Lenz in English

 

Chapter 1 to 7   LENZ the first chef

Dear English reader,

This text was written by Horst, the chef, in German and partly translated using Google Translate. Some translations may lack the original German humor; however, I have tried my best to make it enjoyable for the English reader as well.

In the beginning there was the chef.

'The insights in gastronomic experiences and thoughts of a chef'

Without the work of the cooks, mankind would never have left the cave.

 

And here I am Horst, the chef; Caught in a time loop with Lenz, the mastermind of this story.

Lenz talks about the present, past and future of cooking all the time. And luckily, I have all the time in the world right now to listen.

An entry on my birth certificate put my long-lasting kitchen drive into first gear. Retirement!?

Retirement is still a foreign word, and time is an unknown companion. However, my cooking soul is still running in overdrive. So, I teamed up with Lenz to have some fun!

 Here we are 'two buddies in crime' preparing delicious food for thought.

Lenz has an unconventional perspective and a dreamlike logic with which he describes complex events.

Here is an invitation to an expedition into the mind of Lenz; tasted refined and seasoned by Horst. You are welcome to bring your own thoughts to this expedition and please only collect exhibits out of this context that appeal to you.

And so, the story begins!

 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, later all living beings and humans. And finally, the chef appears who discovered the fire. So, he started cooking.

Here I have christened this cook as the first chef 'Lenz'.

Disclaimer: -)

The following research material challenges widely held assumptions and provides evidence for new insights. The resulting new images and thoughts that arise in your head are random and sometimes indispensable. However, most damage can be fixed with a glass or two of fine wine.

Read on at your own risk, but your active participation is required to put a smile on your face!

And so, the story goes!

 Here is Lenz, always in search of the truth and exploration of cause and effect. Lenz is a prehistoric ancestor of Laurentius; and this Laurentius is the patron saint of cooks, grillers and over-roasters.

Now some will ask why I'm starting the story here with cavemen.

 We are still cavemen today - that's why!

OK, you don't believe me.

 So, let's ask together what people will think about us?  - in 2000 years.    You see!

I also like the caveman character to underline simplicity. His ability to explain the unknown with ordinary observations is brilliant. Not knowing today does not mean knowing tomorrow. The head chef "Lenz" is a prime example of our constant drive forward and the pursuit of personal and professional development.

And his friend "Gusto" is critical and has a constant need to express his personal taste and private opinion. Here I use Gusto to explain that personal taste and opinion have nothing to do with the truth. There is no original recipe for or fried potatoes. Sliced, or diced- onions or bacon, or both butter, lard or olive oil.

Everyone as he likes; - and everything is right and wrong at the same time. Personal and individual taste makes it the truth; for each individual to decide. ``Stop the argument about pineapples on pizza in Favour of acceptance of diversity and respect of your own taste'' says Lenz.

Lenz is first and foremost a chef but also symbolically each one of us. Lenz uses kitchen scenarios and kitchen experiences that can be translated and used in our daily lives by everyone in and out of the kitchen. Lenz is the main character in this story, but he is not a dictator. He deliberately leaves the door open for your taste and opinion. He likes to do that because he knows if you're wrong, you'll learn later.

However, sometimes Lenz is stubborn. His stubbornness is then well-intentioned and based largely on his wealth of experience. And in some situations, he just dictates and says: This is only possible this way and not otherwise.

Lenz has developed a relaxed style of writing here. He doesn't want to and doesn't have to stick to a schedule or get stuck on one topic.

Lenz quickly moved on to the next dish and always finished the tasting menu well at the end.

Be patient, stay tuned, and enjoy the taste, aroma, texture, and color of each chapter and each dish.

The plot jumps intentionally between past and present. Here the spontaneous thought is “the mentor”; not the reality; a chronological schedule is not required. Truth and facts are not presented as in textbooks. Evidence and facts are mixed, pitched and emulsified into a holistic soup of the day!

This is an unconventional rapid transport of target information; away from origins and the past, quickly beamed into the present, with a good look forward to the future.

Time is not lying around on the couch all day; - doesn't linger useless in the kitchen. If you focus too much on the present, you'll get stuck in time between seconds. One second at a time is so dripping wasted from the egg timer into the never ever!

Fast forward is the preferred cooking method anyway! You understand that, in the kitchen you go ahead in a hurry 'zack-zack' and nothing else!

 

Chapter 1: In the beginning there was the chef

The founding of the profession of cooks, grillers and "roasters"

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Then the people...

...later the chef, who discovered the fire.

So, he started cooking.

Creation teaches that God created everything, while evolution teaches that all living things evolved through ongoing genetic adaptation.

However, "arisen or created", the first man was a chef, -

Or to put it another way: a talented, bright Neanderthal with excellent powers of observation. He observed the first scientific observations and developed the special ability to convert simple observations into meaningful, practical and long-term useful actions that are definitely suitable for everyday use.

Let's call this Neanderthal Lorenz, "Lorenz the doer" or Lenz for short.

Lenz or Lorenz is the German short form of Laurentius, and Laurentius is the patron saint of chefs. Yes, .... and so... Lenz is here! ...the first chef!

So, he started cooking.

That was somewhere between Stone age and Jerusalem!

From these prehistoric times there is very little reliable material and data on the everyday life of this early population.

We know, however, because nobody could read at that time - of course nobody could really write either. Except, of course, for the few chefs:  like Lenz, who only appear very sporadically. They have "written down" the first traces and evidence and left them on the cave walls, so to speak. From these writings we can still read what happened at that time.

 The primeval hunter-gatherers as well as the Aborigines in Australia have left little usable traces of higher intelligence apart from cave paintings and a few petrified simple tools.

Until at some point fate, or evolution, brought forth a chef; and thus, mankind was finally bestowed Lenz the first Chef. Today we can only speculate about when, where and how. However, there are some clues as to how Lenz the Chef managed to elevate Neanderthals from hunter and gatherers to Homo sapiens.

Thinking man was only able to evolve from primates because of the discoveries of the first chef, he revolutionized foraging and eating forever. And here are the events in chronological order.

Perhaps mankind's first dish was an ostrich, roasted during a steppe fire in Africa.

 

And that's exactly what happened!

As always, Lenz and his tribe are in search of food: the day after a devastating fire, Lenz found a large bird on the burnt steppe.

Desperate because he couldn't find any other food, he dragged the burnt ostrich, or rather the first "roast chicken" to his clan's camp.

Driven by hunger, the first Neanderthals began to eat the meat.

Only Gusto, a friend of Lenz's, wrinkled his nose a little and said briefly, there's no aroma! Lenz saw a challenge and remembered a nearby burnt bush full of charred peppers. He stripped the pods of the black skin and crushed them with some basil. The first pesto is born! Gusto dunked a bit of ostrich thigh into the pesto and tasted it skeptically...very, very tasty, said Gusto, who from then on became known as the first restaurant critic.

