Tag Archives: Culinary Arts

S.A.N.S. Episode 178: Feel Invincible

Since all three on my children attended a technical high school, concentrating on Culinary Arts, when I think of a skillet its’ another way to cook dinner. However, the Christian Rock band Skillet formed in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1996. While Skillet has a similar sound to Thousand Foot Krutch, they are a little more brash and, in your face, singing with conviction and passion.

Do not give that which is holy (the sacred thing) to the dogs, and do not throw your pearls before hogs, lest they trample upon them with their feet and turn and tear you in pieces, Matthew 7:6.

Human nature has a way of convincing young people that they are invincible. Meanwhile, when a freshman completes their first year of college, many come home for the summer believing that they are smarter than their parents. When you add pride to this equation, feeling invincible is a daily occurrence until God brings humility into your life. May today’s song rock your world toward trusting in the Lord.

by Jay Mankus

What is God Cooking Now?

Anyone who desires or longs to be a cook may choose a career in culinary arts.  This school involves teaching students government standards, preparation procedures and provide wisdom about what it takes to be successful.  However, novice chefs tend to learn from trial and error.  Meanwhile, others learn the hard way that they don’t belong in the kitchen.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me, Philippians 3:12.

Beyond menus and specials, God has His own way of cooking.  The Bible refers to methods like smelting, pottery and purification.  Trials in life are like sitting in a crock pot, slowing blending a myriad of ingredients into a tasty meal.  Likewise, God takes the gifts and talents individuals possess, using disappointment, heartache and setbacks to mold people into vessels, instruments ready to serve the kingdom of God.

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, Philippians 3:13.

However, like secret recipes of famous restaurant chains, God’s seasoning is unknown.  There are instructions inside the Bible, but the time and temperature is still a mystery.  Faith is the missing link, the glue that holds the church together until the final dish is unveiled.  In the mean time, may the Lord give you guidance, patience and understanding as you eagerly wait for God to finish what’s brewing inside of you.

by Jay Mankus

Chef: Minus the Bleeps… Its a Snapshot of the American Dream

From 1999 to early 2002, I was a golf critic, writing travel reviews for upscale golf facilities from Florida to the Jersey Shore.  During Major League Baseball’s Spring Training in Florida or on vacation with my family, I sought to lead visitors toward golf destinations which matched their income as well as enhance their stay.  Beyond the course, I wanted to help people have a good time without going broke.  In the process, I may have hurt the feelings of owners whose imperfections were exposed in the pieces I wrote.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Hsh7zxUtI8

Over the weekend, I had flashbacks to these days while watching the movie Chef with my oldest son James, a high school junior concentrating on Culinary Arts.  Before agreeing to take him, I watched the trailer on you tube to see if it was worth my time and money.  Concerned by the rating, I warned my son going in to expect some bad language.  Instead, I felt like I was in the presence of a few co-workers over lunch, listening to one unedited bleep after the other.  Unfortunately, this has become the norm in many cultures, an accurate depiction of how people think out loud without any filter.

For those who can withstand the urge to tune out early or cover their ears, the last hour of Chef is a snapshot of the American Dream.  When a popular chef receives 2 stars by the most famous restaurant critic in America, his life is turned upside down.  Feeling suffocated by a controlling owner, Chef Carl Casper (played by Jon Favreau) quits, confronts his critic and humbles himself by becoming a nanny until he gets back on his feet.  If you’re not satisfied by the life you are currently living, watching Chef may prompt you to quit your job, do what you love and hopefully achieve the American Dream.  This film provides a blueprint of how maximizing technology can generate business for future entrepreneurs.  Minus the bleeps and beyond the laughter, Chef challenges individuals to re-examine who they are, where they excel and what job will provide for you the most joy in life, John 10:10.

Please share your thoughts on this film.

by Jay Mankus