This morning, I found myself deep in thought about a lifetime in the kitchen, the people with whom I have worked, and those who I simply had the pleasure to meet. I was wrestling with what we contribute during our careers and what it meant to be good, or even great, not just competent at what we do. A few moments before this lapse in time trying to think about the past fifty-five years of connections with food, I read notice of the passing of Chef Andre Soltner who operated the finest French restaurant in America (Lutece) for 34 years, served as Dean of the French Culinary Institute after passing the torch to the next chef at his world-renown restaurant, and became an inspiration to thousands throughout his career. This, I thought, was the finest example that I could recall of what a chef and a person could be.

“What is it that defines our time at a craft or a calling?”

There are many seriously talented people in any field: medicine, education, the trades, various forms of art, musicianship, and cooking, of course, but how many really define, through their work, what it means to be great? What is it that separates the highly competent from the great?

In recent weeks we experienced the passing of Jimmy Carter, former president of the United States. For those unfamiliar with his time in the White House – Carter was remembered with mixed revues. Some thought that he was less than effective as a one-term president while others praised his contributions both while in office and for decades after he stepped away. Few would deny, however, that he was a great man.

Tomorrow we will celebrate the life of Rev. Martin Luther King. As civil rights advocate, he was highly effective in moving fairness and equal rights forward in America. Some may praise him for his incredible work in this regard while others may find it more difficult to recognize those efforts, but few would ever deny that he was a great man and an example for others to follow.

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Ginsberg passed away leaving a legacy of advocacy for women’s rights and equality and many would glorify her work in this regard as leading a movement that brought women in America to a whole other level of relevance, while some may simply shrug their shoulders and write her off as too liberal, but few could ever deny that she was passionate, fair, and honest in her approach to the oath of allegiance to the Constitution and her role as a justice on the highest court in the land; a great woman.

I put Soltner in this club – a man who was a dedicated ambassador for classical food preparations, for the craft of cooking, the humbleness that he felt should drive a chef’s approach towards their position, and for what true hospitality should represent. Many have praised him as one of the finest chef’s to have graced the American culinary scene while some may push aside tradition and classical ways as outdated, but none will deny that he represented all that is good about professionals, all that the white uniform represents, and how important it is to be kind and giving, a great man.

So, as I thought about my past fifty-five years, I concluded that the difference between competent and great rests with the type of person you are and how you express gratefulness for the opportunity to do what you do. Each of the individuals mentioned and so many thousands more in our lives have found their purpose in being a grateful, good person, first. The competence of their craft is a vehicle that allows that goodness to take form. This should be the way we approach our time on this earth and the gift that we have through our craft. So, here are thoughts on guiding principles for being, working, and making a difference.

[]       LEARN AND GROW

We have a responsibility to use the mind, body, and heart we are given to become knowledgeable, skilled, and mindful of our potential and role. To waste this opportunity is contrary to the life we are given.

[]       BE EXCELLENT

Mediocrity is disrespectful. Once we learn and grow, we have an obligation to be the best that we can be.

[]       KEEP PERSPECTIVE

At the same time, we shouldn’t get wrapped up in our perception of importance. The universe is way too vast for us to allow egos to outweigh the simple act of doing everything well because we should.

[]       BE KIND

Above all else, those who leave their positive mark on the world are one’s who are kind to other people, animals, communities, and nature because we should.

[]       TEACH AND SHARE

All of that learning and growth means very little if we are unwilling to share it with others. By nature, all human beings have the potential and the responsibility to be teachers by example.

[]       STAY HUMBLE

What we do is important, but letting the world know how important we feel we are is self-serving and does little to help others and nothing to raise the world up to its potential. Take pride in what you accomplish but save the soapbox for the theater.

[]       BE THANKFUL

Those who leave their mark are individuals whom, even in their darkest moments know that they are fortunate to have the skills and knowledge they do, know the people within their circle, live the life that they live, and have a chance at every turn to make a difference.

[]       WORK HARD

A strong work ethic is a common trait among all great people – it is a right and an obligation to exert effort and dedicate the time to use the attributes they have to their capacity.

[]       TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

We all make mistakes and those who leave their mark are always willing to step forward and admit their faults and mistakes but then turn around and work hard to learn from them and not make the same mistakes again. The great ones are averse to pointing the finger at others.

So, as we say goodbye to another great, Andre Soltner leaves us with plenty to think about and much to learn about being good and great and leaving our mark on the world – a mark of lessons – the “how to” of living a life to its fullest.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com  BLOG

(Over 900 articles about the business and people of food)

CAFÉ Talks Podcast

https://cafemeetingplace.com/cafe-podcasts

More than 90 interviews with the most influential people in food