The Chair, The Chance, The Change
Top Left: The day of my trail Top Right: At my heaviest weight
Bottom: After I signed my books for a chef and friend.
Spring of 2022 was the genesis of a major transformation for me. After sixteen years with one company, training chefs and cooks all across New York and New Jersey, I decided to test the waters. I felt I had proven my dedication and leadership, but when it came time for an opportunity, I was passed over. Instead, I was asked to train the chef who got the job.
That moment forced me to make a choice: stay comfortable, or find out my value somewhere else.
The Trail in New York
I landed a trail at an all-girls school in Manhattan. The chef who welcomed me was a fellow Puerto Rican, smaller in stature but big in presence. He introduced me to his team, and before long we were chatting in his broom-closet office.
Then came the chair. This tiny thing looked like it belonged at a toddler’s tea party, and there I was — 500 lbs of me — lowering myself onto it for a professional conversation. He grinned, I laughed inside, and the moment broke the ice.
But what really struck me wasn’t the chair. It was the first question he asked:
“What do you do outside of work?”
No one in two decades had ever asked me that. My answer at the time? Fragrances. Selling cologne samples. He encouraged me to explore hobbies, to use downtime to enrich life. It took me a while to understand, but that question planted a seed.
Change Knocks Twice
The trail went well. I grilled shrimp, tossed couscous salad, and connected with the team. A young sous chef had me grill some chicken. I asked if I should grill it all. He told me that it wouldn’t be necessary. I had my doubts, but I nodded. Sure enough, I stepped out for a moment and when I came back into the kitchen another cook was grilling the rest of the chicken. The chef and I made eye contact, smiled and chef said with an exaggeratedly loud voice “I heard you ask him!” That’s the beauty of our work. We communicated an entire conversation with just a look, and it was the first time we ever met.
I was offered a job on the spot. On that same day, I also had my first consultation with a bariatric surgeon. Within two months, I underwent gastric sleeve surgery — and it helped me lose 140 lbs and regain control of my life.
I initially turned down the NYC offer out of fear and comfort. But then came the call back: “We’d love to have you reconsider.” And I did. Because opportunity doesn’t always knock twice.
The Weight of Being Seen
Taking that job in New York was one of the best decisions of my life. I found a team that values kindness. I found balance outside the kitchen. I found health, sobriety, and even the space to write my book.
And just recently, the same chef who asked me about my hobbies handed me two copies of my book and said:
“You have to sign these for me. You’re my guy, and I’m proud of you.”
That’s when it hit me: being the best version of Moses Hernandez will always hold more weight than being just a good chef.
Raw Truth
Life will hand you moments of choice. Pride and comfort will tell you to stay put, but growth comes when you move. If I had stayed where I was, I wouldn’t have signed those books.
The raw truth is this: keeping your heart open and sharing your story carries a power beyond our comprehension. That one question — “What do you do outside of the kitchen?” — changed the way I see myself, and the way I live my life. So thanks chef!
