Thomas Keller, the chef behind landmark Napa Valley restaurant The French Laundry (as well as Per Se, Bouchon, etc.) recently gave a talk at Stanford where he shared his disgust with the common usage of the word “passion.”
In the above video he talks about the difference between passion and desire, and ultimately says it’s desire he looks for in aspiring chefs. “Passion ebbs and flows,” he asserts. “I mean have you ever had a relationship with somebody?”