I stumbled into the hospitality industry with no intentions of sticking around. Summer 2022 I needed a job while I was in college studying business and being a kitchen helper at a golf course was what I was able to land. Like anything I do, I gave it my all. I showed up early, helped where I could, and with time, I fell in love with it.
I fell in love with the smiles on peopleās faces when they eat food you prepared for them and theyāre no longer hungry. Guests who visited frequently asking for their āusualā. Making snacks for the servers when I knew they were hungry. Keeping the kitchen clean and spotless as if it were my own.
I had very little to my name. Just dreams, like anyone.
Now, while I still have dreams, much of what I dreamt of three years ago has been accomplished. Iām doing something I love and making a living doing it. YOU on here, (yes YouTube) watching my videos and coming along for the journey has enabled me to be doing what I love.
When I was a kitchen helper I was responsible for washing dishes, sweeping floors, folding wraps, and making sandwiches. Now I still do all those things but itās because I want to. Not because I need to. That passion and that drive has put me in a place where now instead of cooking a few dollars worth of French fries now I cook thousands of dollars of meat.
3 years in any career is just the tip of the iceberg. Trust me, Iām only getting started.
Iāve been busier the past few weeks and havenāt been posting as much. Iām the pitmaster for the 4 locations here in Shediac. Even though Iām only doing 40-50 hours a week I still have to make time for the social media side of my job which takes time as well.
Because Iāve been sharing less videos, I have been sharing more to my Facebook and Instagram stories! If you want to search for realchefthomson on those platforms, youāll be able to stay up to date with whatās going on day to day.
I appreciate your support. Iām all about constant learning, I love doing new things and adding skills to my repertoire. I think thatās super important in this industry.
Yesterday for the first time since I left high school 7 years ago, I weighed in at under 220lbs. Food is something I've commonly used as a coping mechanism. Over the years I've realized I don't really drink, I don't smoke, I don't experiment with drugs, but instead I turn to food as a form of comfort.
While my relationship with food may still not be "healthy" it's a work in progress. Just like anything. Something that's helped me is buying roasted/salted cashews and almonds. Instead of snacking on chips or other sugary, processed foods, I just snack on these.
For anyone curious, for the past two months I've been on a strict calorie deficit. Constantly staying under my maintenance calories. I take this very seriously. I have monthly blood tests for another treatment I'm on, I also have numerous vitamins and supplements that I take daily/weekly to ensure my body is getting enough micronutrients.
Decreasing my intake of macronutrients has led to weight-loss. But it's also led to decreased energy, less muscle growth, and likely other factors that I can't track with my current technology. That's why it's crucial that I continue to see my physician, and listen to my body to ensure I'm getting what I need.
To speed up the weight loss process I also train between 2-4 hours a week doing high intensity, reduced oxygen cardio. For me, I use a 35lbs weighted vest and an oxygen restricting mask while on the treadmill at maximum incline for a 24 minute per mile pace. While wearing a pulse oximeter.
If you're curious about why I'm using a reduced oxygen mask, it has to do with optimizing and training my body's VO2 max. I'm not doing it for anything related to altitude training. Regardless of the "research" and mixed opinions online, it's working for me. I can now successfully run a mile without my blood oxygen even dropping below 97% which is an insane improvement from when I started.
None of this is advice or some kind of recommendation. Anything you do for yourself, is at your own risk. This is simply what I've been doing.
Thank you to those of you who have commented or messaged me with support. It means a lot to me.
My first time working behind the baršŗ I just recently got my beverage certificate and have been reading a lot about mixology. Things are getting busier as the weather gets warmer and Iāve noticed during the busiest hours, the team could benefit from an extra set of hands.
Iām currently reading Daniel Bouludās Letters to a Young Chef and it inspired me to learn as much as I can about every aspect of the restaurant.
As cooks our job is to take care of the kitchen, and its food. But ultimately weāre only responsible for a small part of the guestās experience. In an interview I saw with Marco Pierre White he said āthe most important aspect of any restaurant is the environment you sit inā he went on to say that the second most important aspect is the service, and number three is the food.
Ultimately if someday the vision is to be a chef and manage a team, I think itās important to understand every aspect of the restaurant. What better way than to actually do it?
Volume of specific orders can be unpredictable, especially if youāre working with a larger menu. Some days you sell out, and some days you donāt sell enough. But rather than throw away food at the end of service, check if FOH wants anything to take home.
In business, we have both external customers, and internal customers. Both need to be taken care of in order to succeed. A lot of little things done wrong, can make a bad experience. A lot of little things done right, can make a great experience.
āYou have horrible knife skillsā. If you donāt like me, thatās fine! But if youāre going to make fun of me, at least pick something Iām not actually good at š I have very passable knife skills. Suitable for any kitchen. No Iām not the fastest, or the best. But Iām adequately proficient and getting better every day.
Iām very much a product of my environment. Many of the places Iāve worked havenāt been run by red seal chefs who attended culinary school and could mentor and teach. Often times my colleagues are a similar skill level and are supervising the kitchen, not running it.
