Chef Lincoln. My baby brother.

January 25th, 2012 | SarahLove

Now I know why these images have been sitting on my hard drive since November. I was avoiding them. I didn’t want to face the fact that twenty years has past.

This is emotional for me because I promise you it feels like yesterday that I was changing this little boys diaper, teaching him to doggie paddle in the swimming pool and telling him that kisses do heal bumps and bruises. I told him numerous times to dream up the biggest dream possible because he can do anything with his life. That was yesterday, I swear! Here’s the proof:

Day one.

Three months.

Four years.

Five years.

11 years? He was short for his age! Don’t judge.

17 years. He picks me up now!

If you knew what my brother went through in high school to get where he is now you would probably be crying with me. He was relentlessly bullied to the point of him dropping out of high school (he finished and got his diploma on his own) yet he became lost. He didn’t know what he wanted to do with his life. So, I forced him to start running with me and over miles and miles of running in all weather conditions (Lincoln, remember that lightning storm when we ran a few six minute miles?!) and we bonded even closer. This is us at our first race together. He placed second in his first race!

18 years.

In November, my brother graduated valedictorian, with personally written letters of honor from the school and after his internship he received a contract offer from Nike. All because he decided to follow his dream. More than any words can convey, I am bursting with a pride that is embossed very deep in my heart.

Chef Lincoln.

Tissue please. It’s a happy cry.

There is no doubt in my mind, that all of those years of karate lessons came in handy. He is really really good! He’s a cross between a black belt ninja chef and the sweet little boy with a daring appetite that will try anything once. Such as earthworms. Yes. He has. He was seven years old and told me he tried one on his way home from school. ‘But why?!?’, I asked. His justification? ‘Because it’s good protein.’

Lincoln was so excited to show of his cooking skills. As I watched him, I saw how he sliced an onion with utmost precision and diced garlic at high speeds that made me think that he was going to get hurt. I had to hold back my words because I wanted to warn him to be careful, that he might get cut. I had to remind myself that he knows what he’s doing. To trust in his professional skills. I watched him prep our meal as he swiftly managed to multitask between the cutting board, stove top, oven and sink. As he moved from task to task he periodically explained to me what he was doing and why. In between everything he kept smiling. I’ve never seen him do something with such pride in himself. He found passion.

Part of the way through preparing the meal he told me that I could tell him what to do. He would be my sous chef. The Sous-Chef de Cuisine (under-chef of the kitchen) is the second in command and direct assistant of the Executive Chef. Basically, that means I got to boss him around. That was fun!

Then he showed me things you should never do while in a kitchen.

Then he told me he had a cooking secret to which I guessed, ‘I know, it’s vanilla!!’ (We laughed to our little inside joke, heehee.) He said, ‘It’s nutmeg. A pinch of nutmeg is hidden in so many meals that you wouldn’t think had it!’ I was surprised by this and playfully teased him, ‘Oh- I actually thought you were going to say that the secret ingredient is love.’  He stopped whisking the creamy béchamel sauce he was working on and quickly said, ‘Actually, you’re right. I also have to be in a good mood when I cook because I’ve noticed that if I’m not, it shows up in my finished product. So yeah, it is love.’

His delicious finished product (using his own recipe) for the cheesiest and most creamy baked mac and cheese.

Oh my, it was good!

I got up the next morning (before the sun was up) as saw him off at Nike Headquarters. As we said our goodbyes (I was departing that morning) I felt an enormous amount of happiness knowing that he is doing something that makes him work hard, feel prideful and brings him happiness.

I love you Lincoln! You will always be my baby brother.