Roderick “Pete” Smith

I was first introduced to Culinary Arts the summer of 1990 on July 9th. My mother was a travel agent, and when I was 10 years old she took me on my first cruise ship, where my culinary journey began. The first night in the main restaurant, I ordered a fish entrée for dinner. They sat us next to this married couple. Once dinner started, I noticed that my food wasn’t coming to the table. Everyone was eating their food and having a good time, and I immediately starting acting up at the table because I was very hungry and aggravated. My mother played it cool and didn’t say anything. About an hour later, my fish showed up. It had no side items or anything else, just a steamed piece of fish. After dinner was over we went back to the room, and my mother had that look in her eyes. Then, I got one of the worst spankings in my life. I was told repletely never to embarrass her in front of people like that ever again.