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For Dreamers.

When I was a young apprentice at The French Laundry, I was extremely nervous all of the time. I was so
honored to be there, living my dream, but also incredibly driven and determined to do a good job. I was in a
constant state of intense anxiety and physical discomfort for the better part of 2 years. The chefs who worked
there were so talented and had this edge about them. I was a going through basic training, amongst a kitchen
filled with elite marines (Corey Lee, Lachlan Patterson, Timothy Hollingsworth, and Ryan Poli to name a
few). The atmosphere was thick with discipline, precision, urgency, and intensity. The Sous Chefs were like
culinary deities. It seemed they knew everything. There was no ingredient they hadnt heard of, no technique
they hadnt mastered, no situation they werent in control of Thomas Kellers Spartans.

During the 3+ years I worked for him, Thomas Keller would occasionally ask me in a very discerning tone, what
will your legacy be? I would try not to act confused and respond with some sort of I want to have a Michelin-
starred restaurant one day, or I want to be a great chef who makes creative food, I had no fucking clue what
he was talking about. He would even slip small shards of paper in my personal notebook occasionally. These
thoughtfully crafted notes always surfaced on incredibly busy days where the kitchen was firing on all cylinders
and I was dutifully prepping and getting ready for service. Racing through said notebook for a recipe only to
discover a note, written in his unmistakeable calligraphy. What will your legacy be? It would take nearly 16
years for me to begin to understand what he was trying to tell me. He was a true mentor, someone who cares
as much about philosophy and ideology, as he does for his craft. I would (and still do) think about that question
all the time. I have at various points of my career thought that I had understood the question, and even at times
thought that I had found an answer only to be left humbled by his words.
Such a fundamental question presented to such a young developing chef. It lay in my consciousness like a form
of inception, slowly permeating through my work and process over several years. I can honestly say, it has been
and continues to be one of the most powerful forces that drives me as a chef and after 16 years i have come to
realize that this question is one that has no correct response. It is something only I can answer and in doing so
becoming a part of something bigger than myself.

The professional kitchen is historically comprised of contrast and divergence. It is a place where dreams are
simultaneously fulfilled and crushed. Men and women from all walks of life working together, or against each
other, for the greater good of the restaurant or personal self-aggrandizement. It is a world of noise and
harmony, of chaos and structure. As chefs, we live in this world of contradiction. We arrest ourselves utterly
and completely to the craft and the life, welcoming the obvious dilemmas and inevitable sacrifices. It is because
of this complex web of disparity that I have achieved clarity in my process for how I operate and who I want to
be included in the restaurant. To see this in practice you need to look no further than Destroyer, our little
comet. Few things make me prouder of Destroyer than the team that gives it life. Each member of our team was
chosen for very specific reasons which had little or nothing to do with their cooking ability. In fact, I never once
looked at any of their resumes. I still dont know where some of them worked prior, but I can tell you I receive
emails daily from guests and patrons who remark on the warmth and grace of our staff.

As I reflect on my life to find my biggest inspirations, I think about my grandfather often. No gentler soul has
ever walked this earth. I think about whether he would be proud of me, of the person I have become. In this
seemingly absurd, yet precious industry we have created, we often forget about what it means to be a good
and thoughtful person. Our days are constantly filled with so much noise, its difficult to have a moment of quiet
reflection. It is critical for me to surround myself with individuals who are kind and decent souls. When hiring
any position, for me, it is most important to learn about a persons humanity. I care more about humility, honor,
and genuineness in a person, than we do about their resume. There is an art form in building a kitchen. Finding
and curating a group of individuals comprised of any background, age, gender, culture, or skill set, to create a
beautiful harmony and generate a positive energy in our home. I would argue that energy is the most
important aspect of the working environment and extends to the dining experience. The kitchen is a scared
space and negativity prohibits art and creativity from flourishing, therefore it is not welcome. It is just as
important that I encourage my staff to display humility as it is to cook a piece of fish properly or how to mend a
broken ganache. My achievements as a chef are in the relationships I foster and to help influence the next
generation to always be our best selves. To always remember that generosity and compassion supersede ego
and the bullshit we fabricate within our perceived reality. When we look back on our lives, and reflect on the
work we have done, most of us wont remember the minutia that fills our day to day. What wont be forgotten is
what we leave behind in others making sure to inspire and encourage critical thinking. To honor those before
me I must continue to perpetuate and nurture a thoughtful and necessary gesture and ideology that was given
to me and has been such an important part of my life as a chef. It can be as simple as leaving a small, hand-
written note in a young cooks notebook.

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