Men in Suits
Men in suits don’t intimidate me. I grew up around them. My dad the handsomest when he left for a meeting at 6am donning his 1982 deep blue suit with underscored pattern, freshly ironed dress shirt and plaid tie. He looked taller to me. Maybe it was his wingtips giving his 6’3” posture just an extra vertical push.
Women in suits empower me. To see women embody the respect that I had for my father back in my single digits is a triumph. I grew up in a household where where my mom’s daily wear was jeans and a sweatshirt as she worked to take care of three children in a large home that required much attention. I donned the sweatpants at home with my three girls for 12 years. For me, it was always easier to go to work than it was to stay home with the kids. Both pulling at my heart and mind in different ways.
I spend a lot of time at corporate events, interacting with people from around the world who travel for training events and galas where we present our finest offerings. Chef Adam’s freshly fried, crisp wontons piled high with Togarashi seared tuna, shaved pickled radish and bull’s blood micro greens drizzled with Sriracha kewpie, to seared scallops dolloped with roasted corn puree, popping pearls of red Tobiko caviar and pencil chive. Dear God, I’m getting hungry. Our Beef Wellington puff pastry is a show stopper and Sous Chef Emily has mastered our bruschetta with a gentle sprinkle of goat cheese and drizzle of balsamic glaze - enjoyed by carnivore and vegetarian alike. But the most repeated request is our grilled salami stuffed with goat cheese and raspberry - the perfect blend of sweet, salty and fat. Don’t even get me started on wine pairings and craft cocktails. Matchmaking takes on a whole new meaning when food and drink collide.
I cut my teeth in the culinary world at corporate events. Spending three days feeding these weary souls as they go from airport to networking to training, always “on” for 8-10 hours at a time. I remain cognizant of every guest I feed as I develop the menu. Mid-day I provide low carb, high protein, high energy foods, loading the buffet with all natural shaved meats, salads, veggies and hummus, fresh fruits and cheese. In the evenings we switch gears to offer more comforting options as they wind down their day - mashed potato bar with cheddar, bacon and green onion or our garlic cream pasta with blistered grape tomatoes, roasted peppers and red onions - all accompanied with fresh salads, grilled meats and house-made desserts.
Eager to re-enter the conversational world, I find corporate guests interested in finding talking points with myself and my staff. In a way, we provide the comfort of community for people who are away from home for a few days. We’re also “real people” in a world of high-end sales and business deals. Most of the guests are highly gifted in connecting with others, making them successful in their line of work. Some have returned for multiple trainings and I’ve known them for years. We pick up right where we left off, catching up on life and time passed. Some have stayed connected via insta or FB at their request. Suit or jeans, nothing intimidating about the genuine pursuit of relationship in this world that can feel quite lonely.
We are generally drawn to people that are similar to us - it is comfortable and familiar - and yet the great split continues to divide us as we lean into familiarity instead of stretching into understanding. I am grateful to interact with people from all over the globe. I love people and am an incredibly curious individual. Events have given me tremendous opportunity to listen and understand both the differences of others as well as our unifying attributes. Connecting with people who are different in any way is teaching me that true community takes place when we interact and empathize with those we don’t always understand. These connections begin to bridge the gap and pull what has separated us just a little closer into a more unified world.