If I knew then, what I know now...

We all say it, as we grow and look back on our past work...."if I knew then what I know now..." Would my choices have been different? Menu writing, management style, priorities...how would they have been different with my current perspective. One of my greatest joys has been seeing the growth and progress of some of the idividuals that I have worked with over the years. In my seemingly young career, I have now seen a 5th former employ go on to open their own restaurant. Amazingly, 3 former sous chefs are now chef/owners of their own properties. So, in short, whatever I've done in the past it has made it seem possible and for that matter desirable to enter into this crazy business and put one's name on the door. So, if I knew then, what I know now, what would I do differently. Nothing! My advise to all that have chosen the path of ownership...enjoy every minute of it, every little detail. Bringing in the garbage cans on Christmas morning when the whole city is quiet. Answering the fire department's call at 3am to a false alarm. Getting your first great review. Being the first one in the building and the last one out, far too often. The look on the guest's face when they tell you it was the best meal of their lives. People ask me from time to time if I ever want to have my own restaurant again, and my answer is usually the same...you never know...

What happened to the classics???

Why must everything be NEW and innovative? I know that being in the development business, I might sound like a heretic. But let's discuss this for a second. The culinary arts used to be considered a trade, more like brick laying than impressionist painting. Nowadays with the growing popularity of restaurants such as Alinea, WD-50 and the hundreds of others dabbling in "molecular-gastronomy" there is a growing generation of cooks that are only driven by the "new and different". I fear we are loosing touch with the true building blocks of the art form. Bread baking and charcuterie are great examples of lost skills. Ask a budding chef to make a classic country pate or rustic bread and they'll glaze over. Frankly, I am going on strike. I want to encourage others to do the same. By no means am I saying we need to be Euro-centric about this...it could be a great bowl of Pho! My point is lets celebrate the craft. Spread the word, invite over friends to make home-made pasta. Teach your children to make bread from scratch and most importantly, put a classic dish on your menu without an apology or a modern twist. Don't be lured in by the press tauting the next great culinary genius. The genius I am inspired by, is the ability to make the perfect baguette day after day.