Chad Bowser

My earliest memory of food is probably my grandpa. He didn't cook much, but the important meals he’d cook. And Thanksgiving, we didn't do turkey. He's of German-Russian background, so he would make Sauerbraten  - and none of the kids would like it. But I did. 

The restaurant industry became my path early on in life. I was from a pretty small town in Wisconsin, where you could do one of two jobs before you were 16: a dishwasher or working at this mink ranch, which was horrible smelling. And I think it's fair to say that I assumed the role of a dishwasher.

My first line cook job though, that’s what made me realize I liked to cook. I was only 16, so people from my school, kids and the girls I liked, would come to me. Instead of making regular pancakes, I would make heart-shaped pancakes for the girls or little bear pancakes for the kids, off-menu of course.  I could see that it made people happy, and that's really when the whole food thing kicked in. And I learned early on that cooking isn't just about the complexity of a dish but more of just seeing what you can do with food.

I moved to NYC in '99 with a band. I toured the US nine times, and Europe once. Music was a big deal growing up because of my dad, who was really into it and taught me everything I know about it. It was fun on tour. We didn't have a lot of money, so we crashed at people’s houses - and in return, I made dinner for them with whatever they had in their fridge. So that was cool. Around that time I also started working in restaurants in the city, and I got very lucky with the kitchens I worked in. The chefs, they weren't the yellers. They were teachers. So I think I got lucky.

The kitchen life is a grind - but at the end of the day, you always gotta tell yourself it's only food. It's not like I'm saving someone's life. You learn from everyone - and in my kitchen, everyone gets a say. We try something, we all give feedback, it’s very much a team effort. People often don't realize what goes into every meal at a restaurant, from prep to service. Behind every dish lies a deep sense of pride; it’s important to recognise that food isn't conjured out of thin air. Rather, it's the result of numerous coordinated efforts working in tandem. Though to some, it may seem like magic, remember there's always a complex process at play.

Being head chef comes with multiple titles -  a therapist, a teacher, a leader and the list goes on. Everyone’s problems inevitably become yours, and you learn a great deal about how to navigate around different personalities, perspectives and backgrounds. For me, that's probably the hardest part. My humble advice: don't let the work consume you. When you spend all that time in the kitchen, you lose friends, you lose family, you don't see people. I think going back, that's something I would have told younger myself.

So, why the restaurant industry? The creative part I think. And that every day is different. It's not like going to the same place every day, same desk. Every day there's something new, a different challenge, a new opportunity to do the thing I love.

My NYC spot: Sala in Queens. I love tapas. Spanish food is my heart. I hate being like, Oh, I have my entree - one dish!? I want to try everything.