By MARY MARAGHY / mary.maraghy@myclaysun.com
Al Fricke of Orange Park said while deployed in Germany he ate his way through the country and was romanticized by the charm and presentation of the dishes.
“The Germans have a wonderful way of combining sauces and vegetables and meats,” said the 74-year-old retired chef, almost salivating. “The finesse.”
In his kitchen recently, Fricke reflected on his 50-year culinary career after the military and he described the food industry as wicked yet rewarding.
The physical demands, he said, were monumental — hauling heavy pots and pans, standing for long stretches around hot ovens, working 80 to 90 hours per week and never eating regular meals. He said he hardly saw his wife and children.
“Some nights he would come home at 3 a.m. with steak or lobster dinners for us,” said his wife, Elaine. “That was a perk.”
Then, there are the mental pressures.
“Every plate that leaves the kitchen is the moment of truth. It’s either right or it’s disaster,” he said. “You have to ride the crew all the time, very high stress.”
He saw many chefs burn out by age 35, or turn to drugs or alcohol.
Still the experimenting and creative opportunities enchanted him and he has a box of medals he won at competitions and a massive collection of recipes he’s compiling in to a family recipe book.
“Knowing the nuance and history of foods is very exciting,” he said, adding that he likes fusion food — mixing ethnic foods together to create something different.
Fricke advises young cooks to develop strong math and English skills, then get a good culinary education.
“Don’t try to learn it in the field,” he said. He recommends the culinary program he helped develop at Florida Community College at Jacksonville.
“Restaurant hop to learn new and different things and work your way up,” he said. “And stay healthy.”
Fricke’s favorites:
Favorite professional chefs: Jacques Pepin and Julia Child
Favorite local chef: David Meyer, chef at Allegro retirement community in Fleming Island. Former owner of David’s Restaurant which closed in 2003.
Favorite ingredient: German beer
Favorite cookware: Martha Stewart’s heavy pans sold at Kmart
Favorite meals: Cordon blue, beef Wellington, scallops and wood chips
Best chef gig: The Drake Hotel in Illinois
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