Rants – CONTRIBUTE to the BALANCE of the BOUNTY of nature

Thinking about eating watermelon in the summer and then I start thinking about how much that just makes complete sense and is so healthy… And then I start thinking about eating seasonally and how healthy that JUST MUST BE for like obvious reasons and that should be the norm for us. But it’s not.
Its not even a concern to consider an EVOLVED NORM for our species as far as listening to the earth and our own bodies. And why would there be an EVOLVED NORM for diet and agriculture when we are still arguing about WHY we should bother to stop polluting our home? It is a soulful decision to eat locally and with the seasons and a trendy one but make no mistake a good one, nonetheless.

Cooking and Rhyming with the seasons is a gorgeous life to live. Full of watermelon in Summer and squash in Fall… It seems so anatomically correct to eat and enjoy these things with others; to share the experience of the bounty, the bounty of nature. It also seems good to give thanks.
And mean it.
Thanks for the blessings of this bounty of nature we all seem to take for granted at times. And it also just seems respectful to contribute.
To CONTRIBUTE to the BALANCE of the BOUNTY of nature.
That just makes sense. Yup.
So how do we contribute? EASY, so easy. Eat seasonally. Do it in groups. Enjoy it. Talk about how to make it better. Eat again. Drink well. Oh and one more thing… try and grow shit. As much as possible, wherever possible. And we mean it. Why is it too much to ask to have an EVOLVED system? How can we still be arguing about the silly stuff? We know what we should eat yet we don’t, so why? Imagine a system designed to work in harmony with our earth and our species. Something so perfect can be nothing but the answer for us all. That system is surely a NATURAL ONE. Void of commerce but rich in good minds and ideas. Minds devoid of incentives other than mankind itself. I just don’t think it’s too much to ask to have an evolved agriculture system in place by now. Incas/Romans/Etruscans all had it.
Why don’t we?

RECIPES – PASTA POMODORINI

So a quick pasta pomodorini recipe for the summer with pictures… Start by cutting all your cherry/pear tomatoes in half with a sharp knife. Then in a sauté pan or a shallow wok pan toast slices of garlic till brown on edges in extra virgin over low heat. Add in your tomatoes and sauté them till they are soft enough to smash with a potato smasher, then add a lil’ water and reserve. Finally, cook your pasta (farro penne is pictured) till a nice al dente and then toss immediately with the tomatoes!

Rants- are we dead enough to be alive enough?

Ever since I can remember I’ve gotten lost inside films. The world around me just fades away as I watch and listen. At times I literally need to be hit with something to break my trance.
Such an amazing art form. I guess it is an escape…
I don’t think we really understand the impact of even the stupidest films on our lives. They are life’s yard markers.
Media.
So important.
And with the present climate so turbulent and volatile and uncertain we find ourselves very very uncertain. Stupid is as stupid does.
When the internet took over media years ago it was scary. But what about now? Should we still be scared? Rules have changed but have we?
Shit always rolls downhill. And for sure its the common man that’s suffered the most in this revolution and recession and reorganization of jobs and the workplace.
Natural selection is truly a bitch but it is the first principle of evolution and it is why we are who we are AND why we are still here. Isn’t EVERY LIFE no matter how seemingly meaningless in fact profoundly meaningful since it all contributes to natural selection? Vibrancy and commitment to life’s order and progression is what keeps a person alive and well from WITHIN and WITHOUT life’s casualties.
Stay alert and present especially through your suffering and hardship, and its that much easier to love and be loved.
If you’re on the treadmill you’re already dead. It’s the anger and unwillingness to accept our fates that threatens everything we have. It’s the anger that comes with not believing you DESERVE your plight in life.
I’ve been fighting back anger in the pit of my loins these past few months. I don’t feel like I can make a difference sometimes and it hurts. Then I realize that I already do make such a big difference to so many of the people in my life that I calm down but still feel so unfinished. I guess it’s just chronic ambition that I’m cursed with. My work just never feels even close to done. My pathology is I never want it to end.
Ever feel like you are never alive enough? Does that even make any sense? Alive enough. Who could ever claim such a thing? Or dead enough?
None of us are dead enough to feel alive enough. And vice versa.
There’s a good thing happening in all our lives right now and I worry if we are alive or even dead enough to appreciate it. Times are changing. I don’t think we can ever go back to the way it used to be or the way we used to feel. Are we all ok with that?
I think more than ever in our communities across the globe there’s a new soul to our world emerging. Its fastidious and it lurks under things. It’s the next evolution of our kind. I hope I live to see it but I’m also quite terrified of it. I guess its cause I wanna steer it. Control. Bad idea.
As a business person you want constants. As many constants as you can create.
But life is not about constants. It’s about motion and love. Even from a very basic standpoint our culture of excess is counterintuitive to life. And overwhelms us with sadness even at the height of success. We attempt possession of everything we see. We covet and then we lie to possess it. We lie that we even need it. We are so good at lying.
But what else do we know? We know no other way to live. We don’t live in an age of philosophy. We live in the digital age.
Faceless. But somehow so over-exposed.
There are so many voices now. So many that there are few left to truly find…
Clutter is eclipsing true genius everyday in this digital world. And corruption is neutralizing the truly inspired at an alarming rate. But this is our age and if history teaches us anything it’s that life always evolves. Always seeks the light. Always cleanses itself. Yup.
We are a world of sales pitches. Does that sound evolved to anyone? Yet I know no other way.
Where are the true leaders of our time? What would the media do to them?
We are a vicious mob folks. But yet we do love don’t we? We love hard still. We surprise ourselves.
Let’s chew in unison.

