So You Want to be a Chef? A Commencement Address and Kitchen's Closed Summary and Analysis

Bourdain cautions anyone considering a career as a chef to seriously consider the lifestyle and deep commitment necessary for a culinary career. Bourdain suggests these parameters as prerequisites for a chef's preparation: Be fully committed; Learn Spanish; Don't steal; Always be on time; Never make excuses or blame others; Never call in sick; Lazy, sloppy and slow are bad; Be prepared to witness every variety of human folly and injustice; Assume the worst; Try not to lie; Avoid restaurants where the owner's name is over the door; Think about that resume; Read; and Have a sense of humor about things.

On a Sunday morning while lying in bed and aching from a brutal night's work the night...