Gusto the gourmet immediately also noticed the subtle difference between raw and fried meat.

He spoke to Lenz about it right away, but didn't know why it tasted so different. Restaurant critics never know that, but that doesn't matter!

Lenz, however, thought about it and asked himself 'why'...The word "why" was born and has brought about many, many, if not all, of the achievements of mankind from that day forward.

Before there was not why... just eat or starve, but now the next step for humanity; Lenz recognized the importance of "WHY"

Why did the bushfire change the meat and why did Gusto found it to taste better and enhanced! The fire destroyed everything, but the fire also produced what we will later call ``roasting and grilling'.

Lenz and Gusto are the secret pioneers of good taste.

After the meal and a short discussion, the two set off, and Lenz showed Gusto where he had found the Roast Bird. When they got there, they found some residual embers in an old, charred tree trunk. Gusto poked around a bit and broke off some glowing charcoal; and proudly brought it to the camp in a skullcap. Lenz lit a controlled fire and immediately began to cook. Or rather: to grill.

At this point we also clear up another misconception:

The newly fashionable hibachi grill is not a Japanese invention, but the original hibachi has been invented as follows.

Incidentally, the skullcap of a rhinoceros, which Gusto found the day before, was stuck in the loamy soil of the burnt steppe and was of course baked to the skullcap by the heat of the bush fire.

And once in the camp, the clay layer hardened even more and formed a beautiful fireproof terracotta layer. The hot charcoal soon burns the bony skullcap, leaving behind the first fire-burned, heat-reflecting hibachi grill.

 

Therefore, Lenz the first chef invents the first hibachi grill

Filled with pride and joy, Lenz sits there with gusto at the first hibachi grill, fire, kindled in a solid rhinoceros's skullcap. They lamented for a while until Lenz said impatiently... Now let's go and get something to cook.

Realizing that the grill is hot now, he knew immediately that there was no time to waste - and now is better than later and he concluded that time management should play a crucial role in the kitchen of the future.

Rule number one is: In a kitchen is a lot of "NOW" and only a little "LATER"

Chefs need to understand everything done now and best; -producing it yesterday is the way to run a kitchen.

And every day needs to be more efficient and organized, cleaner and faster, than the day before. Every day the food, the task, the taste and the presentation need to be executed better. 

 

Chapter 2:   The chef discovers preservation by salt- pickling and smoking

Just 3 months after the stone age ended, a chef made a crucial observation followed by a case- study to ensure the survival of mankind.

 Lenz, the cook, found a dead wild boar on a dry Salt Lake. He was hungry as always and immediately thought of roasting. 

But the dry Salt Lake provided no wood for cooking. So, he had a second look and examined the wild boar. He found that the right side of the pork belly and the leg shimmered greenish and that there was a strong smell. The left side, however, was rosy and smelled appetizing and fine.

And because he was a chef, he wanted to get to the bottom of it. 

He kept asking himself 'why' over and over again. 

Why is the topside so bad, and the bottom side so good?

 And he concluded; to survive it is worth getting to the bottom of things.

He quickly found out that the left side lay on the salt layer of the lake. And that the salt contributed to the good condition of the meat. 

He tasted a thin slice of the pork fillet and was delighted. The first piece of pancetta and prosciutto was found and the curing invented; the salt preservation was discovered. This simple discovery has been a major breakthrough for early humans. Now the food could be stored safely and easily for longer; Needless to say, of course once again from a chef.

A few wild boar's later, he made another delicious discovery.

 

As previously learned, he salted the meat before cooking it. All the members of the tribe admired him, and he was soon promoted to the rank of chief. 

But because he was a passionate cook, he insisted on cooking for his people on the weekend. Everyone loved these gatherings of good food and entertainment.

As a result, more and more people came to take part in the feast. And they happily shared their food.

When trust was formed, some brought also their wives. ''Well, of course, when there were women, everyone had even more fun. As a result, the birth rate of the well-nourished people went up quickly. 

The chef was the first to notice, of course. A good diet increases the man's fertility, and the willingness of women is also increased after a good meal. That has not changed to this day.

But now back to the second most beautiful thing in life - cooking.

It then happened while preparing for the next feast. Warlike neighboring people stormed the camp. The cook chief has just started roasting another wild boar. And because it was a particularly large pig with beautifully marbled meat, he didn't want to lose it to the aggressive people.

A favorable circumstance came to his aid. A hut should be built next to his cave for his new girlfriend. The fresh branches and twigs still had some fresh green leaves. Before he had to flee, he threw the whole pile of leaves over the fire pit and the pig.

Of course, a dense carpet of smoke quickly developed across the entire camp. The warring people couldn't see anything because the smoke burned their eyes.

They suspected that the camp had been set on fire by the crafty chief cook to keep from falling into their hands. With watering eyes and empty bellies, they returned to the darkness of the forest.

 Soon Lars and his friends came; one by one back to camp. Happy but hungry, they gathered at the BBQ area to once again thank the chef for his life-saving act. But he was only concerned with finding out what damage by the smoke had been done to the meat. And he found out. The green leaves had not only produced the smoke but also put out the active fire.

The slight smoldering fire produced this way did not char the meat but smoked it very nicely and aromatically. When he tasted the meat, he was again delighted with the tenderness of the marbled boar meat. And because it was a particularly large pig, they couldn't eat it all that night.

After this eventful day, everyone soon went from tiredness; or because women were also there, driven into their respective huts or caves for other reasons. And because the hut wasn't ready for his new girlfriend, she naturally had to sleep with Lenz in his cave.

There the two then spent the next 10 days without being seen.

The people began to worry. Fearing that the cook and his girlfriend might have starved to death. They cautiously entered his cave. They were happy to see that the chef and his new girlfriend survived because half of the leftover pig was smoked and didn't spoil.

On this day the widespread saying arose:    'Saving your bacon'

And so, Lenz the chef has made the second groundbreaking discovery 'smoking'. Salt and smoke preservation had been invented.

 Thanks to the cook, mankind could now travel longer distances and later sea voyages, after another cook laid the foundations for shipbuilding. But more on that elsewhere.

The conclusion: Before the bushfire, the hunters and gatherers always ate everything raw. Most of the food was therefore difficult to eat and often indigestible.

Lenz is now able to roast, grill, salt and smoke... This makes food easier to digest and provides the human body with more energy. In addition, the roasted, cured and smoked meat had a longer shelf life and therefore they didn't have to hunt every day.

The primitive people now had more time for other things in life and more leisure hours to develop the human brain; To build up a sense of poetry and meaningful thinking, music and art.

Over the next 2 million years, our colleagues refined the art of cooking.