Making perfectly symmetrical cuts requires a lot of trim. If the menu doesnāt incorporate that trim into another part of the menu, itās all waste. Iāve only ever worked at one restaurant that did āfamily mealā every day. That restaurant went out of business. Most of the places Iāve worked also donāt have a chef creating the menu. Which means that identifying dishes with food waste and using them elsewhere wasnāt necessarily incorporated into the menu.
The important thing is that I learn more every day. For people who have been in the industry longer, itās important you critique others yes. But make it constructive. Donāt just criticize and poke fun. But expand on ideas and offer alternatives.
The next few months are going to be interesting! From what I understand, the town of Shediac starts to see tourism begin usually in May. Shediac and the surrounding area is home to numerous public beaches that tens of thousands of people enjoy every year.
A new kitchen manager has joined our team this past week and is currently working with everyone to fully understand each process. My understanding is that over the next few months a lot of seasonal staff will also be joining the team.
The plan will still be for me to do the BBQ smoking during the summer. As of right now there's no indication of what the volume of sales will be, or how often I'll need to cook; since this is the first year they'll have 2 offset smokers and a full-time pitmaster.
Everything is going to be a learning experience. I'm excited to be able to document that and share it with you. For now, my focus is Le Moque-Tortue and my tasks there.
Was cleaning out my closet and found this T-Shirt hiding on the top shelf. It's been up there for years. I put it away in the hopes that one day I could wear it without being embarrassed of myself.
Still one of my favourite quotes: The only person you should be better than, is who you were yesterday.
A number of people have asked me about my work schedule! If you're hoping to visit the Bistro while I'm working and would like to say hi, the two best days are Sunday and Tuesday. I'm the "Sunday & Tuesday guy" so 99.9% of the time I'll be there. I may be in other days of the week as needed but it will be variable to the rest of the team.
The kitchen is open Sunday 9:30am-2pm and Tuesday 11:30am-8pm.
As the snow melts and the warmer weather approaches, the volume of guests will significantly increase as tourism in Shediac ramps up. With that comes more hours, different schedules, and new locations. The plan for the summer, is for me to exclusively focus on BBQ smoking.
Chef Thomson
Chef Thomson
This is the same person but three years apart.
I stumbled into the hospitality industry with no intentions of sticking around. Summer 2022 I needed a job while I was in college studying business and being a kitchen helper at a golf course was what I was able to land. Like anything I do, I gave it my all. I showed up early, helped where I could, and with time, I fell in love with it.
I fell in love with the smiles on peopleās faces when they eat food you prepared for them and theyāre no longer hungry. Guests who visited frequently asking for their āusualā. Making snacks for the servers when I knew they were hungry. Keeping the kitchen clean and spotless as if it were my own.
I had very little to my name. Just dreams, like anyone.
Now, while I still have dreams, much of what I dreamt of three years ago has been accomplished. Iām doing something I love and making a living doing it. YOU on here, (yes YouTube) watching my videos and coming along for the journey has enabled me to be doing what I love.
When I was a kitchen helper I was responsible for washing dishes, sweeping floors, folding wraps, and making sandwiches. Now I still do all those things but itās because I want to. Not because I need to. That passion and that drive has put me in a place where now instead of cooking a few dollars worth of French fries now I cook thousands of dollars of meat.
3 years in any career is just the tip of the iceberg. Trust me, Iām only getting started.
4 weeks ago | [YT] | 2,612
View 82 replies
Chef Thomson
Iāve been busier the past few weeks and havenāt been posting as much. Iām the pitmaster for the 4 locations here in Shediac. Even though Iām only doing 40-50 hours a week I still have to make time for the social media side of my job which takes time as well.
Because Iāve been sharing less videos, I have been sharing more to my Facebook and Instagram stories! If you want to search for realchefthomson on those platforms, youāll be able to stay up to date with whatās going on day to day.
I appreciate your support. Iām all about constant learning, I love doing new things and adding skills to my repertoire. I think thatās super important in this industry.
1 month ago | [YT] | 1,173
View 28 replies
Chef Thomson
Yesterday for the first time since I left high school 7 years ago, I weighed in at under 220lbs. Food is something I've commonly used as a coping mechanism. Over the years I've realized I don't really drink, I don't smoke, I don't experiment with drugs, but instead I turn to food as a form of comfort.
While my relationship with food may still not be "healthy" it's a work in progress. Just like anything. Something that's helped me is buying roasted/salted cashews and almonds. Instead of snacking on chips or other sugary, processed foods, I just snack on these.
For anyone curious, for the past two months I've been on a strict calorie deficit. Constantly staying under my maintenance calories. I take this very seriously. I have monthly blood tests for another treatment I'm on, I also have numerous vitamins and supplements that I take daily/weekly to ensure my body is getting enough micronutrients.
Decreasing my intake of macronutrients has led to weight-loss. But it's also led to decreased energy, less muscle growth, and likely other factors that I can't track with my current technology. That's why it's crucial that I continue to see my physician, and listen to my body to ensure I'm getting what I need.
