The Chef (Summary) Roll No: BSEF16A523 The main character of this movie is the chef Carl Casper. He is a famous chef in L.A. He made his early reputation by creating wonderful food items but for the past few years he has run the kitchen at a more conservative restaurant that pushes the same expert meals each evening. The story starts, when Carl hears that Ramsey Michel, a food critic and one of Carl’s early champions, is to dine there that evening, he dreams up an innovative menu, but he is overruled by his boss Riva who wants him just to “play your hits.” He refused and as a result he is fired. The critic Ramsey tweets a bad review and Carl storms back into the restaurant and unleashed a speech and other people at restaurant recorded it. It went viral. With no prospects for restaurant work, he returned to his roots and found an artistic satisfaction as the owner-chef of a taco food truck. As a student of entrepreneurship, I can relate to some of the struggles that the main character faces for sure. However, you don’t have to be an entrepreneur to be inspired by this movie because it has some great lessons for anyone who wants to be happier and more fulfilled in this life. Here I am wrapping up what are the big lessons in this movie. 1. It's much easier to remain within the boundaries of where you feel comfortable than it is to face the fear of venturing beyond them. But by limiting yourself to what you already know, you're likely missing out on professional opportunities, life experiences, and personal growth. Growth requires discomfort. It requires change in your attitude and your behavior. It requires work. Getting the result which you are looking for can be a lengthy process. This process starts at the end of your comfort zone. You learn the most when things don't go perfectly. If you are determined to try new things and grow, you will focus on what you are learning and forget about failure. 2. According to psychologists, if we don’t have an ego, we would become mentally ill. We need it to mediate between the unconscious and the conscious. Your relationship with your ego can turn into either an enemy or an ally. The ego causes most of your suffering, but it can also save you from further pain. It is a double-edged sword. It’s a powerful force that drives us to create different things. It’s a sensitive thing that can be easily crushed by another’s opinion. When our ego is crushed, that’s a hard thing to get past. Some people never do. Sometimes it is the one thing, or the last thing, standing in between you and what you really want. Past hurt often holds our bright future hostage. 3. Be with someone who motivates you to do better in life because relationships are more than just falling in love. It’s about inspiring each other to become better versions of yourselves day in and day out. The kind of people you keep in your life matters. If you’re surrounded by people who keep you down, you’ll stay down. If you’re surrounded by people who lift you up, you’ll rise more than you’ll fall. 4. Your job shouldn't just be a source of income. If you don't enjoy what you do, you'll end up missing out on your life. You should find work that lights you up. Doing what you love and making a living at it is one of the greatest blessings you could ask for. If that’s not possible, find ways to enjoy what you do. Or at least, find an outlet somewhere in your life to do what you love so that very important part of you won’t wither away and die. In the movie, the main character, Carl, is forced by his boss to cook boring, routine menu items. Even before he sets out on the journey to create his own business, he finds an outlet for cooking the way he wants to by cooking at home.
