Some of my first "real" jobs have revolved around food. In '97 I moved out to Nantucket for the summer and quickly grabbed as many jobs as I could. Bartending, waiting tables, shucking oysters... You name it I was all in.
After working at some pretty cool, but disorganized, places I decided to get real. I packed my car, pointed it west from Boston, and didn't stop until I hit San Francisco and the Hillstone Restaurant Group.
I'd been gone from formal cooking for years but during COVID the availability of really amazing ingredient, the time to explore, and our micro-bubble brought me back. I was hooked (again).
We'd invite folks over and send them home with leftovers. Eventually I started selling my creations, then a few of my friend's creations, and eventually it all turned into the Shack 65 you see today.