Dating a chef always seems so exciting to other people.
‘I bet you never have to set foot in the kitchen, oo must be lovely.’
‘Bet he's always trying recipes out on you.’
Ha.
Haha.
Hahaha.

Half of my time in the kitchen is spent cooking and eating alone. And sleeping alone. And being alone.
I just have this body that casually slips in and out of my bed so I know he's still alive and  who I occasionally got to speak to.

‘I don't start till 5 tomorrow’ he texts me excited knowing I'm mad because he doesn't have a day off this week.
‘I start at 9’ I reply back; knowing he will be too tired to attempt to awake and chat in the morning.

This isn't the struggle with dating all chefs, it's the struggle when you manage to bag yourself a hard working dedicated selfless chef whom everyone loves. Swapping shifts without a thought despite it being your day off too. Not having days off. Working full days, no breaks, no nights off.
You have to adapt. You have to learn to love yourself half as much as you love this hard working chef. And you have to tell people dating a chef ISNT fun and always  trying exotic home cooked food.
It's cooking two teas and leaving one in the microwave for when the stranger returns.

However when it's a week till Christmas and my world is falling apart and his work is demanding him more than ever and he has one night off. He dedicates it to hospital visits with me, old people visits with me. Without batting an eyelid. Without a complaint.
Because that's the nature of chefs. They give everything to make you smile on their day/night off. Despite how tired they maybe. Exhausted. Loosing the will to live.
I've learnt chefs are some of the most selfless people I know. And I'm so lucky to have surrounded myself with so many as wonderful friends. And bag myself a best friend/boyfriend/chef all in one.

Dating a chef is hard.
It's not fun.
But if your willing to give your world to the chef, the chef will give his world to you.