cakes were really good, but not worth the money. So by the time I left the world of food to focus on building my family, I was really ready to go. In the few interviews I have done here in Key West, I am happy to report that I haven't had any 'chefitude.' And really, I'm not surprised. People are generally nicer here than they are in the real world, but also, living on an island gives us all that 'we really ARE in this together' thing. There are tons of tourists who visit Key West each year and lots of well-heeled locals (especially in the winter), but there are also hundreds of great dining establishments to compete with and extremely high rents. These people need and want the exposure. I'm sure as time goes by, I will meet the rude or condescending chefs on the island.....there have to be a few. But I will just smile, get my information and photos, and remember not to go there next time I want to go out to dinner.