"Untitled"
Watercolor
Lisa Wang
"Fresh from the Oven"
Oil on board
Patricia Bellerose
What I Like About This: As I've shared previously, I am particularly fond of works that depict waiters and servers in dining settings. But I also enjoy art that reveals the often unseen chefs and cooks who work behind the swinging doors to the kitchen. The above are two works that illustrate a world I once worked in and which I have very fond memories of. Can you spot me in the photo below? This group photo was taken nearly 40 years ago at the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, NY.
Yep, that's me standing there, I'm the chap with his hand on his hip. As you can see, I was the only person of color in my class. I remember that I had an unbelievable crush on the fellow with his arms crossed, standing second from the right. I remember that we locked eyes on each other more than once while in training and I remember the moment we both realized that we shared a common secret. A few days before this photo was taken, he came to my room with a bottle and wanted to come in and have some drinks with me, but I was far too nervous and scared to let him in. Another 20 years would pass from then to when I finally accepted that I was gay and shortly thereafter was kissed by a man for the first time. Lately, I find myself having flashbacks of such moments in my life, I guess this is a part of growing old, I am always remembering.
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