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Thread: Our middle son's mentor

  1. #1
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    Our middle son's mentor

    Our middle son graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and began his career in NYC. After working at multiple noteworthy but poorly run restaurants he took a position with Jean-Georges Vongerichten in mid-town Manhattan.

    Jean-George was not afflicted with the same vices of the nose his previous employers seemed to share and his stability was obvious. Our son, John, worked under Jean-Georges for about 3 years when he was asked to go to Chicago and open a new restaurant---so with no experience in that part of the business--off he went.

    John spent 2 years in Chicago growing a new venture into life when he was asked to go to Hong Kong and "fix" a broken restaurant in the Mandarin Hotel. Finishing that project in two years, he was asked to move once again to Shanghai, China to an entirely new stand alone French themed restaurant. After two years, and open for about 4 months, that restaurant was rated by Zagat as the top French restaurant in China.

    Much to our great joy, John came home for the first time in years (we had visited him multiple times) and announced he had told Jean-Georges, that in 4 months he wanted to leave--which he did.

    It was a tremendous opportunity for John but he was ready to move on.

    The linked article is, at least to me, a very interesting short biography of Jean-Georges, some may find it an interesting read as well. Jean-Georges is one of the top rated chiefs in the world. I see Jean-Georges on occasion in his flagship restaurant in NYC while entertaining clients.

    To our great joy, John lives about 20 miles from us and is working in Philadelphia, NYC, VA and Pittsburgh.

    I should add that tomorrow night we are invited to John's house for dinner, Daube (a French beef stew). He doesn't cook any longer, in his current position, and so often treats us to true gastronomic adventures on weekends.
    Last edited by Dave Grubb; 01-18-2020 at 01:52 PM.
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
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  2. #2
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    CongRATs to your son, not only for his advancing career, but for getting out of China unscathed......Ben
    The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Truckman View Post
    CongRATs to your son, not only for his advancing career, but for getting out of China unscathed......Ben
    Thank you----and on more than a few occasions we have discussed that very fact, especially Hong Kong!
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
    “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis

  4. #4
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    Everybody thinks they have a restaurant in them. Mine will feature a row of convenience store roller grills. Catchy concept, what?
    ...............
    “You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out.” — Too fundamental to have an attribution


  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by wacojoe View Post
    Everybody thinks they have a restaurant in them. Mine will feature a row of convenience store roller grills. Catchy concept, what?
    Between the jars of pickled eggs and the cooler with the pre-packaged sushi, right?......Ben
    The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...

  6. #6
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    Cool, Dave! Thanks for sharing. .....
    The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible - Arthur C. Clarke

  7. #7
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    Well, according to Wikipedia, Jean-Georges is at the top of his game, which is cool. I like good food and am willing to pay for it.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Georges_Vongerichten

    However, my wife gives me a snarky look (which I deserve) when someone asks me where they can get good food in Salt Lake City. I always reply, "Las Vegas" - our preferred place to eat.

    Hunter
    I don't care if it hurts. I want to have control. I want a perfect body. I want a perfect soul. - Creep by Radiohead

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