Culinary Dreams: Do Not Give Up On What Moves and Excites You

Last updated on March 12th, 2024 at 12:27 pm

Talk about moving your big dream along at a rapid pace…

I am living some culinary dreams I didn’t even realize I had while moving to a new home.

I can’t wait to tell you about everything, but I will say this right now:  Do not give up on what moves and excites you. Do not give up on your dreams!

Looking back at my dream accomplishments thus far and where I am now, I realize I am approaching the 7th anniversary of my move to Northern California.  Suddenly, my culinary business is shifting into new and exciting ventures, and I am experiencing a stretch of personal growth.  When my feet first hit California soil in September of 2006, I never thought in a million years that I would accomplish what I have this year and feel this happy.

My dreams have been kicked to the side of the road so many times in my adult life that it has been hard to keep them alive — especially since moving 3000 miles away from everything I’ve ever known. It has been one hell of a journey surviving Hurricane Katrina and building a new life from scratch in another part of the United States, but honestly, I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything.

These tough experiences have taught me that even though it may seem like you will never get anywhere with your dream and that you are stuck on a never-ending plateau, trust me, if you stay with it, you will see positive dream results.

Your dream may take you in a different direction than you envisioned, but you just have to trust the process and go with it. Let your dream journey take its own course. There is a reason for where it wants to take you, and believe that where you are is where you need to be now.

A dear friend of mine saw how unhappy I was where I was living and was determined to help me move on to something new. She loves to garden, and she has been watching a house being renovated across the street from her. One day, a man drove up and parked in front of her place, exited his car, and hesitated for a bit. She had this immediate urge to talk with him.

She always told everyone to follow their instincts, so she approached this man and introduced herself. She’s like that sometimes. She discovered that he was the house’s new owner and was remodeling it to rent it out.

Here’s where my dream story gets interesting…

She called me screaming and said she had to see me that minute. I kept asking her why, but all she would say was, “I just have to come over!”

I thought, “Holy crap, maybe she got in touch with someone at The Food Network for me!”

When she arrived, she handed me a business card and said,

“This is going to be your new landlord! I just spoke with him. He is from New Orleans. I know this is meant to be. When I was talking with him the hair on the back of my neck was standing up — I know this is a sign!”

I immediately called the man while she paced my living room.  We ended up chatting for 45 minutes. I immediately connected with him and shared many belly laughs over the difference between California and Louisiana. We understood each other in so many ways. We agreed to stay in touch while the house was being renovated, and then, out of the blue, he hired me to cater his wife’s surprise birthday party.

When his wife and I met, we discovered that we grew up in the same neighborhood and attended the same high school.

This fact does not shock my friend in the least.

After the party was over, I sat down with my new landlord’s wife, and we talked for two hours. It was like I had known her my whole life.

She ended up telling people in northern California about me as a chef, which evolved into my meeting with several jet companies and their pilots at the Sonoma County Airport. I am now providing food to pilots and high-end passengers who travel around on private jets. I can also cook on flights if the client wishes.

I’ve discovered that being at the airport moves me. I remember how, when I was young, I used to sit in my car near a runway and watch the planes for hours. Now, I drive right onto a tarmac and experience the roar of the jet engines up close and the operation’s energy. It excites me. I love being a part of it. It’s an unexpected dream surprise.

This dream movement happened because I met a new friend within a few months. So many new connections have grown from this one connection, and by simply taking a chance and making that initial phone call to my new landlord, everything has changed completely, and my dreams are coming true.

If you had asked me six months ago if this was possible, I would have rolled my eyes and said, “No way!”

This week, I am living in my new house with about three pieces of furniture before the movers come, but I am taking my time and creating the perfect space for me and my two furry kitties. It feels right being here, and that is what counts. No more dark, cave-like, noisy dwellings for us. We deserve this.

I’m not leaving you with a recipe this week, but I think you will understand why. But I will leave you with a reminder to rely on your local pizza place when you are in the middle of a big move. Being able to call them for dinner is a dream in itself, and who doesn’t like pizza?

Besides, pizza, wine, and a dream come true are wickedly good culinary experiences.

Love,

Maria Vieages

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Maria Vieages is a self-employed private chef who lives the best of both worlds in California wine country and The Big Easy in New Orleans, Louisiana.