The Nude Kitchen Hand

How does a young, educated European translator seeking warmer climes find himself as a stripper on the icy southern Australian island of Tasmania? Why would a sun-loving gym junkie leave a holiday paradise like LA's Venice Beach to eke out a living by selling his body instead of using his wits? Why would a cultured gastronome with a love of culinary excellence end up in the kitchens of seedy dining establishments? Could it be love, adventure, or naiveté? Or could it be a powerful combination of all that?