To speed up the weight loss process I also train between 2-4 hours a week doing high intensity, reduced oxygen cardio. For me, I use a 35lbs weighted vest and an oxygen restricting mask while on the treadmill at maximum incline for a 24 minute per mile pace. While wearing a pulse oximeter.
If you're curious about why I'm using a reduced oxygen mask, it has to do with optimizing and training my body's VO2 max. I'm not doing it for anything related to altitude training. Regardless of the "research" and mixed opinions online, it's working for me. I can now successfully run a mile without my blood oxygen even dropping below 97% which is an insane improvement from when I started.
None of this is advice or some kind of recommendation. Anything you do for yourself, is at your own risk. This is simply what I've been doing.
Thank you to those of you who have commented or messaged me with support. It means a lot to me.
1 month ago | [YT] | 4,368
View 133 replies
Chef Thomson
Losing weight feels good. This is your friendly reminder to take care of yourself, however that looks for you :)
2 months ago | [YT] | 3,310
View 84 replies
Chef Thomson
My first time working behind the baršŗ I just recently got my beverage certificate and have been reading a lot about mixology. Things are getting busier as the weather gets warmer and Iāve noticed during the busiest hours, the team could benefit from an extra set of hands.
Iām currently reading Daniel Bouludās Letters to a Young Chef and it inspired me to learn as much as I can about every aspect of the restaurant.
As cooks our job is to take care of the kitchen, and its food. But ultimately weāre only responsible for a small part of the guestās experience. In an interview I saw with Marco Pierre White he said āthe most important aspect of any restaurant is the environment you sit inā he went on to say that the second most important aspect is the service, and number three is the food.
Ultimately if someday the vision is to be a chef and manage a team, I think itās important to understand every aspect of the restaurant. What better way than to actually do it?
2 months ago | [YT] | 1,796
View 45 replies
Chef Thomson
Volume of specific orders can be unpredictable, especially if youāre working with a larger menu. Some days you sell out, and some days you donāt sell enough. But rather than throw away food at the end of service, check if FOH wants anything to take home.
In business, we have both external customers, and internal customers. Both need to be taken care of in order to succeed. A lot of little things done wrong, can make a bad experience. A lot of little things done right, can make a great experience.
4 months ago | [YT] | 424
View 22 replies
Chef Thomson
āYou have horrible knife skillsā. If you donāt like me, thatās fine! But if youāre going to make fun of me, at least pick something Iām not actually good at š I have very passable knife skills. Suitable for any kitchen. No Iām not the fastest, or the best. But Iām adequately proficient and getting better every day.
Iām very much a product of my environment. Many of the places Iāve worked havenāt been run by red seal chefs who attended culinary school and could mentor and teach. Often times my colleagues are a similar skill level and are supervising the kitchen, not running it.
Making perfectly symmetrical cuts requires a lot of trim. If the menu doesnāt incorporate that trim into another part of the menu, itās all waste. Iāve only ever worked at one restaurant that did āfamily mealā every day. That restaurant went out of business. Most of the places Iāve worked also donāt have a chef creating the menu. Which means that identifying dishes with food waste and using them elsewhere wasnāt necessarily incorporated into the menu.
The important thing is that I learn more every day. For people who have been in the industry longer, itās important you critique others yes. But make it constructive. Donāt just criticize and poke fun. But expand on ideas and offer alternatives.
4 months ago | [YT] | 1,033
View 42 replies
Chef Thomson
The next few months are going to be interesting! From what I understand, the town of Shediac starts to see tourism begin usually in May. Shediac and the surrounding area is home to numerous public beaches that tens of thousands of people enjoy every year.
A new kitchen manager has joined our team this past week and is currently working with everyone to fully understand each process. My understanding is that over the next few months a lot of seasonal staff will also be joining the team.
The plan will still be for me to do the BBQ smoking during the summer. As of right now there's no indication of what the volume of sales will be, or how often I'll need to cook; since this is the first year they'll have 2 offset smokers and a full-time pitmaster.
Everything is going to be a learning experience. I'm excited to be able to document that and share it with you. For now, my focus is Le Moque-Tortue and my tasks there.
5 months ago | [YT] | 1,283
View 21 replies
Chef Thomson
Was cleaning out my closet and found this T-Shirt hiding on the top shelf. It's been up there for years. I put it away in the hopes that one day I could wear it without being embarrassed of myself.
Still one of my favourite quotes: The only person you should be better than, is who you were yesterday.
5 months ago | [YT] | 4,546
View 114 replies
Chef Thomson
A number of people have asked me about my work schedule! If you're hoping to visit the Bistro while I'm working and would like to say hi, the two best days are Sunday and Tuesday. I'm the "Sunday & Tuesday guy" so 99.9% of the time I'll be there. I may be in other days of the week as needed but it will be variable to the rest of the team.
The kitchen is open Sunday 9:30am-2pm and Tuesday 11:30am-8pm.
As the snow melts and the warmer weather approaches, the volume of guests will significantly increase as tourism in Shediac ramps up. With that comes more hours, different schedules, and new locations. The plan for the summer, is for me to exclusively focus on BBQ smoking.
5 months ago | [YT] | 614
View 22 replies
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