by John Flynn
As a chef I have a unique perspective on anger.
In my time I have worked with the greatest in the finest
kitchens of Europe. And I know what the pressure of the cooking kitchen
is.
I have seen the casualties and the conflicts - the ruined
lives and the personal heartache of those who could only cope by indulging
in drink, drugs, sex or gambling.
You're probably familiar with the stereotype of the mad
chef. You've seen it on TV in programmes like the aptly named Hell's
Kitchen with Gordon Ramsey.
I too once was an original chef from hell. I know what the
pressure of the cooking kitchen is - and I have survived the trauma.
For many people, anger simply seems to take over their
lives. The chances are that you - or someone you know - have difficulty
dealing with anger. It seems to come out of nowhere. The least little thing
can set you off and ruin your life. Unrestrained anger can lead to loss of
control, concentration and sleep. It can also cause problems with decision
making, not to mention severely damaging relationships.
Chefs know more about life than most people because they
are intimately involved in the most basic of human needs - the hunger for
food.
It is from this most basic demand that all life springs,
from drops of water on the tongue in a Third World country to goblets of
champagne on the banquet table of the sophisticated power brokers, the
human need is the same: the need to eat, live and survive.
As a chef I was thus uniquely placed to observe people at
their most basic, whatever the veneer of wealth, influence or power; an
unnoticed observer of human behaviour, however dressed up in the latest
food fashions.
In fact the kitchen is a form of hell with the atmosphere
of a pressure cooker. The sheer nerve jingling journey of a days work can
cause sweat, blood and tears to flow. And too many chefs take solace in the
emptiness at the end of the night, when the diners have departed, the
tables are littered with the remains of a great meal and the kitchen cools
to a place akin to imprisonment.
Then it has to start all over again tomorrow! The highs and
lows are constant and the chef at the centre of the creative roller coaster
is often overlooked his role reduced to a cook; a waiting watcher of ovens,
a microwave of mere mediocrity. So in the sunset hours, in the last free
moments as those whom he serves celebrates he is alone in a used kitchen,
his creativity sapped by the sophistication of those dining on his
reputation.
Ask any chef. He will tell you the awful reality of
colleagues turning to drink and drugs and all sorts of false props to
survive the constant and unending pressure of the cooking kitchen!
Today I have emerged from the white hot heat of the kitchen
and from the nightmare of drink, drugs and gambling, to chart a way forward
for myself and others as a chef life coach to help them recognise the
warning signs of stress anger.
Believe Me! I have been exactly where you are, and come out
on the other side, thanks to Life Coaching… So can you!
John Flynn has created a unique model for mastering
emotional fears, and is a recognized expert on the subject of anger
management. John is the founder of the groundbreaking Me, Myself and I,
Catering for life from the inside out. This is designed to help you achieve
improved well being and increased capabilities in all areas of your
personal and business life. For more information visit: http://www.chef2chefs.com or email:
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