New Year... New You?
2025 Goals & Reflections
Happy New Year Friends
Week 1 of 52 is in the books for 2025 so before dropping new recipes and kitchen hacks I wanted to share a few personal goals I have for 2025.
My friends and I have a good laugh every new years with the popular “New Year New Me” pitches you see all over.
2024 was a big adjustment year for me. While the temptation is always for people to make new years resolutions that inevitably get forgotten or discarded, I did see somewhere about giving yourself a reasonable amount of time to make lasting changes.
One example are crash diets: they seldom work for people because you’re trying to cram big results in a short time frame but not changing your lifestyle.
Instead of writing off resolutions completely I sat down and reflected on things I want to put effort into for 2025 and make some meaningful progress.
My list will probably look very different than yours but feel free to drop comments below on any resolutions you’re setting for 2025, I’d love to hear.
Work Life Balance:
After being back in a commercial kitchen for over a year now, the schedule and hours are a grind. However, I can do a better job of being more disciplined and keeping up with admin work etc on my work days which should mostly leave me free to enjoy days off with minimal intrusion.
This should be a big help mentally for me.
Exploring Hong Kong & Mainland China:
Living in Asia over one year now I realized how much I still have to explore in Hong Kong and across the Mainland border.
To be honest many days off were spent catching up on sleep and rest, leaving little motivation to go out and explore.
After showing my parents around for ~2 weeks it ignited a deeper curiosity and determination to fully immerse myself in the local culture.
I’ve now compiled a list of over 100 local spots on my Google map and I will be planning weekly areas to go visit, walk around and of course eat! The numerous wet markets I’ve also decided I need to be visiting on a regular basis with my camera in tow.
Hong Kong History
On top of that, Hong Kong has a very interesting history for me. Not just politically with the British lease and subsequent handover to mainland china, but also how the island was built out and expanded architecturally.
I’ve got a few books lined up that I will be going to and decreasing some screen time.
If you want to see a cool photo array of the evolution of the HK skyline check it out here
Return to Basque:
A top priority is a return to Basque for a few weeks and work with a chef who was Alain Ducasse’s head saucier for 20 years. This opportunity falls in line with my professional development and my love for the Basque country which stole my heart when I visited in 2024.
Health:
Kitchen hours make regular meal times challenging. I’m cooking when every “normal” person is sitting down to eat. Add to that the constant tasting to ensure quality on the plate and the calories pile up and I didn’t make the progress I had hoped for in 2024.
To counter that, I’ve got a morning walking route scouted out. Hong Kong also has a lot of hiking trails; a hikers paradise if you will. I’ve put a list of 10 hikes (to start with) that I want to begin with and increase the difficulty.
Home kitchens are also tiny in Hong Kong so space is limited. On a semi daily basis I’ll be hitting the local wet market for primarily fish and vegetables to prepare more meals at home (outside of my work kitchen).
Writing:
In 2023 & 2024 I purchased 2 quality fountain pens that caught my eye with the purpose of spending more time writing pen-to-paper. This year I’ve setup some journals (Puerh tea & a creative journal) to put these lovely pens to regular use.
Puerh Tea:
I’ve compiled a nice collection of Raw & Ripe Puerh teas alongside a nice clay tea pottery set. I’m now integrating these into my daily routine to explore, enjoy and find the specific styles and producers of Puerh tea that I really love. It’s a deep rabbit hole ot go down and should be fun (plus tasty!). Recording my tasting notes in a tea diary will help me stay organized and be a great reference.
There are other things that I need to work on. Specifically with promoting my spice line better and “planning” some e-cookbook releases this year.
Instead of overwhelming myself with a ton of goals… the above are a well rounded collection of things in my life which should bring some enjoyment, enrichment and pleasure.
Comment below with any resolutions you want to share or feedback on what I’ve written above.