marmadukeGRYLLSreal talk though anyone looking into getting into cooking either as a hobby or a profession...learn the basics (protein temps, mother sauces, how to hold a knife, how to blanch, etc) and then just experiment man. you'll make some really awful shit but also some really good shit.
also anyone interested in the life of a chef can see some of the top .01%'ers on netflix's Chef's Table. I blew through the entire season pretty fast, was really really interesting.
Chef's Table was pretty great, very beautifully directed too
my fav episodes being the Magnus Nilsson and Dan Barber ones (even if Massimo Bottura is probably THE most highly respected chef there)
and if yall have netflix, some other recommendations:
-Jiro Dreams of Sushi
-any of Anthony Bourdain's shows, but keeping in theme with Chef's Table I'd go first for the El Bulli episode of No Reservations or the Noma episode of Parts Unknown
-The Mind of a Chef (although April Bloomfield's half of season 2 was disappointing)
-whatever episodes of Good Eats are available
-guilty pleasure will always be Chopped