i got hooked on ‘a chef’s life’ about a month or so ago while watching OETA’s create channel. the show chronicles the life of chef vivian howard and the restaurant she owns with her husband, ben. here’s the official description:
A Chef’s Life is a Peabody and Emmy award-winning docu-series that plunges audiences into the kitchen of a high-end restaurant located in the low country of eastern North Carolina. It follows the trials and travails of Chef Vivian Howard and her husband, Ben Knight, and their farm-to-table restaurant, Chef & the Farmer, exploring both traditional and modern applications of quintessential Southern ingredients.
like the description says, it’s not really a cooking show. or even a reality show per se, but rather, this show feels like a documentary sharing an intimate view of vivian’s life as a chef, wife, mom, and small-town southern girl.
i was originally drawn to the show because of it’s rural, southern vibe. as an okie and a small-town girl myself {even though i know that oklahoma is not traditionally considered part of the “south”} i can totally relate to the lifestyle. and as i continued watching the series (i actually started watching it from the beginning on pbs.com) i have enjoyed getting a glimpse of the local farms highlighted in each episode. it is during these scenes with the local farmers i can’t help but think of my granny’s farm….yet another reason i love watching it so much.
also, in one particular episode, vivian and one of her local farmers have an in-depth discussion of virtues of the butter bean and how it differs from a lima bean. i mean honestly…i am all over that kind of shit.
anyway, then there is the restaurant. i love the behind the scenes view of the inner-workings of their establishment. i enjoy watching how vivian takes an “old-timey” or family recipe and reinterprets it with a modern twist. she is often seen learning old-school canning or baking techniques from some of her community’s oldest residents. which is think is very cool.
but what i love most about this show, is the way it captures her real life. it’s not a series with a super glam chef with perfect hair and makeup. it’s vivian in her restaurant or out in the field, or in her kitchen at home…often times with little or no makeup. the series chronicles her success as chef with all of the accolades and invites to prestigious cooking engagements. but it also shows the moments when she is frustrated and overwhelmed. and vivian herself is very honest about her own doubts as a chef and mother. very candid about the demands on her time. and very sincere when she talks about the trades offs when it comes to missing out on time with her young children.
a chef’s life is so refreshing. and it’s really inspired me as i embark on my sixth (6th!!!) year of blogging…how to tell the story of my life, but to do it in an authentic way. to share the successes, the happy moments, the joy and beauty. but to do so without skimming over the less than pretty parts. to be honest and vulnerable when it comes to the difficult and challenging days.
i see this as a lifelong learning process for me. to be mindful and present through all of life’s ups and downs. and it takes courage to live like this. to be authentic…to share with the world the real me. but when i do get it right, it feels inspired. it feels like i am part of something bigger than myself. it feels like {A}rt.
six or so years ago when i started my blog, i would have never dreamed that it would be such a fulfilling, gratifying experience. one that i didn’t even know i needed. but i’m so grateful for this tiny little corner of the interwebs where i can tell my stories and be myself – the good, the bad, the ugly. so thankful to have you along for the journey.
peace, kelly
I don’t comment much here, usually just on FB, but I wanted to thank you for sharing your stories and beautiful photos. I adore your photo style and relate to much of what you write with regard to empty nest. My kids are both sophomores, one in college and the other in high school, so while one is still home, time is moving to quickly for me, and your words resonate with me. So thank you again. I look forward to reading more.
lisa, thank you so much for your kind words. it is always comforting to know that i’m not alone in my empty-nest journey. xoxo