500 words #15 –
You Never Lose
When You Invest
In Yourself

Vintage typewriter top down flatlay shot from above with empty, blank sheet of paper on wood table background
Chef, Author, and Percussionist Alan Lake
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Chef/percussionist/writer/reprobate and lover of all things beautiful & delicious, Chef Alan Lake’s culinary career includes East Bank Club in Chicago; Sunset Marquis in W. Hollywood; Izakaya Hiwatta in Ichinomia Japan and legendary nightclub Purpur in Zurich, Switzerland. Working all around the world for over four decades, he's won numerous awards, professional competitions and distinctions. He’s the author of Home Cookin'- The Stories Behind The Food and The Garlic Manifesto- the history of garlic going back to 10,000-year-old Neolithic caves and contains facts, fiction, folklore, myths and legends (besides 100 recipes).

A lifelong musician that plays 70+ percussion instruments, he coined the term “Jazzfood” to describe his cooking style i.e. “solid technique coupled with tasteful improvisation.” He views his food as he does his music and writing and has been known to bust a pout if subpar in any way.

9 thoughts on “500 words #15 –
You Never Lose
When You Invest
In Yourself

  1. Mark J Panick

    Great read, There is a gentleman Nan and I met through Refugee Community Connection that occasionally helps with computers, that has a parallel saga walking from Afghanistan to France. Keep writing Alan, your thoughts your takes and your curiosities are compelling.

    Reply
  2. Marc Merrill Edelstein

    It would be interesting to see who this fellow chef is.

    Reply
  3. Tim Juliusson

    Great idea, Alan…I agree, if you engage with someone while they’re in their Comfort Zone, they’ll be a little more “giving” in their stories.
    Plus, you get to see and hear their emotion as they tell their story…I think that shows quite a bit about how those feelings resonate with that person.

    That being said, I’ve kind of developed a theory about those “overcoming” or “succeeding” at things in their life. Hear me out…
    When you ask successful people “hey, how does one do what you’ve done?” many times they speak in generalities like your friend (or “Always. Be. Closing” Alec Baldwin/Glengarry Glenross haha) because it’s kind of impossible to relate situations in life/direct applications on what to do. Plus, not every “achiever” is a good “teacher”, let’s be honest.

    My theory is related to this discussion…it seems to me MANY smart people with great ideas, great research, great support teams, great everything FAIL every day. Similarly, there are also people who start out grossly undereducated, underfunded, with skeleton crews, in horrible locations who SUCCEED…almost every day?

    My point? I don’t think “sheer luck” gets
    enough recognition in succeeding in life as it should. Don’t get me wrong, GOOD LUCK isn’t a “strategy” …I get that…but lots of dumb people look smart/smart people look dumb due to Being in the Right Place at the Right Time. If you research many successful people (mostly business successes in this example), they were confronted with “Their Insurmountable Problem”, overcame it by Risking Everything (insert extreme move here), and…IT WORKED OUT. Due to Good Luck…Binary Decision that went their way.

    Well, hopefully I communicated my point…I kinda feel like some of those folks who speak in generalities would rather say those things (which are true – hard to argue “Never Give Up” as good advice) than say “hey, it’s all a big Crap Shoot – Good Luck with your idea”, am I right?
    Keep writing, Alan…love to hear more on these topics!

    Reply
    1. alan lake

      working in la studios we used to say success doesn’t matter 1 note i.e.it’s all about luck.

      Reply
  4. Aldona Urbutis

    Always a great read from you.

    Reply
  5. Randall Kertz

    This is absolutely 100% true, and everything goes into and comes from this, and it’s not rocket science, and its not gratuitous keep your chin up stuff, it’s what people need to hear. Glad to read it, keep it up! Thanks-

    Reply
  6. Theresa Lake

    Great stuff – you’ve always been a good listener. Keep that up.

    Reply
    1. alan lake

      did you say something?

      Reply

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