I had to share this photo because I think it is priceless.

Here's Alex -- who, at 6 years is old, is quite vocal about the fact that he wants to be a chef when he grows up -- stirring up some sofrito in a rice dish we were making earlier this spring.

I suppose it just goes to show that your interests (obsessions?) influence your kids whether you like it or not. Not that I don't want him to be a chef; I'd love to see him be the best chef in the world, but he doesn't yet know about the crazy restaurant hours, no holidays off (what's a holiday?) and hours and hours slaving over a hot stove that so many famous -- and many very hardworking but unknown -- chefs endure.

But, hey, I suppose those same things are what drew many of us to the restaurant industry to begin with -- the hours, the crazy fun in the kitchen while other people are complaining over their family brunches and the satisfaction that comes with working hard at a job well done.

In the meantime, my little chef is a great help in the kitchen and I'm so excited we share a hobby we both love. As an added bonus, I can't tell you how much more excited he is to try new dishes when he is active in the preparation process. Maybe we should start looking at tuition projections for Le Cordon Bleu.