Private Chef, Writer & Podcaster
If you’ve ever tried to recreate a TV chef’s “simple” dinner and ended up wondering if you accidentally auditioned for a survival show, you’re not alone. As someone juggling sarcoidosis, heart failure, and a full-time chef life, let’s just say I’ve learned exactly how misleading those glossy cooking programs can be. And no—I’m still not over the raw chicken incident.
There was a version of me in 2002—forty years old, a working chef, exhausted in ways that made no logical sense, and listening to doctors insist that every alarming symptom was “stress.” Now that sarcoidosis is a familiar part of my vocabulary, looking back on that time feels like watching a movie where you want to yell at the character to turn around. Revisiting that moment made me rethink the “what if” game entirely and wonder how differently life looks when you finally know what your body was trying to tell you.
Living with sarcoidosis is like starring in a medical drama no one else can see—one where you look perfectly fine on the outside while your organs do the cha-cha backstage. Back in 2011, when all of this felt new and terrifying, I kept most of it to myself. Now, looking back from 2025, I can’t help but revisit how invisible everything looked… especially to everyone who insisted I “didn’t look sick.” There’s a lot more to the story, but you’ll have to come inside for the rest.
Struggling with the translation and overstuffed details in Last Train to Istanbul, I gave it an honest shot—but tapped out by page 38. Here’s my take on why this historical fiction novel just didn’t work for me (and what might make it better).
There’s a wonderful (and hilariously humbling) Zen story I’ve always loved, and it popped back into my head recently when I caught myself fishing for praise. Not overtly. Just subtly leaving the room and lingering… waiting for the “Wow” I hoped would come. The story goes like this: Su Dongpo (also known as Su Shi) …
Continue reading "The Fart That Blew Across the River — Ego, Approval, and the Human Condition"
Tate Basildon 