Ever since I came across this photo I have not been able to get it out of my mind. The photographer caught what every artist and craftsman gets up in the morning to do: move people. Music, like cooking is an art form that can, if properly applied, move people. The beauty is that everyone moves to the beat of a different drummer. One person’s memorable experience with art is another person’s sour note.

I consider myself to be a person with fairly eclectic tastes in music, art, theater, and food. My musical preferences range from Bach to David Byrne, from Zappa to Bela Fleck and from Chick Corea to Waylon Jennings. In art I may not understand modern art, but I do find Jackson Pollock interesting. I love the impressionists but can find pleasure in trying to figure out Salvatore Dali. Food is, of course, my medium and even though comfort foods are inspiring to me, I always seek out restaurants and chefs that are pushing the envelope from Keller to Adria. What I like, however, may not be your cup of tea.

This picture is so telling because this sole musician has struck a chord with the young enthusiast and in that moment both the artist and art consumer are in sync. We all strive to create this same bond with those who consume our art.

The wine maker is in business to be profitable, yet that Robert Parker review and restaurant customer response to his/her craft is far more important than just dollars and cents. I have had the pleasure to work with many chef/artists who care deeply that the end-user is happy with what they have created. I will never forget the cook who stretches their neck on the busiest night to see if any food is coming back on the plates dropped at the dish window. I feel for the cook who loses sleep over the 1 dissatisfied diner even though a hundred more were perfectly happy. I give homage to a chef who grins and gets a bit choked up when that one customer peeks in the kitchen to say “thank you” that was an extraordinary meal.

What the young girl in this photo feels is what each and every serious cook strives for, day in and day out: to create a “moving” dining experience. When it happens, the world is a better place for all involved.

To those who cook for the paycheck, I say: you don’t know what you are missing. To those who cook for the opportunity to create that unique experience that can be registered as a memorable moment, I tip my hat to you.

I remember listening to Tower of Power perform at the Bottom Line in NYC when there were only 100+ people in attendance. The band played like it was a sold out crowd at Shea Stadium. Everyone was on their feet moving to an extraordinary musical event and the band was in their glory. They certainly didn’t pay the bills that night, but they were just as moved as the audience. The same has happened to me with a top shelf list of great musicians as well as in restaurants in the hands of Charlie Trotter, Rick Bayless, Joel Robuchon, Marc Meneau, Marcus Samuelsson, Gavin Kaysen, Daniel Boulud and dozens of others. As significant as these events were, I was even more moved to watch my children perform in their school plays or play a solo at their annual high school concert. This is what floats the artists boat, an audience that appreciates their art.

I smiled when I saw this picture because I knew how the musician and the young girl felt.

Move people, it is what makes life worth living.