BLOG ASSIGNMENT #1 – THEORY OF FOOD I

BLOG ASSIGNMENT #1 – THEORY OF FOOD I

Culinary Biography

Hello, my name is Felipe Gombossy, 42, Brazilian. This is not only my first assignment in the Theory of Food I, but also it is my first blog ever.

I've been working as a commercial photographer for the last 17 years in the city of São Paulo, specialised in portraits, corporate and food photography. As a self-employed, I've worked for advertising agencies and travel magazines mostly.

I've always been passionate about food and photography gave me the opportunity to get closer to chefs and really nice restaurants in Brazil and abroad. The restaurant environment has always been magical for me and I have to say that it is very similar to a photo studio environment as well, but the temperature.

In photography, as in the kitchen, the ability to transform simple things into something completely different has deeply called my attention. When people ask me why I plan to change my career, I answer, saying that I'm not changing anything. I'm simply adding, connecting and combining the two professions. I will be a photographer forever. Nothing is going to change that. However, I would also like to be a cook. I believe that what is driving me now to be a Chef is the challenge. I'm challenging myself to move abroad, go back to school, and learn in a different language.

I've started my career in the industry recently, but in the opposite way. From 2017 to 2020, I own a small restaurant called "Cibo". My business partner and I went into this adventure when we discovered a little "abandoned" kitchen inside a surf shop. A couple of dollars invested and we opened for lunch and events at night. A few months later, the shop owners decided to close their doors and they offered us the whole space. Well, hands-on and a few weeks later, we were owners of a proper restaurant. From May 2018 to January 2020, we ran a restaurant, cooked, committed infinite mistakes, and succeeded on many occasions while hosting events for more than 100 people. Everything was a tremendous school, even though we were working for free most of the time. No regrets at all. In January 2020, we sold it because I would be supposed to go to Toronto in May.

Cibo Restaurante in São Paulo

From January to March, I decided to start an internship in the "Lilu" restaurant and work with one of the most renowned Brazilian Chefs, André Mifano. There I discovered that I didn't know anything about a "real" kitchen. Since our plans to move to Canada were postponed, and we were already homeless since we rent our flat in São Paulo, my wife and I decided to move to our family's countryside house. I'm not working in a kitchen at the moment. Still, I can definitely say that I've been developing other skills, like planting a green garden, managing a small small small farm, trying different recipes every day, and having a great time with a pit smoker.

That connects me to the following question that I've recently discovered: I really enjoy cooking with fire. That's why I posted the picture above. I love using fire and smoke to prepare my food. It's probably it's my dad's fault since we used to go camping very often when I was a kid.

Since I'm blogging for the first time in my life, I hope to share my experience by doing that. It's not common to read honest reports about the subject. I also expect to absorb better all the content taught by writing about them.

Andre Mifano once told me something in his kitchen that made sense to me, and I've never thought about that in my life. He said: "A good Chef does not move a lot inside the kitchen. He knows and has to know where everything is placed inside his kitchen." I believe this statement is connected with the fact that everyone in the kitchen has to be organized, clean and tidy. And this is not only being a good assistant, cook, or chef. It is deeply based on the fact that the kitchen is all about teamwork.

Chef Andre Mifano - Lilu Restaurante

My staff in Cibo

TEAMWORK, TEAMWORK, AND TEAMWORK!

Chef White, I have to admit. I'm not into Culinary Blogs. I like a Brazilian one call "Gastrolandia" by Ailin Aleixo, but it is basically about her experiences as a food critic. I rather read books instead. "Kitchen Confidential" was my first related to this theme. I was at the Advertising and Marketing College in Brazil when I first heard about this book. I can assure you that Bourdain is responsible for why I'm here with you and the GBC. Recently I've finished "The Third Plate", by Dan Barber and that reading made me believe in the countryside's power and engagement. That's why I'm probably spending my time trying to plant what I eat. Finally, one week before the classes have started, I've begun to read "Letters to a Young Chef", by Daniel Boulud. I was happy when I noticed that you'd recommended two of these books on your list.