First Things First

By John Kinsella, CMC, CCE, WGMC, AAC

As you can see from this picture of my car, I escaped with my life because of two factors: It wasn't my time, and I was surrounded by a quality product, one in which excellence is the manufacturer's priority.

I believe in a personal higher power that takes care of me every day and has never given me a day that I cannot handle. This is a fact, as on August 18, 2004, I lost my eldest son Simon, and I survived because of my faith and the support of my family and all my great culinary friends. It has inspired me to give back so that I can grow both as a person and a chef.

As I walked away from my car a little disoriented, I said a simple prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. (Reinhold Niebuhr, 1892-1971)

Yes, I wanted to beat the living hell out of the other driver, but I was taught that he who strikes first has run out of ideas.

What I am writing about is life and the pursuit of excellence. Our human experience is based on how much we are willing to love, be vulnerable, meet the challenges of daily living and, most of all, have the faith to get up and make a difference.

Yes, we can sit around and cry out, "Woe is me, for I am doomed to mediocrity," or get up and be grateful to be alive. Yes, you say, it's easy to write or talk about these personal things, but my answer is very simple: If you haven't lived it, and you haven't listened and learned how to use your fellow human beings' experiences to become a better person, you are lost.

Every day that I get up I pray that I will have the opportunity to impact another human being's life. Some days, I am granted the opportunity to make a difference, and some days, because of my self-centered behavior, I stymie this great opportunity.

So, let's talk about helping each other. Each day, we chefs and cooks can make a difference in our fellow professionals' lives. Simply put, if you teach a skill or share an idea, we are all enriched. Enrichment is a dedication to build a better product, or to improve a simple recipe, and, if we do, all of us will benefit from the experience. And we will have a better finished product and a customer who will have confidence in our skill and the product.

I give thanks to all the great technicians who built my car, for their love and pride in what they produce and, most of all, for their dedication to make a difference. By doing so, they keep people like you and me safe, even in the most horrific circumstances. Well done, my fellow craftsmen, and thank you, Simon, for looking out for your dad. One day soon, we will talk about it in a better place. We are all part of the ongoing experience of life, and it makes us all part of the greatest experience of all, the human experience.

Bless you all.