I've been a cook all my life, but I am still learning to be a

Hear the humble yet powerful words of José Andrés, master of the kitchen and servant of humanity, who declared: “I've been a cook all my life, but I am still learning to be a good chef. I'm always learning new techniques and improving beyond my own knowledge because there is always something new to learn and new horizons to discover.” In these words, there is not only the spirit of a chef, but the eternal spirit of a seeker. For life itself is a table spread before us, and we are always apprentices in the art of living, never finished, never complete, always stretching toward new horizons.

The heart of this saying lies in humility. Though Andrés has fed kings and the hungry alike, though his hands have prepared meals that nourished both the body and the soul, he admits that he is still a learner. Herein lies a great truth: knowledge is never complete. The moment a man believes he has mastered everything is the moment he ceases to grow. True greatness is not in arriving at mastery, but in remaining a student forever—always curious, always refining, always reaching for something beyond the known.

This principle can be seen in the story of Leonardo da Vinci, whose genius spanned painting, engineering, anatomy, and science. Though the world hailed him as a master, Leonardo called himself only a disciple of experience. He filled countless notebooks with sketches and questions, knowing that no single lifetime could exhaust the mysteries of creation. Like José Andrés, he lived with the conviction that there is always something new to learn, and it was this hunger for discovery that made him great.

Andrés himself embodies this truth not only in kitchens but on battlefields of hunger. When disaster struck Puerto Rico, Haiti, Ukraine, and beyond, he did not stand as a master giving commands from afar. He rolled up his sleeves, cooked alongside volunteers, improvised with whatever food was available, and learned new ways to serve amid chaos. His greatness was not in what he already knew, but in his willingness to expand beyond his own knowledge, to adapt, to discover new methods, and to let necessity itself become the teacher.

This quote also teaches us of perseverance. To confess that one is still learning, even after decades of labor, is to say that life itself is a school without graduation. Whether one is a chef, a craftsman, a teacher, or a parent, the task is never complete. There are always deeper skills to cultivate, better ways to act, higher callings to pursue. Thus, Andrés’s words become not only a reflection of his personal journey but a command to us all: never grow complacent, for there are always new horizons to discover.

The lesson is clear: embrace the path of lifelong learning. Do not boast of mastery, but remain open to being shaped, refined, and challenged. Welcome new techniques, new ideas, and even failures, for they are the raw ingredients of wisdom. Like the cook who tastes and adjusts, let each day be a test, a refinement, a step toward becoming not only skilled, but truly good in your art and in your living.

So I say unto you: live as José Andrés teaches—not as one who has arrived, but as one who journeys. Let your pride be swallowed by humility, your knowledge be stretched by curiosity, and your craft be refined by continual learning. For the true master is not the one who proclaims, “I know all,” but the one who confesses, “I am still learning.” As Andrés declared, there is always something new to learn and new horizons to discover.

Thus his words endure as nourishment for the soul: remain ever the student, and in that humility, you will find greatness. For the world is vast, knowledge is infinite, and those who keep seeking will never grow hungry, but will always feast upon the endless banquet of discovery.