translated from Spanish: Carolina Bazan, chef of Ambrosia: passionate about cooking and the family

The Chilean chef Carolina Bazan, born in 1980, decided to have their first child at the “peak of his career”, when at age 35 he was in command of the Ambrosia family restaurant, listed as one of the top 50 of Latin America in the lis Ta of San Pellegrino.
A decision that is risky in a highly demanding work environment which was born from their way of conceiving the success as a relationship between professional and family supported by her partner, the sommelier Rosario Onetto, who distributes the tasks of caring for the small Iñaki.
“If it didn’t at that time, when? I could not wait. If at that age, I’m on top of my career, does mean that then everything goes downhill? “, said Bazan in ironic mode.
The chef raised motherhood as a “pause” in his career that ultimately never was, because, a year after giving birth, embarked on a new venture to open the Ambrosia Bistro, a more personal place situated in the financial area of Santiago that became “independent” p Rimer restaurant that opened with his mother at the end of his studies of kitchen, at the age of 23.
An experience which you feel satisfied while it meant having to “renounce a ten trips to cook or give lectures abroad”, since it has allowed him to give “priority” to his family, to be expanded in the next few months when a light to your safety NDA daughter.
Change of plans the original idea of this couple was that first Bazan had a son with a procedure of fertilization in vitro and that it was then Onetto which was pregnant; but the latter was not.
Why Bazan decided to repeat the experience although in way more “quiet” not knowing yet how will be organized after the birth, that will mean a total change in your routine.
Currently, the chef works in shifts of lunch and dinner restaurant, where Onetto also goes with it at night.
“Now that my son – of three years and a half is a school day, it is easier. But also to work six days a week with one of rest is complicated. I miss less bathing him, bedtime, sleep with him,”he said.
Despite the passion for their profession, chef acknowledges that the only thing that does not like are schedules that force it to use the services of a nanny so take care of your child at night, while the couple ends the day shift.
“She comes to six in the afternoon, we eat together and we then go to work. Nanny deals with bathing him and lie it”, he explained.
In this sense, Bazan is aware that his case is different from other women who work in the hospitality industry.
“Before becoming a mother did not see much difference between chefs men and women. But now that I have a family and I am mother see it very different,”added.
A new break in this profession with “complicated schedules and not very good wages” include little women, who are often seen in “cafés and patisseries”.
In fact, the Ambrosia has been on the list of the top 50 in the past five years, a milestone that is worth mentioning since winning kitchens with this distinction under the leadership of women can be counted on the fingers of one hand.
“I know I have the luck that this restaurant is mine and that I put the rules,” said Bazán, who since it opened its first location has maintained a gastronomic vision based on an open letter that adapts to the fresh and seasonal.
Therefore regularly attends la Vega, where you personally select the best to bring them up to the restaurant, which has a completely open kitchen allowing patrons seated in the bar see all the steps that the chefs perform before serve your dish.
A work which continues today dedicating his six months pregnant, which combines with the direction of the kitchen and the supervision of the work of a total of 18 employees that is “preparing” for when comes the birth of his daughter.
“My idea is to keep me active. Personally I can kill without work six months. But if I want to devote the time that deserves a newborn baby,”said Bazan on maternity leave to be taken after the birth.
Although it will lower the rate, the chef will continue to work for “economic reasons”, since the postnatal compensation does not cover all of the salary.
“I will occasionally go to the restaurant, I will see new dishes and keep advice from home, like I did with my first son. Not only to keep me active but because I am used to handle my life with certain salary and then I will count with half”, he said.
“Now that will come the second still we can not plan us, we must go and see how things are. Still want to take this opportunity, even if it means losing part of my career, since maybe tomorrow can retormarla at the highest level,”said Bazán.

Original source in Spanish