My first alarm goes off around 5:00 AM. I’m the master of the snooze, but I try to be up no later than 5:15. I take a fast perfunctory shower, bush my teeth, lotion, and put some product in my hair.
If past me was smart, I laid out my clothes and everything else I need the night before. Past me hasn’t been very diligent lately. I usually have to rummage through a pile of unfolded clean clothes to find chef pants, socks, and an appropriate shirt to wear under my chef coat.
I’ve added a step to my morning routine, which is to make a quick breakfast and fill my travel mug with cocao mix. The breakfast is a microwave omelet made in a round tupperware. I put in two eggs, salt, pepper, arugula and a rando veg like mushrooms or sweet peppers. Nuke it for 1:30 and voila! The omelet goes between two mini flat bread rounds. It helps to fuel my day in case I don’t get a break.
Once my food is done, I get ready to go. I put my shoes on, fill my pockets with a specific assortment of tools and pens, make sure I have a clean chef jacket and apron in my bag, grab a Redbull and knives and head out.
My Truck is scheduled to start at 6:10. If I’m on time, she’s been running for 5 minutes by the time I go out. This is helpful in multiple ways. We’ve hit another cold patch in Saskatchewan. Having the truck on self start means the cab won’t be -29C when I get in, and the windshield will be somewhat defrosted. I may still have to scrape some ice, but it will be far less laborious.
In the truck, I listen to news in the morning. The drive in is only about 24 minutes, it’s just enough time to hear a few updates. In Saskatchewan, in the winter, the first topic is always the weather: how cold it is, how cold it will be, how cold it was yesterday. Then it’s usually some local stuff, maybe a quick human interest story or some music by a local artist.
I pull into my parking space near the back door of the restaurant a little before 7:00AM. When I unlock the door, the lights flicker on in recognition. I put down my bag, get dressed, pull out my knife roll, store my things, and then start my day.
Beyond Clarity 