Chef Jeff

Chef Jeff

Jeff "Chef Jeff" Henderson spent nearly 10 years in prison for selling drugs. After his release, he is now one of the most famous chefs in the country, despite having no culinary training prior to his release.

How did he do it? 

His first job out of prison was a dishwasher in a restaurant. As he did his job, he watched the work of the others in the kitchen. As people would quit, be fired, and call off, he would tell his boss that they didn't have to worry because he could do their job. He went from dishwasher, to food prep, to sous chef, to Chef Jeff. 

Nothing about Chef Jeff is unique or special only to him. 
1) He didn't define himself by his past. He saw the person he wanted to be at work, and aspired to do what they did.
2) He respected the aspiration enough to learn the information necessary to be successful in that role.
3) He was ready when the opportunity presented itself, he had prepared enough with his observation that he was comfortable in taking advantage of it.
4) He wasn't deterred by humble beginnings. He was used to making big money hustling. A minimum wage position might have been unattractive to many in his position. However, he took advantage of the situation that was available to him and made the best of it.
5) He didn't become complacent. As he got new positions, he learned the job of the person ahead of him in his new role. He kept striving until he got to a place where he was comfortable.

Knowledge destroys fear and stagnation. Have enough respect for your craft to learn as much as you can about it, so that you can take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves. You can take that knowledge and CREATE your opportunity. If you like to cook, and want to start a restaurant, then you need to learn how to run a business in addition to perfecting your recipes. Life is not a race, it's a marathon. But, if you aren't learning, you aren't even in the running. Knowledge is free. Take advantage.

Source - Nigel A. Smith, MSW