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WHO IS CHEF CRAIG?
Hi, I’m Chef Craig! The love for cooking for myself, family and friends compelled me to enroll in culinary school to become a trained Chef. I’ve always been creative in respect to the arts and it shows in the meals that I prepare. I strive to provide flavorful, healthy foods filled with soul and history. My passions for cooking, writing and music aids me in forging techniques and styles that are unique to me.
I am also a dedicated Poet who speaks from the depths of my heart and experience, a DJ who plays music that moves my soul and a Chef who uses the latter as a conduit to create food filled with the same love and passion. Hence, the marriage of food, soul and music.
I want to share how I managed to find the time to create in so many different areas, engulf myself in those areas and practice them to the point that they've become my passions. Due to my efforts/struggles with drug/alcohol addiction and recovery, healthy distractions were always encouraged. I tried and failed, tried some more, failed some more then finally finding success with sobriety via a few simple (but not easy) steps. I have been absolutely sober for 5 1/2 years thus far. While on my journey, I learned that picking up a hobby(s) to help me get out of my mind was vital. My love for music pushed me to DJ. Playing, listening and/or dancing to music, seemed to help keep the demons at bay. Music has the ability to heal or destroy, pending on the selection. I choose to play Disco and House music because the lyrics are more than often positive and uplifting. The job or the goal of a DJ is to make the audience feel the music enough that they are compelled to movement.
I also found that writing is highly therapeutic. It helps me organize my thoughts, face my innermost fears with courage and tell my story on how I failed over and over then became victorious in staying sober. My goal is to inspire and encourage those who still suffer with addiction in any form.
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Culinary Arts
I returned to school at the age of 43. I was on a journey to long-term sobriety at the time; It was pertinent that I practice significant principles required for such a task. These principles transfer well with everyday life. In school, I showed up on time and prepared every day. I did the work and I practiced on my own time. It wasn’t long before this art became a passion. As a result, I sought out work in the best restaurants with the best chefs in Chicago.
I landed jobs in “Michelin Star” kitchens with “Michelin Star” chefs where I would learn more than just how to make food look and taste good. I learned people skills, significant business skills pertaining to great commercial kitchens and I learned about quality hospitality. I’m just as hard on myself as these “Michelin Star” chefs were on all of their employees. The latter is the basis of my whole career. “Do it nice or do it twice!” lol
as DJ "JusCutz"
I am a DJ, and I go by the name DJ JusCutz. I like mixing my music and letting people dance along with it. It fires up my soul seeing that people enjoy my mixes. Music reaches out to people’s emotions like nothing else. Hence, I wanted to be a part of their stress relief and comfort.
as PITCH BLACK
I love poetry, and I love writing. Pitch Black is my pseudonym, and I enjoy sharing my stories. Most of what I write are about my journey to sobriety. I hope to become the voice of hope and encouragement. I vowed to inspire people in this struggle that every little thing is going to be alright. It takes patience and heartbreaks, but it will all be worth it.
