Alright, so summer has been interesting to say the least. I attempted to get externships and/or cooking jobs within independent restaurants with little success. From the advice I had received on this board, and from other sources (books, internet, personal experiences, etc.) I had decided that I wanted to apply only with independent restaurants where the owner had a true hands-on impact on the business--i.e. no corporate chains. I am not ripping on corporate chain restaurants in the least. I...