🌍 Culinary Travel: What It’s Like Cooking in a Foreign Country
✈️When the Kitchen Is Foreign — and So Are You
There’s a moment when you realize you’re not in your home kitchen anymore. Maybe it’s the language barrier. Maybe it’s when you can’t find basil because it’s out of season — and it actually matters here. Maybe it’s when the sous chef corrects your risotto in Italian.
Working abroad is a chef’s rite of passage. Humbling, frustrating, and insanely rewarding.
Here’s what they don’t tell you — and what you learn when you pack your knives and go global.
🌐 1. Culture Shock Starts in the Walk-In
Different countries = different ingredients, techniques, even prep rhythms. Your usual systems? Out the window. You learn fast, or you fall behind.
- Eggs stored at room temp
- Whole fish delivered ungutted
- Staff meal at 11:00 AM sharp — no excuses
💬 2. The Language Barrier Hits Harder on the Line
When the rush hits and everyone’s yelling in a language you barely know, it’s trial by fire. You pick up slang fast, and learn how to read body language better than ever.
“Oui, Chef” hits different when you don’t know what came before it.
🍲 3. You Learn to Respect Food on a New Level
Other countries have deep-rooted food cultures. You can’t cut corners. You don’t just learn new dishes — you learn why they matter. Why this tomato, not that one. Why this oil. Why you don’t rush the soffritto.
It humbles you — and sharpens you.
🧭 4. You Grow Outside the Kitchen Too
New country. New culture. New daily life. Banking, renting, visas — all in a language you don’t speak. The kitchen becomes your anchor, but the real growth happens when you’re out of your comfort zone.
🤝 5. You Build a New Kind of Kitchen Family
You won’t forget the commis who taught you how to break down lamb with three words. Or the pastry chef who snuck you their secret almond tuile recipe. You earn respect the hard way — and it sticks.
🔥 Final Thoughts from the Pass
Cooking abroad doesn’t just change your resume — it changes you. You come back sharper, tougher, more adaptable. You stop assuming your way is the only way. And that’s what makes you better — not just as a chef, but as a human.
If you ever get the chance: pack your knives and go.
