I built a restaurant from scratch, by hand mostly by myself.

It was amazing. I chose to do it. I did it the hard way, and now I will open a restaurant, and be a cook. The experience I had of learning new skills, new tools. Navigating the architectural process, the engineering, the bureaucracy was a masters program in development. No, it was like getting two graduate degrees at once while working construction. Even if my restaurant fails miserably the first week, the building of it has been one of the greatest adventures in my life.

They make tv shows about people building houses, they make tv shows about people cooking,  but sometimes I feel like no one cares that I am building a restaurant.

That is why I bristle when the first question people ask is “when are you going to open’? A good question and I am very grateful that people are excited about the project. But I want to talk about today! Building a restaurant is a mind blowing experience and everyday is filled with powerful events of success, frustration, tedium, and terror.

I am glad it is ending this week. I’m ready for the next thing. The past few months have been very lonely for me.  As I wrestled with the worst part of the financial stress, and physical exhaustion no one was asking about my health, or the adventure I was having,  just asking when I would cook for them.  So that’s it. When you ask about the opening I feel like you may have missed the most exciting part.

And I am excited to cook for you! I am loving the way the kitchen is beginning to smell like garlic and thyme. I am loving planning the menu and training the cooks for you. We are getting everything ready. It will be awesome.  Sorry If I seemed cranky. I worked really hard for you.

I have to go unpack the food delivery now.