Many types of cuisine have evolved. Existing raw materials, the climate, the season and the location had formed and create the biggest Art form on this Planet 'FOOD'

 

Chapter 3: The biggest art form on this planet is   'FOOD' 

 

Let's start at the beginning of time, to understand why the art of cooking got us out of the cave.

The art of cooking has pushed early humans out of the Stone Age.

Food has been the brutal necessity and struggle of the early cavemen. 

Until one smart hunter and gatherer found the 'Art of cooking', we call him Lenz the first chef. As we know now this prehistoric chef found and developed the first simple methods of cookery. And this has brought an end to this daily struggle for survival.

The stone age is over, and the art-age begins!

The chef's invention of simple roasting, grilling and in particular salt and smoke preservation has pleasantly increased the survival rate of his early humans. And has also laid the platform for further development in food handling and preparation.  

Over the next 2 million years, our colleagues refined the art of cooking.

Many types of cuisine have evolved. Existing raw materials, the climate, the season and the location had formed and create the biggest Art form on this Planet 'FOOD'

Even today, the development is still in full swing. However, it is currently reaching its peak in the global network between Australia and Europe. Here is a little analysis to illustrate that each epoch had a good reason for "why" exactly so; - and not otherwise.

Why do we actually cook like this?

• Colleague Neanderthals cooked to make food edible.

• Antoine Careme to make dishes more aromatic and tastier.

• August Escoffier to organize and classify dishes and provide guidelines for preparation and sequences.

• The modern chef and business economist to reduce the cost of goods sold and the operating costs. 

• The real chef, out of passion and love for the product to create the best dish with all means.

And here is unmistakably the birthplace of the art of cooking, - and more! Only chef work and cooking in his simplest form has made it possible for all the other art to find their way into existence. 

Without the first roasted Ostrich, or the first salted meat, without the first grilled food, shared around a campfire, - Art would have no place and no time, - Artists would have no time at all to create anything. Before the time of cooking, every caveman has been busy hunting and gathering food for their daily survival. Until a chef started taking care of food preparation for the tribe and food preservation for the season.

 Now people started entertaining each other around the tribe's campfire. And from here, life as we know it began. Now the early humans spend time socializing, eating and drinking together; and entertaining each other with non-essential activities, storytelling and dancing and singing.

The first cavemen who started singing was Vis. He had a beautiful voice and sang his melodies every night after dinner. Most cavemen- but all cavewomen liked his tunes. Vis has been later known to us as El-vis .

This generation of lucky Cave man experienced shortly after the stone age the start of the Art-age. This revolutionary time has produced various branches of Art and creative activities such as painting, music, literature, and dancing. However, the first art form has been the Art of cooking.

And this fact needs to be recognized and honored the same way as chefs' work needs to be recognized and honored today. First dates, business meetings, family gatherings, catch up with friends, all this needs food and the art of cooking.

And more: the art of cooking is the first and oldest of all Art forms. Also, chefs have worked out the basics of chemistry by fermenting, salting and in use of acidity.

 Extensive tests by trial and error made them capable of using those chemical reactions effectively. Yes, they did not know the atomic structure of atoms, however these early chefs are the first humans who applied Chemistry.

And here I have trust and evidence that the first medical research and findings and also the basics of modern surgery has been developed by chefs.  However, more to this subject later.

 

 

Now to a dilemma.

And here is the dilemma; today chefs have to deal with misperception and misleading statements! Chef's work is taken for granted but not consciously appreciated by many. I am not whining, or seeking special attention, just awareness and recognition

 Leading restaurateurs, above all hoteliers, tell the chefs that the kitchen only incurs costs, and the money is made from drinks. Or another hotelier spread the phrase "The money comes down the stairs in the morning!" What he meant is clear: the hotel guests come down the stairs in the morning to pay at the reception. What bothers Lenz about that, though, is that it's probably just a half-truth. And that the chefs are devalued by such and similar statements, and if it is a half-truth, chefs also get complexes without justification.

Lenz asks again "Why?" Is it a half truth? Let's discuss these matters here with Lenz! And many colleagues believe in these halve-cooked gastronomic statements. And yet Lenz says that is only half the truth. Half-truths should always be treated with caution. and Lenz also wants to justify that.

The money only comes down the stairs when someone invests 10 or more million in a hotel building, does not shy away from operating and personnel costs, and puts the work on the chefs to build an appealing image of the house.

And here I mean making sure in the long term that the appropriate restaurant image is found for the 10 million just invested in marble and thick carpets. Not only finding, but even more, this image freshly garnished and served deliciously on every plate every day!

Of course, a beautiful hotel building in the best location attracts guests. But we all know the situation that, to a large extent, the hotel restaurants only run when the guests 'argue' into the restaurant with special prices and meals - including offerings.

 And yet; in some other houses chefs prove - and I mean CHEFS! The Right kind of chefs who are talented and able to produce long-term, honest and tasty cuisine that reflects their image.;... and in addition, such a Lenz must also be lucky to be supported by an equally talented, friendly restaurant and service team, yes it works!

Yes of course, you can now say the above scenario is paid for by money coming down the stairs. Yes, paid maybe, ...but you can't buy it directly.

The marble and the thick carpets are attracting Guests, no doubt. - but to call it picture perfect, you need a chef, and restaurant, to complete that image. Some places can't fill their function facilities with weddings and parties. And if the image is not right and guests are not booking their wedding, maybe some hotel rooms are empty too and less money comes down the Stairs in the morning. You judge, you choose and accept the consequences. good luck! 

 A Lenz is needed, a good Lenz and cook!! One of the kinds who is able and enjoys putting taste, aroma and variety on clean plates every day, with brutal consistency. And only if he stays there long enough can someone like that ensure a good image of the house in the long term. And now for another `half-truth`, the money is made from drinks!

 You only earn money from the drinks if someone comes to eat! We all know that too: in a town or on the beach, in the mountains, in winter and in summer. We have 5 or 10 restaurants in these places. And yet there is always one or sometimes two restaurants that are full. Crowded with patrons who drink and bring in the money. But why don't there so many customers drinking in all the empty or half-full restaurants? These empty Restaurants have the same drinks after all, don't they?  "Why?" asks Lenz! Could it be the food, the selection and preparation of the dishes and the presentation? So, let's answer the question together here: could it be in large part due to the chef?

Conclusion: no Lenz, no chef, no honey, no money! Yes, of course, ... You can also set up a bar or pub, you don't need a chef for that! Here's another perspective......here the money doesn't come down the stairs and drinks are involved, but not the most important sales driver In 10 years of independence one has cooked and generated a considerable amount wealth and recognition., without large beverage sales and the money didn't come down the stairs because they had closed the hotel, only party service and company restaurant and run a plain restaurant business without a hotel business. They allow us the luxury of closing the hotel when we take over the business. Right from the start we concentrated on the Restaurant and catering. We focused on the function room for 220 people, a 75-seater restaurant; that is all and enough.

