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@chef_rodney_117, career, chef, cleaver and blade, culinary tales, customers, drinks, food, kitchen, restaurant, restaurant business, Rodney Lienhart, service industry - April 23, 2020

“The Kitchen Placebo.”

Love me or hate me, my passion for putting a flame to a pan is what I do. That passion won’t ever go away; it’s who I am and where I fit best in the world. I’ve bled and sacrificed my life for this craft. I’ve lived the type of life where I didn’t have to go looking for trouble, trouble came looking for me--and I always welcomed it with open arms. made my life worth fighting for. What do you win while fighting against the trouble of doubt? Freedom. You win the freedom to be yourself without compromise or...

“Caught in the Headlights of Fear.”

Watching the friends and family that I’ve made over the course of my career succumb to the relentless onslaught of this frenzied backpedaling and fear mongering from the people who said that we’d be ok. After trusting what they told us to do, we all lost our jobs and livelihoods. This made me think back to be a child in the hills of Tennessee. The first place in my life where there was something that only a few claims to have seen but caused me to freeze with fear. I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would have...

“Coming back Home”

Never in a million years would any business owner imagine that they would have to let their entire staff go due to an invisible enemy. No one can stop it, or escape it. Nevermind trying to plan for something like this. Now all we can do is attempt to prepare for the fight of our lives. We as grunts in the kitchen often are faced with many types of hindrances in our lives, but nothing can compare to unforeseen disaster. How do you do prep for no asses in seats? No dining room to look out to through the...

“A Real Tiger King Doesn’t Wear a Stolen Crown.”

I can remember it clearly. The sweat pouring down my body; the heat in the air making my lungs feel heavier with each breath. My entire body feels like it’s on pins and needles. I'm about to crash. And I think to myself, is this where I'm going to die? Is this where my dedication and humility have led me? What about the sacrifices I've made to get here? I can't go out like this. Not on this line, not next to these people. I want to die at home in my bed, peacefully--preferably of old age. I always wanted...

“We Could be Anything, We Choose to Cook”

Every good kitchen has a story behind it. From spite to passion, we have seen all kinds of venues in our days. But how many of them have a chance to become something iconic?

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