A visitor in the kitchen

This is Sam. He worked with me in the past for over 4 years. He started with me when he was 16 and worked up from apprentice to sous chef. We worked together in 3 different restaurants. He left me about 4 years ago to move to France where he took a job as a sous chef in Paris. He later promoted to head chef and has recently changed jobs to start work with a chef who has held 2 michelin stars. He was back in the UK for a few weeks as he had a health problem and needed to rest. He's feeling better now and left to go back to Paris.

He asked me if I would teach him how to make macaroons so he came into the kitchen for a morning before he left and I showed him. I love it when a former apprentice makes a real success of himself. It makes me feel very proud to think that I taught him the basics and gave him a start in the kitchen. At one point we were working 100 hours a week from 8am till midnight with no breaks and he did it without complaining, which is very unusual for teenagers! And the nicest thing is that he always comes to see me when he gets back home for his holidays and spends a day of his holiday in the kitchen with me 'for old times sake'!

I wish him much luck and I hope that he becomes a lot better than me.