Menu changes and risking it all, week after week.

I’m going to keep this short to avoid reducing the newly acquired social media followers brought in by @healthyishdani. For those of you who have been with us from the beginning, thank you. For those of you who are new, I’d love to bring you in closer to who we are, what we do, and why. 

I’m a young cook, both in age and experience. Any “good” that I do in the kitchen is derived from an increasingly symbiotic relationship between the chaos in my head and the tactile experiences of my daily life as a husband, father, and now farmer. To me, my job as a cook has almost nothing to do with cooking. Do I enjoy eating great food, as well as making great food for people to enjoy…sure/yes/occasionally. 

But honestly, my personal creative process and passion comes from… the crippling need to tell stories through the colors, textures, and flavors only a cook can bring to life on the humble canvas of a plate. Sounds dramatic, but unfortunately it's true. 

Quick but obvious side-note. All the “good” that I do in the kitchen is also 100% made feasible by my incredible team: John, Rylie, Jess, Erika, Luke, Landon, Becca, Ky, Clint, Matt, and Steven (not even to mention our incredible day-time cafe team, and also not listed in any order). It's not humble or scripted of me to list off these names; rather it would be awful, delusional, and dishonest to not. Any success we find will be a result of our collective efforts, creativity, and skill. 

So what is the temptation of a young cook? Simply, to impress. Now at first glance you would think that I mean to impress customers. But sadly the natural sickness of one who is called to this life runs deeper than you may think. Unfortunately and oftentimes, it is solely the ego of the cook that demands being impressed. I have theories on why this may be, but honestly the safest bet is that only the MOST arrogant person would choose to try to impress the masses with salt, fat, acid, and heat.

That being said, there is an opportunity to do good in the kitchen. An opportunity to forsake one's own ego, to perfect and crave the practice of teamwork; to authentically embrace life's vibrant moments, joys, and challenges; and to strive to represent it all on a silly piece of porcelain. While my journey as a cook has just recently started, I do feel confident from both my own past experiences, as well as the observance of those around me, that this is a worthwhile pursuit, and one that I am so grateful to be a part of. 

So why do we change the menu so often, risking it all week after week? Because complacency represents the failure to kill one's own ego, and the greatest accolades in this art form are found in its success. If we ever stop doing the above, it means we have given up, quit, chosen to merely satisfy the carnal senses in a safe and predictable way.

I hope you find this weekend's menu not only delicious, but also impactful, meaningful, and inspiring in some way.