Rants – “Rules of the road”

Okay, so, major pet peeve of mine and I’m sure PLENTY of you as well. People who ignore the obvious rules of the road.
Rule # 1. The LEFT lane is the passing lane. YOU DO NOT just drive in this lane unless you are moving faster than anyone who wants to pass. If someone comes up behind you and is traveling faster than you….
your choices are:
1. Speed up so they do not need to pass
2. Move ASAP over so they can pass you and continue at their preferred speed.
It’s not an ego thing.
It’s not a “whose car is faster” game, or a “whose a better driver” test.
Or a “time to slow the guy behind you down” match/initiative
It’s simple.
Its common road courtesy to allow the faster driver through. And to allow him to continue UNIMPEDED by you (the SLOWER DRIVER).
We obey many rules of the road without questions.
We stop at stop lights.
We ride in our own lanes.
We use our steering wheels to steer.
This rule is no different from those.
Now there are two ways to let someone asleep at the wheel know you want to pass.
1. Left blinker on as u approach the slow driver
2. Flashing brights.
Now, many say “why not just pass on the right side”? Because it’s dangerous. That’s where we have the biggest blind spot.
On a 3 lane highway the far right is for super slow pokes, trucks and anyone about to exit. The middle for normal traffic and left for PASSING and fast traffic. Now I can tell you right now if we just add those rules to other rules like AVOIDING RUNNING INTO EACH OTHER and HITTING THE BRAKES TO STOP, WE’RE ALL GOOD. I mean why obey some road rules but not all? Why get in the way of others? Why drive in the left lane slowly when you can do it in the right lane? On the Autostrade and other highways in Europe these rules are common knowledge.
Why not here?

Rants- “A good restaurant has a good soul” Part One

So. Been quiet for a while folks. Been very pensive lately AND working on a new restaurant project. Finally back to what I do best. Its crazy but I have 5 different restaurant concepts rolling round in my head. What I like to do in NYC is find a space first and then decide what to put in it. I think that’s really the way to go. The space is the most important first step to a successful restaurant. Begin with the space and then imagine what to do.
Having an idea and then trying to fit it into the spaces/areas that are available is dangerous. It’s like square peg round hole WAY to often.
Show some balls people. Let the space tell you what to do. FALL IN LOVE WITH THE SPACE FIRST. Then imagine what will work there. Be creative.
There is nothing more exciting than opening a restaurant. The whole process is my juice. I have realized that I can’t live without it. Sigh.
From location to concept to design to construction to menu to wine to staff to chaos; it’s everything I’ve learned to do and love in a nutshell.
What should the guests’ first impression be? What should they feel in a new place? What’s the most important thing to concentrate on?
A new restaurant needs a few things to succeed.
First you have to just “get it” as soon as you walk in the place. Even before you walk in. The concept and its delivery has to be flawless. The first step is to communicate it to your staff beautifully, passionately and simply. Everyone has to just immediately know what it is you are going to be doing there. And you have to give them stories to tell. Many many stories. How do you do that? You do cool stuff. You add theater and you add drama. You hire interesting people. WORD OF MOUTH starts with something worth remembering.
I will continue this soon. Consider this part one.
A lot to cover and its dinner time. Consider that a tease.
Remember this:
A RESTAURANT HAS TO HAVE A GOOD SOUL.
Yup

