It wasn't until the final weeks of culinary school that I knew I wanted to be a chef. I remember vividly the moment the penny dropped. I had entered an international student competition with four teammates during my last year at North Bay's Canadore College. Our chef instructor and coach, Daniel Esposito, had given us complete freedom to create our own plates. During practice, he told us about the time he competed in the Culinary Olympics back in 1980s. He had worked non-stop on his dishes for three days until, right into the middle of the kitchen, his legs seized. They simply wouldn't move. He was so exhausted and sleep-deprived that his brain refused to send the signal to his feet to walk any farther. And I don't know whether he shared this story to prepare us mentally or to inspire us, but it did both for me.

I didn't do well at that competition; in fact, I bombed. But it didn't matter. From that moment, I knew this was what I wanted. Chef Daniel's passion for his profession had inspired me. I had progressed beyond the basics, and I was learning to think creatively. This is the best part of my job.

From Atelier by Marc Lepine ©2018. Published by Figure 1 Publishing.