Steve Mercer
Founder of Cooking In Mind.
Trainee Yogi
Former Head Chef at Ballyvolane House in County Cork, Ireland.
After working in kitchens where I did see a culture of fear I made it my mission to make sure no chef who worked under me ever felt scared. I soon found I was getting more from chefs.
I believe the difference comes from being mindful of ourselves and others.
I practice yoga and run regularly and have seen a huge difference since.
John Barker
Ballymaloe trained chef, superstar, currently the head chef at Good For The Soul Cafe in Ballincollig, Cork
Chefs have been tarred with the ‘tired and cranky’ brush for far too long. We are allowed to be vulnerable and to feel the highs and the lows in equal measure. With every failed soufflé, comes a memory; with every memory comes an experience and with every experience comes an opportunity to grow. Do not retreat from these moments; rather cherish them as soon-to-be highlights in your own memory bank of learning.
It is a brave move to subject something so important to the professional kitchen environment:
There must really be only one reason why we would do it, and it is true; we do it for the love.