The life of an executive chef is an extremely busy one. If you want a peek into a whirlwind workplace, there's a story out of the Huffington Post featuring Chef David Padberg at Raven & Rose in Portland, Oregon.

Here are a couple of things to note from this diary.

• I can't emphasize the long days and multi-tasking that must take place to run a restaurant, especially one like Raven & Rose that does forgotten herbs and vegetables you won't find at your local grocery store. Then to deal with regular ordering from individual farms where weather could play a major role in how much product you can buy.
• It's important to remember that Chef Padberg is opening the restaurant full-time for the FIRST time during this particular week. Then throw in organizing for special events to come down the road, adding new recipes and changing up the equipment in the kitchen. Talk about the need to organize.
• Speaking of organization, the fact that Raven & Rose is downtown in the entertainment district. So when Chef Padberg mentions that on a Tuesday, the kitchen gets hit by a theater crowd before a show, know that it's a BIG deal. Theater crowds need to have their orders turned around faster than normal customers, because they need to make the show ON TIME. That's extra pressure for the kitchen.
• Making time for your family is important. Chef Padberg mentions he hasn't seen his parents in two years, and they still have to wait to play billiards upstairs before he can enjoy a meal with them. Long hours away from your family and demands on the business can make it really hard on a marriage or relationship.