After 2 years we cooked and served honest food, with one important ingredient:  always a notch above expectation, it is that simple.  And I am sure this simple ingredient has created advance bookings that reached the desired annual turnover in 6 months. The annual profit before taxes was healthy and tasty like the food ;-) We supported the tax office with 37k income tax. We are very satisfied, and the Ministry of Finance has not complained either. If anyone wants to know how we did it, - for a small fee.  ;-)  ! they can make an inquiry. But so much I can pass on here for free. Good craftsmanship in the kitchen combined with tireless commitment and the clever handling of overheads and operating costs are key elements on the way to economic success.

 And more importantly 'the people' who are easily referred to as co-workers or team...yes, co-workers and team doesn't sound so bad...yet...there's a difference between operationally mandated friendliness and natural friendliness! ...Learned team spirit in an American team building seminar, and the natural drive through self-motivation. Chefs should not hide and actively participate in the image building of the kitchen and thus of the company. These guiding principles are a guarantee and make it unlikely that the company will fail. 

 

Chapter 4 :    The chef invented the wheel

In chapters 1 and 2 it becomes clear that only the cook could have revolutionized the way primates search for and eat food.

 The Neanderthals would never have left the cave, without this basic research into preservation of food through boiling, roasting, salting and smoking.

Therefore, Lenz the Koch provides the basis for the development of the wheel

Life on this planet would be unimaginable without this discovery of 'rolling motion' and the consequent invention of the wheel.

The work of the cooks in the childhood of mankind laid the foundation for civilization and culture: only through the willingness of the cooks to provide better food did our ancestors succeed in evolving from primates to human beings.

The tireless efforts of the chefs in the preparation and preservation of food have given other groups of people the time frame to devote themselves to other activities.

In addition, the chefs invented most of the technical achievements themselves or at least developed the basics for them.

The wheel, the ship, and the airplane are just a beginning of the endless list of things invented by cooks and put into the hands of early man.

If this statement seems unbelievable and you want to live on in disbelief, stop reading right here.

If you want to experience reality, here is a small, provable and logical sample of how the development of the wheel took place.

A cook had collected desert bush peas in the faded skullcap of a mammoth, for the long winter.

They were already sun-dried, and he'd placed them on a home-made shelf of split baobab wood and stainless-steel tubing to protect them from desert rats.

Of course, he had also invented the shelf beforehand.

Incidentally, a forerunner of today's modern, computer-controlled high racks in warehouses. That's the back-story.

Now the development of the wheel took its course in the truest sense of the word.

A clumsy caveman, unproven, but probably a waiter; inexperienced in dealing with modern storage methods, the shelf kicked unhappily; and the mammoth's head stuffed with dry desert bush peas clattered on the smooth cave floor.

The first shelf came loose and also slid across the floor. Lenz, the cook, saw the catastrophe coming and jumped over with quick steps to save what could still be saved. As he did so, he stepped onto the shelf, which was still halfway in flight and just landed on the peas.

Because he was a very skilled cook, he gained his balance on the board and rolled 22.5 meter through the cave. First world record; for distance and speed on wheels.

When he came to a safe stop at the exit of the cave, his anger at losing the peas had already faded.

That's what chefs always do, after a mishap with consequences there is no point in whining and shifting time. The next table has to be served; the next docket is already waiting. bang, bang!

Lenz documented the first kitchen rule here: if a dish is messed up, there's no point in complaining: you can learn, however, and take the best solution home with you.

Lenz concentrates on the fact that he had experienced the benefits of the rolling movement and knew immediately that the experience he had just had could be developed further.

It wasn't far from the rolling desert bush pea under the shelf, to the attached wheel.

 An old cooking spoon handle served as the first axle and as the first wheel model he slipped 4 beautiful discs of a Mammoth marrow bone over the respective ends of the cooking spoon and smeared a little buffalo fat on the axle of the first wheel.

It goes without saying that Lenz the Cook not only invented the wheel, but he is also the first skateboarder in human history.

The conclusion: Later that same evening, however, Lenz thinks about the loss of the desert bush peas and the broken shelf; not to mention the pointlessly wasted time cleaning the cave floor. He thinks of loss and waste, profit and loss: is he perhaps the first accountant? Or, no, just a cook who can think and count?

Or is there perhaps a whim of nature at work here, and has nature developed mankind in two ways? In "homo sapiens mathematicus" , who then evolved into an accountant; and the "homo sapiens weisdochnix" who has underdeveloped to "who knows".

There are still tax consultants and bookkeepers today; but cooks who still do their own arithmetic and think of desert bush peas are just as rare today as they were in the Stone Age.

However, they didn't die out completely with the Neanderthals, did they?

No, of course not, they still calculate, and with the help of a computer, with expensive software and an Internet connection, they can mis- calculate even faster and much more precisely.

There are many examples of calculation neglect in kitchens. Here is just one example from the dim past.

In a large hotel kitchen, an inventory was carried out every 2 weeks, and we all know what that means:

The chefs under daily time pressure, a la carte stress, and indifference; measure, count, weigh, everything down to the gram. Enter the measurement results in long lists.

Oh yes, in addition to measuring, counting and weighing, there is also estimating, or rather "mis- estimating"; . So! The inventory goes to the head office. A few days later the head chef is asked into the office to get a slap in the face and to hear from the highest authority what he already knows...too much, too expensive, too slow, and anyway - he should kindly ask himself to do more.

The chef goes back to the kitchen and to the a la carte stress! Nothing changes. Bye, inventory, see you later, in 2 weeks. What happened?

 Ok, the percentage of sales is recorded and calculated with decimal point accuracy. So now all chefs are being smacked of the value, however; 28.3% or 34.6% makes no difference to them.

The cooks and kitchen hand just shrug their shoulders because they don't understand the accounting context anyway. The only thing I don't understand is that even after 24 inventories a year, nobody really thinks about possible improvements and is looking for better methods of cooking.

Lenz will give us more on such improvements later, just so much here: does a certain sauce really have to be made every morning for the lunch shift and in the afternoon for the late shift. So, 2 times a day, 14 times a week so 728 times a year... That's 728 times 10 minutes, which is 7280 minutes divided by 60.  Calculates to a proud 121 hours a year.

And then 121 hours of labor times $20 an hour, that's $2,420 of labor a year, just for one sauce.

Yes, of course, you're right... twice a day the same sauce, who does that?   Be careful!

I just want to point out here that in the past 50 years, I've seen only rarely, or not at all, actively managed production lists, which contain a weekly or even monthly planning of to do lists.

I'm not talking about management-run large-scale catering here, but about small and medium-sized businesses.

