I’m not sure how I had this intuition at a younger age but I’ve always said the when I turn 40 (I’ll be 38 in January 2023), that’s when I hit my stride.
Why? Because my life is one of Adagio.
My career has been a long strange road of on and off site, high and low value contributions to many places whom have left a lasting impression on me. I’ve never felt the need to ‘jump the gun’ and open a place.
Read More“We met at Noma.”
If you’re ever invited to a block party where half the people cooking can say that of each other, go. Nashvillians respect such a rule, which is why 170 of us showed up to the sold-out event in McFerrin Park on Thursday night to taste “the best food you’ll ever eat on a paper plate.” And boy, did the party deliver.
Read MoreSpeaking with the people who work in these establishments, you hear different versions of the same message: No one wants to minimize the tragedy of the fires, but the fact is, most of the wineries that draw visitors to the region emerged unscathed. Vineyards acted as a natural fire break, and firefighters from all over California worked around the clock to protect as much as they could.
Read More“I used to be one of those Barnes & Noble nerds who’d go and have a coffee and pull books off the shelf and read,” said Lanning. “Next thing you know, it’s all cookbooks, and I just got infatuated.”
“By the end of my time at June, I felt pretty beat up because I was so hard on myself,” said Lanning. “So what did I do? I was like, ‘If I can go to the best restaurant in the world and do well, then I can do this.’”
Read More3.5 years. In that time, I’ve had two beautiful girls, got married and lost my dad. I couldn’t imagine going through these experiences anywhere else other than while at SingleThread. The support and empathy I have received from Aaron Koseba, Kyle Connaughton and Katina Connaughton has been unreal. Part of that comes from a place of understanding and empathy. They all have and are going through raising kids. The love and support I have felt and received is invaluable and I will always remember.
Read MoreIn many restaurants across the country, it’s not uncommon to see cases of beer, handles of liquor, bottles of wine and many kinds of “treats” gifted to the kitchen on a nightly basis. Many times this is a tell sign that the gift giver is a current or former industry professional. That makes sense. Who else knows how precious a cold beer can be after a 12-14 hour shift on a grueling Saturday pace? Only someone who has been through it themselves.
Read MoreSomething inside of my switched on that trip. I’ve always loved my family and valued them above most though I never showed that as my focus was always on my career. My dad wasn’t the most interesting of men. He was pretty normal. But he loved BBQ. He loved cooking BBQ. It was the topic that we connected over and talked on the phone about. My love for cooking and his love for BBQ brought us close together many times.
Read MoreLanning’s foundation as a chef may be in fine-dining, but the backbone of his childhood was shaped by Midwestern and Southern fare, especially his mom’s fried chicken and meatloaf, his grandma’s incomparable dinner rolls and chocolate pie, and of course, his dad’s barbecue.
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