OH, MAN. My biggest failure was definitely on season 10 of
Top Chef. I went back to the finale and did a cuisine that
wasn’t true to my heart. It taught me a lesson to be yourself,
cook from the heart, and that’s it. That’s what I try to do, just repre-
sent my family and my background. In my new restaurant [Lineage,
in Maui], we serve a dish called pork and peas, which is a humble
dish that my father makes and my family makes. It’s exactly how
we serve it at home. It’s not deconstructed or cheffed up and made
pretty. I’m super proud that we can do that in our restaurant. A few
years ago, I’d have been too scared to do that. I’d think that I had to
take it apart and just be inspired by it—not serve it how it really is.”
“
SHELDON SIMEON
CHEF AND JAMES BEARD AWARD SEMIFINALIST,
MAUI, HAWAII
WHEN I STARTED my company Indigo Road [in Charleston], I
took over a failing restaurant. We lost money for two years.
Then I changed the people. I got the right people who culturally
felt—like I did—that we had to first be hospitable to each other before we
could be hospitable to our guests. It changed everything overnight, and
the restaurant got busy. Now it’s 15 years old and having a great life.”
STEVE PALMER
RESTAURATEUR AND BEN’S FRIENDS COFOUNDER,
CHARLESTON
I SAT IN THE WINE CELLAR enjoying my first meal of
the day at 11:30 p.m. I was tired, and I felt proud of
the work, but something felt deeply out of align-
ment. The restaurant was doing well, but I felt unwell. Tired
and consistently lacking in peace of mind. I was taking care
of so many people, but I was failing to take care of myself.
It was time to let go, to step down, to create space for myself.
I learned the value of acknowledging when we need to take a pause
from serving the ambition of others. No one can do that for you—you
have to give yourself permission to do so, and to do it well.”
VINNY ENG
2019 F&W SOMMELIER OF THE YEAR AND MENTAL HEALTH
ADVOCATE, SAN FRANCISCO
“
“
