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Our community table where stories,
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Food tastes better when it’s shared — and so do the stories behind it. From heartfelt reflections to unforgettable bites and faraway finds, this is where the conversation begins.
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The Seafood Table — The Mediterranean
The Mediterranean does not rush seafood.
Warm water changes fish, species stay close to shore, and cooking evolves through repetition rather than urgency. This essay explores how fire, broth, and endemic seafood shaped one of the world’s most enduring coastal cuisines — where restraint comes not from fear, but from familiarity.
The Seafood Table — U.S. East Coast
Cold water leaves no room for illusion.
On the U.S. East Coast, seafood arrives already resolved — shaped by temperature, time, and consequence. This long-form essay explores how cold Atlantic waters define species, discipline kitchens, shorten menus, and reward restraint, revealing why clarity — not complexity — became the region’s quiet authority.
Eat Your Vegetables
Born in 1951, I’ve lived through diners, food pyramids, reversals, and reinventions. This is a reflection on what we were told to eat — and what quietly endured.
The Seafood Table
Seafood restaurants live closer to the truth than most. When the ocean is the ingredient, there’s no hiding behind excess — only judgment, restraint, and trust.
The Shape of Experience
Taste is not a fixed truth — it’s an interpretation. From the shape of a glass to the room we sit in and the moment we choose to pause, how we experience a drink is shaped by far more than what’s poured.
Aloha ʻOe
A reflective closing on Aloha as both welcome and goodbye — and what remains when care is carried forward into a world shaped by technology, speed, and change.
Where Luxury Lives
Luxury isn’t defined by marble or chandeliers—it’s defined by trust. A reflective look at where luxury actually lives, and how empowered teams quietly shape the moments guests remember most.
The Cost of Leadership Without Authority
When managers are held accountable without the authority to act, leadership quietly breaks down. A reflection on the hidden cost of misaligned responsibility—and what changes when trust, judgment, and decision-making finally meet at the same table.
Menu Engineering, Optimization, and the Quiet Math That Keeps the Lights On
A practical deep dive into menu engineering—why contribution margin and gross profit dollars often matter more than food or liquor cost percentages, how to use the Stars/Plowhorses/Puzzles/Dogs framework responsibly, and how to optimize a menu for profitability without losing what guests love.
I Didn’t Panic Soon Enough
Famous last words in hospitality rarely sound dramatic. They arrive quietly, long after the damage is done. In a year that stripped away illusions of “waiting it out,” this essay explores why inaction is never neutral—and why the most expensive decision is often the one we delay.
Restaurants That Last: Independent vs. Corporate
A thoughtful comparison of independent and corporate restaurants—how each approaches risk, culture, and decision-making, and what truly determines which ones endure.
Restaurants That Last: Customers vs. Guests
An exploration of transactional versus relational hospitality—and why restaurants that last treat diners as guests, not numbers, earning loyalty through feeling rather than efficiency.
What’s it For?
A thoughtful look at complex table settings—why they exist, how etiquette is meant to reduce friction, and how great dining rooms make tradition feel welcoming rather than intimidating.
The Caesar Salad
A Foodie deep dive into the Caesar salad—its origins, tableside tradition, and why restraint and technique still define a truly great version.
The Bloody Mary
A Foodie deep dive into the Bloody Mary—its origins, the Caesar, regional expressions, and what separates truly great versions from forgettable ones.
The Quiet Rise of the Mocktail
A Foodie deep dive into the rise of mocktails—exploring their history, evolution, garnishes, and recipes that treat zero-proof drinks with intention.
Restaurants that Last: Menu Restraint
Why restaurants that last choose restraint, clarity, and leadership over expansion—and why knowing when to say no defines enduring hospitality.
Designing the Blue Zones of Tomorrow
A Foodie in Paradise™ Blue Zone Series — Part VI: The Finale - We Can Do This!
Blue Zones were once rare pockets of exceptional longevity—but they’re changing. As younger generations move to cities, the qualities that made these communities extraordinary are fading. The real opportunity now is not to discover new Blue Zones, but to design them. We explore the architecture of a long life and how modern communities—and individuals—can build the Blue Zones of tomorrow.
Loma Linda: The Quiet Science of Living Long
A Foodie in Paradise™ Blue Zone Series — Part V
In Loma Linda, longevity is shaped not by wine or indulgence but by quiet routines—plant-rich meals, Sabbath rest, an alcohol-free lifestyle, and a shared belief in purposeful living. This final chapter in our Blue Zone series brings the journey full circle, revealing what connects Okinawa, Sardinia, Ikaria, Nicoya, and Loma Linda—and what their lessons can bring to our own kitchens, tables, and communities.
Nicoya, Costa Rica — A Land Shaped by Sunlight, Corn, and Quiet Purpose
A Foodie in Paradise™ Blue Zone Series — Part IV
Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, longevity isn’t a mystery — it’s a way of living. From corn-rich ancestral diets to volcanic water, sunrise walks, and the quiet strength of pura vida, Nicoya offers a blueprint for a life lived longer and lighter.