Cancer steals a super chef’s sense of taste
Stoicism, resilience
From the start, Achatz made it clear that he considered cancer an unpleasant interruption, that would not affect his standards or his creativity.
His understanding of ingredients didn't die with chemo, Achatz pointed out. Nor did his flavor memory. And though he no longer trusted his own palate, he did trust that of his sous-chef who had worked with him for years.
But all the mental fortitude in the world couldn't conceal the horror of being strapped onto a gurney, a huge, black radiation machine humming as it gunned deadly rays into his tongue.
Achatz's face burned. He couldn't swallow. His mouth became a raging mass of pain and he spent nights throwing up pieces of burnt skin.
It was torture for Achatz to stay away from his restaurant. Though he often drove straight to work after treatment, there were days he simply couldn't let staff or clients see how sick he was.
Even the doctors marveled at Achatz's stoicism and resilience. He remained an outpatient, even during the worst days. He refused a feeding tube, forcing himself to swallow, no matter what, because doctors said that would speed recovery.
In mid-December, Achatz returned to the hospital for a final checkup. He still couldn't taste and his immune system was spent. He needed physical therapy, speech therapy, swallowing therapy and it would probably be a year before he would feel normal again.
But the scans were clear. The cancer was gone.
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