They are prepared to work 60 hours a week rather than calculate one hour to make life easier... and that's why Lenz asks "WHY"

There is a lot of discussion about determining cost of sales and minimizing operating costs. And even more speculation about calculation models and other mystical thoughts about determining the menu -price.

Bottom Line: Real estate and operating costs work, of course, but with good faith in the common sense of cooks, I say that not many colleagues waste goods or time on purpose. And therefore, not very much improves with created inventories.

I'm just saying here that it's far more worthwhile to think through production processes and, above all, "production frequency".

And one more thing: When a menu is written that is creative, fresh and appropriate to the image and also reasonably priced - why not create a simple list of all the necessary products at the end. And then think through that list very carefully and very hard.

 Do I really have to have 12 different sauces? Eliminating 1 sauce saves you $2000 if you omit 2 sauces, ----you can go on vacation!

 Thanks for playing    You can Calculate or mis- calculate!    ;-) 

Note for the accountant:  A kitchen can also be killed by miscalculation and wrong judgment

It is not really far-reaching and effective to only record the cost of goods and working hours. The underlying question is what and why has been done with time and material.

Cost of goods sold is just a number on paper and so is recorded labor time.

If I read a menu and watch a kitchen team for an hour, I can write a book and sing a song about it; why bowls and pans have to dry first so that a second person can scrape them off hours later.

The bare cost of goods does not say about what was done with the material; nor does the number of hours recorded say anything about what was done with the time. Lenz would ask 'why'

Note to the chef: every move cost money!

If you haven't learned it... learn it now and quickly

if you never think critically about yourself... do it here and now

Cost of sales is just the tip of the iceberg. Time tied in prepared and unsold dishes; and the useless time tied up in lengthy preparatory processes. This is what really costs money. And here is the playground where you can make money.

Lenz calls this calculation harmony: when the price is in line with the image of the house and the expectations of the guests. Delicate foam of tarragon in a country restaurant is the jewel in the crown of a nightgown. A ready-made, deep-frozen scallop with ready-made sauce in the shell, simply gratinated and served in an expensive restaurant is cocky. And neither makes sense and sooner or later damages the company.

On a related note, we all drive a car, even though we know that when we drive, the engine is the biggest expense. If we want to have a hotel or restaurant, you need a kitchen.... there's no point in removing the engine...driving more fuel-efficiently and avoiding detours is the better way. And with the right maps or menu, you won't get lost.

If you want to drive, you must have a car...small, old, or big, or brand new...petrol, diesel, or electric...it doesn't matter.

Depending on what you like or can afford...you have to make the decision yourself...and then bear the consequences yourself also.

No matter which vehicle you choose...after the purchase, sooner or later, you'll find out that in every vehicle, big or small, the engine is the most expensive part to run.

It's the same with the kitchen in a restaurant...the kitchen accounts for most of the cost.

And here's the dilemma, we can't get rid of the engine in the car, because then we can't go anywhere, and that is the same with a kitchen in the restaurant. The car doesn't drive without an engine and savings on the engine often make no sense, continuing to drive with old oil saves an oil change, but destroys the engine.

An oil change and good engine care will keep the vehicle running longer and better, the same goes for the deep fryer in the kitchen.

 Lenz says: Next oil change is due!''

 

Chapter 5:  Electricity is discovered by Lon!

Well, of course it is clear that Lenz the cook created the conditions for this discovery as well.

It is unquestionable and clear, because Lenz passionately and sustainably provided all members of his tribe with food. 

These members of the tribe had now more time, Time to explore the world around them and also spend time on other spiritual activities.

 And so it happened; that some primeval inhabitants were able to make interesting discoveries through the time freed up in this way. 

Here you can once again clearly see how important the work of the chefs was and still is today. Chefs still feed millions of people in their 30 minutes lunch break, so these people can work 8 hours a day and produce, invent, build and make the world a better place.

 This circumstance created and maintained by Lenz the chef, is the birthplace, the moment, and the basis of human existence par excellence.

 It is safe to say that all human knowledge today is based on the basic discoveries of early Homo Sapiens.

Over the next 2 million years, millions of conversations took place over food, food prepared by chefs. During meals, of course, there was talk, discussion and fertile ground for invention.

And here are the consequences and the positive effect of meals taken together around the campfire or the dining table

 Back then, Neanderthals would gather at the barbecue area not only to eat but also to communicate and socialize. and today business lunches and political banquets and dinner parties are held for the same reason.

But also, during everyday meals together in the family, at work and in the canteen; there is more to eating than just taking in food.

Decisions are made more easily here, agreement is reached more quickly, people are well-intentioned, moderate and insightful when eating. 

We all know conferences can last for hours or even days, but many decisions are made during conference breaks, over coffee or over a glass of wine during a business lunch.

Thank you, Lenz.

Back to the story now.  Here is the ' 'chronicle" of another eventful day for THE early humans; lucky circumstances have given Lenz and his friend "Lohn" the first insight into how electricity and magnetism work. To this day electricity has not yet been invented but discovered.

And here are the events of that day in chronological order: During a devastating storm, Lohn, the friend of Lenz, made a groundbreaking discovery.

The Lightning:

The lightning struck a nearby tree, shattering the wood and setting the tree on fire.

Lon, whom humanity later called   E for electricity   "so" 'E-Lon'. He was likely an ancestor of Elon Musk. 

He recognized the power of the lightning immediately; and examined the point of impact. He watched a few leaves being struck by lightning, - torn from the tree, and flopped on a puddle of water. Coincidentally, there was a deposit of iron ore under the tree, and the force of the lightning had powdered the leaves with fine magnetic iron dust.

 

Thus, Elon observed with amazement that all the leaves lay randomly and disorderly under the tree. Only the floating leaves in the water all pointed in the same direction.

 Elon did not yet know that all leaves are pointed to the North Pole, but he realized that there was a force up till then

  Unknown and invisible must be in play: SO, he thought, maybe? - A physical phenomenon produced by the motion of electric charge, which results in attractive and repulsive forces between objects, - he had no Idea, but he just discovered magnetism. 

He was not only impressed by the orientation of the leaves, but above all by the concentrated power of the lightning. He was amazed that this unknown force could cover the great distance from the cloud cover to the earth so quickly and in a flash.

How is that possible, Elon didn't know and couldn't work it out. So, he asked Lenz: ``Watt" is that? ...and watt! we still call it today; in large quantities we also call it kilowatt.

And when everyone was gathered around the campfire for dinner, of course all the tribesmen talked at length about the enlightening experience during today's storm and thunder.

From this table talk in particular, there is clear evidence and authoritative narration that has continued into modern day to day language.

In our everyday slang we use words like 'flash' of inspiration and brainstorming. And this fact clearly points to the prehistoric experience, events and discoveries of Elon.

