08/10/2024
 A great restaurant experience is the combination of many people working together to make the food industry function the way it should. The Owners, Chefs, GM’s, line cooks, servers, bussers, bartenders, Bar managers, distribution companies, product reps, delivery drivers, warehouse workers, farmers, vintners, Brewers, spirit makers, local food producers, and importers all share in the commitment to quality that ultimately leads to a fantastic plate of food in front of you, if everything goes right. The dedicated people involved all have great work ethics, pride in their work, attention to detail, a desire to matter, grit, toughness, sacrifice, love of food, no fear of long hard days. And on the flipside, the stress, insecurity, constant hurdles, seasonal variations, talented worker shortage, food costs, commercial real estate rates and constant need to be relevant and stay relevant can definitely take its toll on the people doing this work!
Being Seattle‘s Juiceman for the last 30+ years has given me an inside view of all it takes to make a good restaurant experience happen. Having the best ingredients and exemplary service has kept me relevant but I’ve learned it’s all about relationships. The commitment to the people in the industry and their belief in me is what has kept this going for my company. I have seen a lot of people come and go. Some chewed up and spit out, others burnt out, others forced out. But it has truly been an honor to work with some of the regions most talented people and dedicated owners, chefs and all the front of house and back of house and management teams.
We lost two people I had the honor to work with this week and what they did for our community is being reflected in the words of the countless people who are honoring their contribution to this world.
I knew Chef Wayne when he was just starting out in Seattle and was so proud to see him entrench himself in our community and lift so many people up. His smile his grace but also his expectation for quality will be missed. I always loved seeing him in the mornings when I brought his juice to him.
Chef Tamara was like my industry mom. She was one of my first clients when I started this company and she always kept me on my toes, made sure I was doing the job right, and even had the humility for moments of modesty when she told me not to give her too much product but then needed more two days later. She trusted me to manage the juice department and was a mentor and friend. She was one of the many people that kept me grounded during Covid and I will always cherish those moments I had with her.
What I’ve learned is… Greatness happens and it also wanes, accolades come and so do bad reviews, customers come and customers go. The most important thing is the people involved in this tough industry. We have a tendency to neglect our own needs to put other people first and overtime that takes a toll on the body and mind. The passing of these two great chefs reminds me that the hard work that leads to an ultimate retirement and a happy meaningful life is absolutely dependent on work life balance and self-care. We in the industry often lose sight of that with the meeting of deadlines and everything it takes to get the job done right.
Relationships matter… I am thankful for all the people that continue to help me raise a family and keep a sense of purpose going in my heart and the juice flowing!
