Life

is all about angles. The angle which you look at something. The angle you slice a piece of meat. The angle the vine is planted on the hill. A small deviation from the desired outcome leads you to a completely different place.

We

Work to make it by. But why is it that we don't work to live?

The small details

I think often we put so much work, time, effort into the smallest of details that seemingly 99% of guests would never recognize the difference in.

But I think the 1% that do, it makes it from a great to euphoric moment, the moment that it all maybe makes sense, the moment where the plate is perfect and truly memorable.

Tomorrow

Some years ago, a bit over seven, is where my story of working in restaurants and cooking began. I had miraculously been offered a job at a French brasserie in Richmond, and was surely an admirable restaurant rookie at the time.

One of our Sous Chef's had come from New York City and was a fantastic cook and better mentor. Currently, he is at The French Laundry in California. Sometime during my tenure, he brought to my attention the Wednesday New York Times, and enlightened me on the dining section and food critic, at the time Frank Bruni. He taught me about the weight the reviewer carries and the paper not only in New York City but around the world. and about how he always bought a copy on the way to work in New York City. So, following my newly gained knowledge, every Wednesday before school I would stop by the convenience store on the way to school and buy a copy of the paper, $2.10. I would look forward to reading it and seeing who the review was of, perhaps I had heard of the restaurant. It was the best day of the week for me, and I soon too felt the weight of the paper and the reviewer. As I would work on Wednesdays, I would bring Chef Joe the copy ever week (I learned a lesson one week of not having it and the disappoint he felt!) and he would read it and then we would talk about the review, the restaurant.

Since those days I have been an avid follower and acknowledge the weight of the "Grey Lady; All the News Fit to Print." Full circle, tomorrow our review comes out here at Racines. Following three visits, we are very hopeful that the current reviewer Pete Wells will be kind to us and award us a positive review (we are of course wishing for 3*, but firmly content and elated with a solid 2*). What a feeling it will be tomorrow to see our humble restaurant following three months of service and dedication by our small team in the New York Times! A dream, and closure of a lifelong dream. Be sure to wish for us, send us Champagne, and check out the article online tomorrow and in print Wednesday. Thank you Chef Joe distilling in me at a young age an appreciation for the true and highest authority in the restaurant industry, the New York Times.

Where

My mind and soul are. Where my food lies!

NYtimes, "Virginia's Lost History"

People

with caring, feeling, emotion,

do they exist anymore?

Are you anywhere out there?

The lessons you carry with;

Not long ago I was a soccer player. For a short tenure of my career as a soccer player, I had a certain young coach who wasn't the best, but a certain lesson was garnered from him.

Thinking back, I seem to think I had this coach for two years time. In no way was he a good coach for soccer or a whole team, we would get screamed at during half time(this was serious soccer leagues.) But I did learn one lesson that has been applicable to life. One that was drilled into us everyday, one that you carry with you.

Always, give it your all. As he would say, "110%." Every, single, day, he would say this. And never had I realized that how important it was or that I had taken it upon myself until the Tuesday night practice after a tournament when at the beginning we were told to stand on the line. He began to ask whom had been substituted during the first game and if the answer was yes, they were to sit. Again with the second. Third. And finally the fourth game, the Championship game, who had been substituted during the game, and if yes, to sit. Who was still standing? Just me? Weird. He pointed it out, in front of the whole team. Why was Collin the only one standing? Because he thought I had been giving it my all, no matter the circumstance, 100% at all times. and that's it. He went as far to say that should you have energy or spirit to run off the field at the end of a game you didn't work hard enough during the game. And this is the way I feel after a difficult dinner service that requires 110% percent concentration. No, I won't clean up quickly. My brain and emotion is shot, and drained. I just gave my all to the service, and haven't much left. It doesn't matter your skill level or intelligence in the end, should you give it your all to a difficult task, in the end promise and success will come.

I carry this philosophy with me in the kitchen. No matter the day circumstance or "weeds" you should be in, if you give it your all in the end no one can be mad at you. You might not be quick enough but who cares, that's you and you worked as hard as humanly possible. That's it.

Kitchen work is hard and grueling. Should you work hard enough respect will come and no matter the circumstance those around you will notice.