Here it is important to recognize that the basic human needs were secured by the the chef

"Shelter and food" are the most important basic needs, and because humans are social beings, eating and sharing food together is an important part of the family, and society at large.

At these meals, the early humans could talk dynamically and exchange experiences. So not only food intake; but also, brain development during those mealtimes.

And when finally, the human brain began, not only thinking, but also reasoning, especially the chef's brain, that is the moment where the future could finally begin.

The brains of prehistoric cooks and chefs were ahead of the game, and some have remained so to this day.

Chefs have more inspirational thoughts than the normal primate brain because cooks have to think about 'tomorrow' today, sometimes even Yesterday! . Chefs' memory was constantly challenged, Lenz had to learn to concentrate on one the methods of cookery for longer, all this combined with daily creative challenges and unexpected dealings in food preparation; and the constant social contact with all members of the tribe - all this has promoted and at the same time accelerated the development of the chefs' super brain.

It is a logical fact that the brains of the first chefs then naturally stimulated others to develop also. A thousand years later, -when other members of the clan were also able to think, it was possible for the first time to discuss simple observations within the group and to develop them into useful inventions.

 

The consequences are well known and obvious and can be recognized "in a flash": the chef cannot do everything on his own. Without social advancement in individuals, and specialization of some experts, the future is not conceivable.

It is fair to say, without a state-certified electrical engineer, .... the cave would have remained pitch black.

And here another fact written on the cave wall:  Jesus has been a chef!

He must have been a chef, who else can feed 5000 people from only 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread?

Yes, chefs know the secret recipe from Jesus Christ.

You need a big pot, - a stock pot, - for that soup!

 

Chapter 6: Jesus has been a chef

 

The Feeding of the Five Thousand at the Sea of Galilee. Matthew - Bible chapter 14

Belief is a personal matter, and Lenz has no intention of changing that. But he wants to show one possibility or at least reveal what a chef might have cooked in such an explosive situation.

Details about the "feeding" of the five thousand can be found in old writings and biblical documents that have been handed down.

Historical historiography has handed down what is said to have happened at the Sea of Galilee.

It has long remained a legendary mystery how Jesus managed to feed five thousand people with just two fish and five loaves of bread.

The ancient scriptures describe a young boy being sent out to look for food.

 However, it turned out that all he could find were these two fish and five loaves of bread. And it can be read that a miracle must have happened here at the Sea of Galilee.

So here I want to believe in a miracle for a while.

However, I have no evidence of such a miracle - but I'm happy to admit that I also have no evidence that it wasn't a miracle.

Well, here we are going in circles like in a UN General Assembly.

Let's ask Lenz:

Chef Lenz quickly finds and quotes an old traditional kitchen rule that still works today.

"If more guests come than expected, you just have to stretch the soup a bit.

 It's that simple, so it's no wonder? - was Jesus a cook?  who lengthened the soup a little.

 

We found out here and today.

 Lenz doesn't necessarily believe in miracles in the kitchen, but we have something similar in every good kitchen.

 "The Magic of Problem Solving" is not necessarily a miracle, but something very similar!

And now to the solution of this burning question. What happened at the Sea of Galilee?

When Jesus and his believer arrived on the far shore of the lake, they found five thousand hungry followers there.

So, Jesus said a miracle has to come from above, or someone has to cook something else to eat.

So, a little boy was sent in search of food. This boy was running around desperate and a little hopeless. 

After a while he saw in a distance a woman by the Seashore of the Lake:

 And he realized that, she sells seashells by the seashore. -The shells she sells are seashells, I'm sure! So if she sells seashells on the seashore, - Then I'm sure she sells seashore shells.

 It was Mi-schel and the boy was relieved because he knew her well. She came from his village.

And the boy told her that he has to find food for the Five Thousand at the Sea of Galilee. And he asks Michele for help but as we all know Michele sells only 'empty' seashells.

So the boy asked her: do you have anything else? Yes, she said I also have 2 medium size salmon in my alu-boat, you're welcome to have them. 

Thanks for a good start but that is not enough for Five Thousand. So Michelle and the boy contemplated for a while and Michelle said we need a cook. She only could think of one; her best friend Tom, is a skilled cook; We should ask him if he has a recipe for our problem on hand.

And that's how it happened. Tom was of course shocked for a second, but being a chef, he just said briefly, I don't know exactly how yet, but we'll find something for sure.

As in every kitchen, there's no such thing as "can't". 

I still have 5 loaves of bread and a few spices here, zack zack let's go.

Immediately Tom, Michele and the boy went back to the boat with the 2 fish. They pulled the boat through the grass to the camp of the five thousand.

When they by Jesus at the campsite arrived, Tom immediately gave instructions to make a fire under the aluminum-boat. For him it was no longer a boat, but a large soup pot.

Jesus noticed that there were still plenty of empty sea and crab shells in the boat.  It's not a miracle Jesus thought, but it's a good start.

The shells were all empty, but Jesus said to Tom, roast them a little now, and I asked around if anyone had a bottle of French cognac or a good brandy. And yes, Jesus said, the soup could also use a few bottles of dry white wine, a Chardonnay perhaps.

Well, no miracle here either and no surprise, because no one had a French Cognac! , but Oh Wonder, one had a good brandy.

Tom quickly boiled everything up and Jesus said:  let the soup simmer slowly for 22 minutes.

Of course, the old fishing boat brought a wonderful flavour with the built-in fermented fish sauce.

The boat, or rather the unusual soup pot, was big enough to hold all the ingredients and 2500 liters of water.

 From the 2 fish and the bread, Tom quickly made up small aromatic fish balls to add to the soup.

So now they had half a liter of the finest bouillabaisse for each guest.

 Jesus was happy and thanked the cook for the soup in his evening prayer. He blessed Tom and baptized him "Tom Rumfort"

 

 And now fast forward: Later in history books it is found that Rumford's Soup, also called economy soup, was an early effort in scientific nutrition.

It was invented by Benjamin Thompson, von imperial counts von Rumford, circa 1795 and consumed in Munich and greater Bavaria, where Rumford was employed as an advisor to Charles Theodore, Elector of Bavaria. Here you go!  His soup was used as a ration for the poor, for Bavarian workhouses and military workhouses, and even prisoners. Count Rumford has been credited in many instances for "establishing the first real soup kitchen.

Today the Rumford soup is still cooked however chef these days have refined it a bit,

The old traditional recipe is so resourceful and simple at the same time:

 Bona appétit and bless your meal!   And yes! Jesus was a cook after all!

Ok, that was yesterday.

Today, the new generation of young chefs has forgotten historical backgrounds. 

But that doesn't matter...it's okay too, says Lenz. You go with the times, or you go with times.

And yet the basic principle of making something out of very little is still used by young chefs to this day.

And that's how it goes today - you take a little spoon,    "don't laugh", instant broth and a stick blender:  ready.

