Introduction: Welcome to Always Hungry

"Count down from thirty seconds, and if you're not ready by the time you get to zero, call yourself a fu*kin liar!" My sous chef's scream echoed in my ear as I frantically stacked each leaf of lettuce into what was supposed to be an elegant tower, but instead resembled a messy pile of leaves on a brisk fall day - A terrified me during my time cooking in New York City

Hi All,

This is my inaugural post. While I don’t expect to reach a wide audience, I see this exercise as a therapeutic outlet for my mundane life. I know there are many blogs and food influencers out there, and while I don’t aim to be any sort of food influencer, I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and explain my goals for this newsletter.

About me:

For as long as I can remember, I have been motivated by food. My only memory from 4th grade was performing well on my 'mad-minute math' multiplication tables, which earned me a free McDonald's meal (naturally, I chose to supersize). This obsession with food continued into adolescence and adulthood, with key memories involving my mom’s holiday brisket, post-tennis match pizza (bad pizza is better than no pizza), and an insatiable appetite for anything I could put in my stomach. Although it never occurred to me that I could work in the food industry, my excitement for eating followed me into college, where I was a high-level athlete. Many nights ended with our team being kicked out of the dining hall after our post-practice dinners (often second dinners).

After graduation, I was fortunate enough to get a job in the corporate world. However, about a year into the role, I realized the job wasn’t for me. Something was pulling at me, and that pull was my excitement for food. After much deliberation, I packed up and drove across the country to attend French Culinary School, which turned my life upside down. I spent the next seven years in the hospitality industry, cooking in several restaurants in the Bay Area and New York City, then running operations for a couple of retail food companies. Fast forward a few years and I find myself back in the corporate world. When I look back on my time in the kitchen, I have many fond memories, mostly of the people I met along the way.

Things tend to come full circle, and although I no longer work in the field, I never stopped loving restaurants and cooking. And here we are. This is the reason I am starting the newsletter; a way to pay homage to my time in hospitality and, more importantly, to the people who work tirelessly to bring you your food. Most of all, this is an excuse for me to get back to something that brings me joy.

Newsletter Goal & Structure:

As I mentioned previously, my intention for this newsletter is nothing more than a personal outlet to return to my roots and spend a little more time thinking about restaurants and hospitality. My goal is to post weekly, and if I am fortunate enough to have a few people read and enjoy my writing, then I consider that a heartening plus. The structure may change or shift over time, but I envision posting about some of the following topics:

- Reviews of restaurants

- Thoughts on industry trends

- Personal stories

- Lists

- Stories behind the food

I welcome any of you to join me on this personal journey. As I write these words, I feel more excited already. For those wondering, I am much more likely to seek out a mom-and-pop establishment over the next trendy spot (though I can admit I like trying the popular spots every once in a while), and when I review things, I tend to focus on food taste over ambiance. In a world of food influencers, I prefer to write rather than be on camera (anyone else cringe hearing their own voice?). In our increasingly digital world I’m hoping there are still some who enjoy reading as much as watching.

That is all for now. Welcome again, and stay tuned for upcoming posts.

-M