Kaws v. Claude Monet

I make the best decomposed Key Lime pie in the world, but I refuse to eat at food trucks.

Have you heard pompous Chefs make ridiculous statements like this?

People always assume that since I have a background in the restaurant industry that I am an arrogant eater. Looking back in my early years of cutting my teeth in the kitchen with a bunch of crazy young cooks, we were cooking amazing food and learning from people who worked with some of the industry's heavy hitters.

Meanwhile, we were running off the fuel of late night bar food, ramen, and whatever we could throw together while hanging out at apartments of friends we went to battle with after a busy night on the line. 

Did we enjoy the taste of duck breast, spiny tail lobster, or whatever dope food we were lucky enough to get in and run as specials? Of course we did. As I grew into leadership positions with the team, so did my taste buds.

What that doesn't mean is: I forgot what I ate before. 

I still love risotto, and lobster... but I also love my cheap frozen pizzas. 

I hate chitterlings.

I respect the history of the dish for everything that it means to my family and people who look like me. I am also a dude who can still eat a can of potted meat that people frown upon—the same people that rave about the pâté. IYKYK.

It's food. It all has a story.

Consider the single mom struggling between jobs who gives her kids fast food because it's the only option.

Contrast that with the upper class family who throws extravagant dinner parties using expensive items that would make Bobby Flay blush.

It all has its place.

Yes, I am proud of all the things I've accomplished, but it's never been at the expense of another chef's reputation.

There's no room for hate here.

On any level.

Culinary Arts is real, and—like most art—it's subjective.

KAWS is just as dope as Claude Monet to me.

Jack Kirby and Stan Lee are more known.

It's all meant to bring you joy.

Futo Buta will alway live in my heart, as will the fine dining experiences I have shared with my wife, Michelle. 

All of this leads me to say this, we are ALL HOSPITALITY.

Work your kitchen with joy no matter if you are rolling sushi, putting random foam on dehydrated radishes, smoking a pork butt, or even dropping an order of chicken fingers into a fryer. 

We are all in this game to get a check, fill someone's belly and hopefully put a smile on their face.

Stop looking down on one another—at the end of the day it's not about you.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

If they think you painted a beautiful picture, that's all that matters. Believe that.