You don't know if this modern method is blessed by Jesus, but maybe believing in miracles will help us all! 

 

Ok, relax: .... Lenz used a little irony here.

 He is using an example to explain the effects of simply copying actions from others has on our thinking. We often copy actions and take on views from all sorts of idols and modern influencers. We tend to do this easily and in good faith. And yes, - It doesn't always have to be wrong.

However, if this is copied one to one, the critical thinking ability will become weak and tiring. Too easy we believe in instant broth and blender, - it becomes religion. and critical expertise and experience are the losers in this game!

Here I quote the old peasant rule: know - understand - apply - transmit.

Knowledge is simple: one and one is two. So now you know. Ok lets try to explain!

Or ask Google or Alexis and you'll know everything. The formula for water is H2O, you know that.

But you haven't understood it yet! Understanding is another matter altogether and, like practical experience; this sort of useful understanding takes time. Google can tell you all the facts on planet earth. However, it will fail to make you really understand! Really understanding in terms of knowledge and real-time Experience in terms of skills takes time.

Once something has been understood in principle, it must also be applied. Existing skills and knowledge placed unused in the bottom drawer make no sense! ...one must do it!

And the culmination of knowledge is going to work when what is understood is also done and transferred to other areas; this meaningful and so implemented skills and knowledge leads to far-reaching solutions.

Lenz asks to stop on this subject "skills and knowledge" for now and goes back to the story-context!

 Let's search for faith and error a while longer at the Sea of Galilee.

And work out and understand what is likely and possible; - we want to separate miracle and faith and none believe from one another, - wonder and wonderful, - and I'm no longer surprised at what effects that circus on conscious planning may have.

In many cases, planning is just the intelligent replacement of ordinary chance with the all too often feasible error!

Faith has played a major role in feeding the 5000. Jesus believed in God - and he firmly believed that the 5000 would get something to eat. Well! The boy didn't know if he would find anything to eat. But he had hope.

Michelle had neither hope nor faith, but she genuinely and honestly wanted to help.

And Tom's motivation wasn't based on faith, hope, or sheer helpfulness.

Yes, of course, a little of all of that is at play; however, self-motivation, ambition and self-confidence are the driving force behind his actions.

He can't help it and says: I'll do it! Tom "knows"! Yes, I can do that! SO, what's going on here? Why, like this and not otherwise, that is the title of the next chapter

Why so and not otherwise, please! but now please listen carefully!

The four step principle: believe, hope, help and do! ...that's the only thing you have to bring under one roof or the chef's hat!

And Lenz explains: Why it is only like this; - and not otherwise"

Believing alone without hope is useless, hope asks for help, but in the end, someone has to do it.

...and this someone is YOU!  It has to be done.

Otherwise, it won't work! That is why it is so and not otherwise.

Millions of people go to work every day Monday to Friday. All year around; - and some for decades. They never ask why so; and not otherwise.

Ok, at this point everyone can and is allowed to say that's OK: of course, I know that: or also: no, no, that doesn't make any sense.

Lenz says: Ok. Yes, you are both correct. , As long as you're real and honest; - not to others or the world: -   but honest to yourself! . If that is the case and all is happy under your roof:

 That's it!         That's You!      And that works im your world, ---------for lucky YOU!

 

Chapter 7    Why so and not otherwise

 

Lenz the chef and Hippo the doctor tells us:  Why, so and not otherwise!

It only works like this and not otherwise.  if it is correct, - And here's the dilemma - who knows what's correct and true. We've always done it this way is a weak argument!

Here is the history of truth: Lenz and Hippo agree to the following!  Pleasure is when it still tastes good. Communication is important...but a firm decision brings results. If you can't find a solution to your problem, you're probably not looking low enough.

There is always a simple solution to complex problems. Understanding that is as easy or as difficult as the spoken word itself. Misunderstandings are already built into our linguistic understanding. Language is a vehicle, and an unreliable resource.

In ancient Bible texts that have been handed down from the Tower of Babel, we read that confusion about the further construction arose due to a variety of expert opinions and misunderstanding. Further work on the tower was forced to end because the language confusion that had arisen made it impossible for the people to finish the work on the tower.

Lenz says he believes that the problem is not so much the spoken language but the stubbornness of trying to understand the principles itself. And Hippo the Doctor thinks it's because of knowledge gaps; and in the end, the lack of willingness to learn and the lack of will to understand each other, that brings the tower building to a standstill.

Even today, many people remain in their preconceived notions, form chronic opposition and hail their own though and make them religion. Clear language often doesn't stand a chance in this carnage.

There are many languages in this world; they are all functional in common means of communication. However, real understanding requires brains!

In the kitchen we have our own language: "kitchen"! It is based on acronyms, characters and body language! There are no long sentences, just a short word here and there. The language of cuisine is precise - direct and simple, it is not really speaking, it is understanding and acting combined! Instantly!

You can open a newspaper, listen to the news, or follow a two-day UN convention. Since 'kitchen' is not spoken therefore immediate action is very rare and hesitant! We hear many words, think many words, write long sentences and see many colourful pictures. What is often missing is the action. Kitchen language is different - it is always instant action. In the whole world there is only one language that understands this, and that is  "kitchen"

In the kitchen, we chop the words, speak incomplete sentences- shout commands and quickly make clear sharp points!

 The concept is: listen the first time, because don't have time to repeat myself. Communication takes place without words, without opening the mouth. Our hands communicate, our gestures speak volumes, our eyes admonish, our bodies teach, our muscle memory and reflexes save our lives and those we work with.

This is our language. The individual speaks just words; this is not an understood language. The language kitchen condensed thinking, kitchen is action, 'kitchen' has no excuses and no detours. no exceptions. kitchen is!;- you are there and act immediately!

Ok, unless you're a chef, kitchen is hard to understand. Here's a little help! You can speak English or German well, but to understand Goethe, Shakespeare or Bukowski you have to learn and develop your thinking further.

In the dim past, the law of the strongest prevailed, so the Neanderthal chief yells harshly: This way and no other!

But he often didn't know why. But everyone did what he wanted anyway just out of fear. This has slowed down human development. Dictators and autocratic family and business leaders still use it practice today - oh, I love the Neanderthals Here as a negative example! The only thing the chief couldn't yell at was his Chef and the medicine man; he needs them both and has to trust them because he hadn't the faintest idea about medicine or cooking.

So did the Chef Lenz and the medicine man, we call him "Hippo" together and made the first scientific discoveries. They were free to do experiments and research. The hippo collected herbs and tried to explore the effect through many test series. And Lenz focused on taste, colour and aroma. Hippo and Lenz were both driven by ambition and soon found out what and how it all works. They kept asking and questioning each other 'why'. And soon they realized the question why is given the answers to the way it is! And they were able to justify why it is only possible in this way and not otherwise. They didn't have to shout dictatorially; no, they soon had first well-founded insights and soon also useful experience.