Rants – “perception and how it steers life”

So was thinking the other day about perception.
Perception is a tricky device.
What I perceive, what you might perceive, what they perceive.
Mostly I’ve been thinking about how my perception steers me, and moreover how what I think others perceive about me steers my life.
Just something as simple as what I might wear tonight is, to a certain extent, derived by what I imagine I want others to perceive tonight. It’s a subconscious thing of course but most would never wear something that they perceive others would ridicule. And that’s just fashion.
What about conversation?
Do you think about what you say and how it might be perceived before you say it?
We fear looking stupid, saying something stupid or behaving stupidly yet nothing interesting ever happens unless someone does something stupid.
Stupid. Great word.
Silly. Another great word.
Dumb. Even better.
I particularly like the word jackass. Or horses-ass. All really fun stuff.
We really just take things too seriously. So much so that it’s painful at times. Jumping out of your comfort zone sparks fun and creativity. I’d venture to say that just about every group of friends has one token jackass. And thank god for his/hers weird outfits and strange outbursts. So while you’re getting ready for dinner or whatever tonight put on that dress that you haven’t had the nerve to wear. Or the red shoes, and the loud shirt. And better yet say the first stupid thing that comes into your head at dinner. Blurt it the fuck out.
And don’t apologize. Just run with it. Go into at least one evening a week of complete NON-CONFORMITY. Imagine that? A fearless and fun you in an unusual outfit. Nothing is more disarming.
There are things I have been afraid to say and wear through my whole life because of what I perceive will be the reaction. Nowadays that’s how I pick my clothing and conversation.
Say and wear what is sure to “stir the pot” or just stay home cause you bore me to death. What you normally wear sucks. Trust me it just does. We are all bored to death. What you usually talk about is really boring. Please stop.
Planning out your life for every detail with perception in mind is the equivalent of being dead to begin with.
So grab the risqué. Really grab a hold of it. It’s the best part of everything. Everyday can be exciting if you want it to be. Everyday can BE FUN. When you decide to BE FUN instead of predictable everybody wins. When you choose honesty and intimacy over obsessive perceptionalizing, you can RELAX. I am more relaxed around lunatics than I am around conformists.
I will take the nutcases over the liars everyday of the week.
Conformists following the trends and quoting the quoteables. Yawn. Instead give me a guy that sees dead people, speaks in riddles and wears chaps.
I also want the guy/gal with the infectious laugh. I want him/her bad. That’s the best trait to have EVER.
So to summarize;
dress like a fool,
laugh uncontrollably,
and speak out of turn as much as possible.
And if you really want to draw a crowd, NEVER TALK SHIT EVER. It’s tough I know. But when you do you might as well be talking about yourself.

I’m off to shower and throw something really stupid and unusual on. Have a great night folks!

Rants – “revenge is toxic to life”

There some people in this world that I really have a hard time calling human. Somehow they are so twisted that they are completely toxic to everyone. Talking to these types of people is like diffusing a time bomb. They are constantly looking for someone to fight to make themselves feel better. When I encounter them I first feel the anger that most would but that quickly turns to pity. I pity anyone who concentrates on hate over love.
Moreover these types specialize in evil laughter. For me there is nothing more sick than injuring someone and then having a good laugh.
We all entertain revenge at some point in our lives. Humans with mental fortitude manage to resist the cycle and not feed it.
Some take it as weakness NOT to seek revenge. Nothing could be further from the truth. It takes great strength and mental fortitude to resist it. The cycle of revenge can take your entire life down into ashes. Just the spiritual damage alone could take you years to shake. Everyone loses with revenge.
The problem is what do you do when someone comes after you hard? They want revenge, you know it, so now what? This is an incredible challenge. The challenge is to defend yourself without feeding the fire. This takes a mental fortitude and self-awareness that few possess.
You have to know who you are at all times through the fight.
You have to be very clear with your message. And you must not allow it to poison you.
I’ve gone through a few of these types of fights recently and I can tell you it has strained the lengths of my patience and made me question who I am. The exercise is a valid one though, very valid. I’m happy this has happened to me because it has made me 20 times stronger then ever before. So the lesson as always for me is? Always remain calm, no matter what. Get to the root of the issue as quickly as possible and don’t be afraid.

