Yes Chef
17 years ago, when I was starting out in the industry, these were the only two words I wanted to hear: “Yes, Chef.” I thought being intimidating and bending others to your will was the roadmap to a great chef.
It didn’t take me long to realize this was a bad plan. I wasn’t respected and this was not who I was nor wanted to be. But I didn’t give up on those words. Instead, I gave them a plot twist… I would become a yes-chef, saying “yes” to my team when they pitched a great idea. Saying “yes” to the farmer who had a surplus. And saying “yes” to doing really awesome things with food!
That was an easy transition as this has been my career-long goal. I’ve always wanted to work with local farmers, support local people and get things as fresh as possible, and then let the ingredients shine in their purest form. I wanted a place where I could do some really amazing things!
Enter Rhienna and 1776. As luck would have it, the perfect partnership and opportunity presented itself. I was immediately on board with Rhienna’s vision. At 1776, we don’t try to be something we’re not. Food is something that comes from your soul… it’s about breaking bread in good company. It’s an important part of everyone’s day and we like being a part of that.
And that vision manifests daily. Recently, we had a woman dine with us who really wanted to order the crab cakes, but didn’t think she could because of her allergies. When the server told her we could absolutely accommodate her allergy AND she could order the crab cakes… she was almost in tears. This isn't a rare occurrence -- this happens more often than not. We believe everyone deserves good food, and I am grateful to be a part of that.
There are definitely rough times in this industry, but when you can make that kind of impact on someone’s life, it’s all worth it. There’s nothing else I would rather do.
It turns out I have evolved from the “Yes, Chef” my (naive) young self thought I’d be. Instead, I have grown into the yes-chef I want to be. And that wouldn’t be possible without the amazing team beside me -- they are the force that really make things happen around here.
It’s been one year since I joined the ‘76er family and there has never been a dull moment. It’s been a wild ride and we have only gotten started. So hold on -- we have a lot up our sleeves and it’s only going to get better…
**PSST… a new menu rolls out in April -- stay tuned!**