Hippo learned the basics of body functions from Lenz the chef: Hippo spent time with Lenz to break down all the parts of slaughtered meat. He studied the structure of muscles, joints and the position and function of the internal organs. 

Lenz cut up the meat to cook it, Hippo on the other hand did research and found out how the bodyworks. He then translated this basic research in medicine and surgery to the human body! Thank you, Chef!

A few thousand years later, another hippo transferred many experiences from animal dissection to the human body. He could recognize diseases and knew how to treat them.

This Hippo is a direct ancestor of Hippocrates. And Hippocrates and with Lenz came to the following conclusion:  Eating is more than taking in food, although even though we take in food! And Hippocrates quotes "Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food.”

And even more than this realization, the friendship between Lenz and Hippo is linked by their common fondness forgetting to the bottom of things. 

They understand the interplay between simply eating to satisfy hunger and enjoying that food in a stress-free environment with friends and family.

A good luxurious meal hastily wolfed down in stolen time during a far too short lunch break is fun less and causes an upset stomach. A simple meal shared with friends in a relaxed manner, however, gives a sense of well-being and satisfaction.

This is a fact and the secret of the Mediterranean diet. It is well known that the French, Italians and Greeks suffer less from the effects of obesity and cardiovascular disease than the rest of the world.

They eat more butter, cream, olive oil and they drink wine with their daily meals. Lenz says: now slowly with quick conclusions. Having olive oil and drinking wine alone won't work. The Mediterranean lifestyle is the secret: shared meals! Time to eat! In a friendly community! - Cultural unity! And well known favourite dishes prepared with love and care!

That's it! Why is it so and not otherwise!  And you know by now..- All this is not available in the supermarket.

The rest of the world believes what the self-proclaimed health experts in women's weekly say: butter and oil are unhealthy, and alcohol is a common killer.  And here we go; - Before, during and after every meal we hear someone at the dinner table saying: too much sugar, too many artificial flavours and colours, too greasy, sprayed, hormone-treated and too many preservatives. This basic attitude becomes a conviction!

And that alone makes you sick! The Mediterranean diet probably doesn't work either, if it is always mentioned that olive oil and wine are harmful. The daily spoken "table prayer" about the ill-causing side effects in our food; makes us more ill than the fresh butter itself! 

Just saying: your mind is your doctor, and this doctor is listening to you and to you only, - it's your business.

The balanced Mediterranean diet is taken with olive oil and wine and consumed with pleasure and harmony! Best with family and friends! It tastes delicious and is healthy. A positive attitude towards food, trust and a healthy awareness of food is at least as important as the food itself. Sugar and fats have fallen into disrepute and in overdose; hardliners often refer to them as poison! OfCourse;- Too much is too much! Lenz, however, says everything in moderation and, above all, taken with pleasure is the antidote to this poison.

What's more, the positive behavior at the dining table, the colloquial language and the ambience are just as important as the taste and aroma of the food. Of course, people like to have discussions while eating, but harsh differences of opinion can affect the enjoyment. And Lenz adds that it's unhealthy to pick up arguments at the daily family dinner. It easily becomes a daily habit to serve up parenting, finances, and other perpetual problems with every meal. Nobody likes it, it often doesn't change anything. So all of this should be chewed up well before or after the meal.

The healthy meal is supported by relaxation! And always ends with something sweet; - motivation and cheering and refreshing and positive words. And yes, you can laugh. This is a healthy diet as a whole.

Here I am a chef, not a doctor; I have no scientific training; only my knowledge of observation and the resulting belief speaks here. Not more and not less, that's the way it is so and not otherwise.

Now back in the kitchen! In the last 5 years, around 9 thousand guests have dined in my kitchen. There was no menu to choose from, just one 4 course menu for everyone. No drink list, no beer, no soft drinks. Just wine I chose and water! I cooked in front of the guests with butter, cream, olive oil and wine. However, there were always fresh vegetables, fruit and salads on every plate. Also fish and a good portion of meat; all this is served with wine and friendliness in a relaxed atmosphere. This is my understanding of 'health food'.  At this point I can't help but mention that none of the 9 thousand guests has ever complained. Nobody missed chips and other deep-fried food; over all these years I never used a deep fryer. Maybe I had an easy task winning the hearts of my guests. The friendly welcome and a glass of wine upon arrival, the table set in the kitchen, all dishes presented, explained and prepared in front of the guests; and it must have tasted good too! That fits and has done the job for me!

Pleasure is when it still tastes good!  Sounds silly?  Well, I will try to explain, using the following event.

There was once a heart specialist among the guests who had performed several hundred heart operations over the years. I served scallops with white wine butter! a self-proclaimed health apostle at the next table drew attention to the generous use of butter.

Now the unexpected; I prepared myself for a buttered slap in the face on the liberal use of butter but was served just the opposite by the cardiologist.

He said something like this: If you eat scallops with white wine butter 3 times a day and you complain about the butter every time, this is bad for your heart! 

And he immediately added: it is not so much the butter, but your attitude is concerning and resulting in lack of pleasure and enjoyment!   And the doctor gleefully scraped with the last scallop the last drop of white wine butter from his plate. With the scallops still in his mouth and the butter on his tongue, he said loudly and butter clearly, I LOVEBUTTER!I always make my scrambled eggs with plenty of butter! This is how the heart doctor saved the white wine butter and my chefs' souls and brought butter back into the enjoyment zone.

I was visibly relieved! - But too early! The health apostle launched a counterattack, speaking of cholesterol and HDL and LDL. Another apostle joined in the chant with wisdom about omega 3 and saturated and unsaturated fats. Suddenly everyone is a nutrition expert with well-founded detailed knowledge.

Now the heart doctor sucked the last drop of butter sauce off the plate with some bread and said only calmly: Yes, the technical terms mentioned here are all very well known to me, but so are the connections to body and soul functions! 

The blood value and pressure is initially just a number, the connection makes the disease, and the individual case is always complex. He taps his forehead with his Butterfinger and says a lot of the reasons are up here in the head; especially the enjoyment factor and we have no instruments to measure those!

And he went on to say eating 10 grams of butter is better than 5 grams of deep-frying fat, and the breakdown of fatty acids and glycerin, osmotic pressure and the positive use of lemon juice and wine in the cooking process.

He is an expert and understands the connections, but we throw the same words on the dinner table and still can't really digest them! So why not follow the experts and say: I love the pleasure of eating! - also with butter!

I wanted to gratefully end the factual discussion up to that point and draw attention to the main course!

so, I closed his little lesson with the word!

 Sickness probably begins in the mind, and pleasure is at home in a healthy heart.

We all had to laugh! 

Cheers and many thanks!