You know the form “my revenge” ends up taking?
Gratitude.
Grateful that you have made me take inventory of my life where as otherwise I would have not.
Gratitude where I have now also realized who my real friends are. Gratitude that when this is all over I’m still true to myself.
I always tell myself this fact.
If someone has chosen to spend so much of their time trying to take you down they must truly fear your POWER.
They must truly see you as an adversary that they can then “steal” some of your luster.
But that’s the bitch of it all.
They just look worse.
Again.
When you talk shit about people you might as well be just talking about yourself. Same with revenge. It just polarizes your shortcomings.

And that’s all I have to say about that…
And that is some seriously bad human behavior that starts wars and even genocide. Yup.

Driving in Italy

Driving in Italy from theunknownchef on Vimeo.

observation- The Blame Game

The Blame Game. Its really quite simple to pay BP back for this. Don’t buy their gas anymore. There are millions of people at their pumps as we speak. STOP PUMPING. I feel really bad for all the seafood centric restaurants out there. They are about to take an enormous hit. Small biz just keeps getting WHACKED nowadays cause they don’t have lobbyists and can’t afford high power attorneys and accountants.
I think it’s fair to say that the entire world is in a “collective depression” about this oil disaster. That’s the power of the Internet.
Are we realizing now the incredible ramifications of this spill? Of ANY NATURAL DISASTER on the earth and the TOLL it takes on all of us? Are we going to start to take environmental issues more seriously now and stop arguing over whether we have any effect of the earth? Are we going to learn ANYTHING at all from this?
Please let’s begin THAT dialogue immediately. Cause this finger pointing shit is getting us NOWHERE. There needs to be more oversight on shit that THREATENS THE EARTH. There needs to be more dialogue WITHOUT POLITICS on what’s right for earth.
This conversation needs to begin with the acceptance that WE DO HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE EARTH.
Please accept that now everyone. It’s time. And then and only then can we have a serious climate discussion AND a serious environmental discussion. Acceptance is the first step.
We should not need the threat of global warming to inspire is to take care of the earth.
That is some backwards ass shit. Yup.
And we shouldn’t need the threat of another BLUNDER like this one of EPIC proportions to inspire us to change all our personal ways. But we will won’t we? We will need another disaster to learn. Governments? Big business? I’m your FATHER right now and I’m very angry with you. It’s only when we stop accepting things that we know are FUCKED for the norm that anything will ever move in the right direction. BP is easy to punish for this. Obama is easy to blame for this. But you know who’s really to blame? ALL OF US WHO BUY GAS. Yup. So for Christ’s sake let’s get OUT OF THE BLAME GAME and into the SOLUTION and then FUTURE PREVENTION discussion.
Mr. President, please stop dancing.
This is not the time to dance.
This is the time to lead.
Ignore the polls and do so and let history judge.
I know that I did not help your campaign expecting you to appease the polls when you got into office. Act unilaterally with information in front of you and solve it.
Then let’s look at the problems we have ALL OF US and form an American game plan which HAS TO BE the most aggressive ever written.
We must dictate. We must continue to set the example for the world and get out of this STUPID imperialistic/empire phase. It’s immature and silly on so many levels.
We are the United States of America and let’s try not to forget it. We stepped up to the NAZIS so we can step up this.
Yup. Calm. We need to first calm down. All of us. More than any of us you Mr. President. There has to be an answer to this. We will get through this. But it will feel a whole lot better for us all if we ALSO take the opportunity to EVOLVE because of it, and won’t that feel good?

Then maybe we can teach all our kids about cooking and nutrition to make me personally very happy and all good on my end. All positive baby.

And that’s all I got to say about that… For now

Barolo