What do you think is the best advice you’ve given to those starting out in the restaurant industry?
You have got to put the love into the food. One [thing] is to help each other. Then that energy that we’re bringing propels everything beyond that — we put that energy in the food, whether it’s good, bad or indifferent, it’s being passed on to those that consume the food. I want to send the love — I want to send the energy — I’m gonna send the goodness beyond where we are at our moment. I would always really expect for anybody that came into the space to bring good energy — but if we could change it, which sometimes you can, that’s our job as mentors, too. If you just need us to hear, if you just need us to sit here for a moment and breathe, let’s do it.
What’s your best cooking advice for those of us who aren’t in the industry, just home cooks?
Go into a recipe with patience. Slow it down, don’t rush it. I find too many times that people are rushing a recipe or they’re not going to read through it fully and be disappointed. But they missed the enjoyment part of doing that recipe. Live in the moment. I’ve done cooking classes on risotto — I always tell people, if they have a bad day at work and they’re feeling angry, as much as you need to stir that rice, that is not a good day to make this risotto [laughs]. I mean, 45 minutes to an hour, stirring angry — ugh. Wayne Johnson