Catalyst

Castle walls of leaves, a veritable kaleidoscope of burnt oranges, sunset reds, canary yellows and auburns. They guard the forest behind it with fortitude, for treasures lay hidden within. There’s a spine tingling chill in the air, the winds seemingly growing stronger with each passing day. What treasures may we uncover with the changing of the season? We seek catalysts. We seek the knowledge that comes with discovering an ingredient intimately. We seek that moment of clarity, that “aha!” that comes when we know we’ve struck gold and found our treasure.

You cannot fake it.

You cannot feign it.

The guests always know. They can tell when you’re disingenuous. Imposter syndrome is rampant within the industry. Bookended with those that have the belief that they know what to do, always and with expediency. But we cannot go into battle without leaving our reservations at the door. It is plain on our faces. We have to charge forth with an air of humility, presenting the menu without injecting ourselves into it. We are merely stewards for the land, for the seas. And we must be so with absolute and unwavering sincerity.

It’s not about me, it’s not about us, it never has been. We merely want to translate the language of the land and give the ingredients the chance to shine in their best light. Perhaps with a bit of light, we help reveal ourselves a bit more, as well.

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Recognition is always lovely, and as we get into awards season, we are hopeful. But we are not hinging on that to be a catalyst for our success. We simply want to have eight souls aboard our ship for the evening, every evening, so that we may continue to tell our stories with the tales that Mother Earth provides us.

There are many more stories to tell, and we hope to continue writing chapter after chapter from our perspective. There is much more to discover. There are many more catalysts that await us.