As a pleasure glutton that prefers collecting experiences over objects,
the Great Wall of China or sipping vintage port overlooking the Douro Valley wins over a Rolex or designer clothes. The rich tapestry that informs who I am over what I have gives me the mindset to draw upon as life enfolds.
The conundrum is that the difference in making art and marketing art couldn’t be more vast. In the former (to me at least) time is irrelevant. My senses are sharp and my mind alive. In the latter, those same eyes roll up into my head and my brain reluctantly disseminates 25% of the information to possibly be implemented.
This disconnect plagues me and is summed up like this: Creating? Yes, love it. Finding a home for content/product? Not so much. Long ago I realized that whatever I love doing I do well so stuck with that. Music, food and writing are my sweet spot. Negotiating a deal, paying bills or even going to the doctor find me in dilemma.
After seeing inches of unopened mail scattered on our dinner table my significant other (now wife) took over paying our bills, leading to my having a stellar credit rating no thanks to me. She also possesses the cleaning gene, controls the remote control and is all things handyman and I.T.
But walk into our home, affectionately referred to as Casa de Soul, that’s me. The 1,000 plus books, the art, the wall of masks, the room overflowing with percussion instruments, all things eaten…
that falls under my purview aka “crafting the vibe.”
My last week included a prestigious job offer, a party catered for 80,
2 recording sessions, attending the National Restaurant Association Show and a day spent with the subject of the latest profile for my Home Cookin’- The Stories Behind The Food project, and the reason we’re here in the first place (to try to get the manuscript published).
Regarding the profile: The more time we spend together the more it seems a privilege. This gentle human who doesn’t smoke or curse, that speaks seven languages and has five children.
That walked the length of a continent through mountains, jungles and cartels enduring the unimaginable, and that wants only respect and love.
After all he’s endured Hacen has found a home here in Chicago. Not an apartment or house, but a home with a family that’s made him one of their own. One that’s love shines bright and is filled with support.
More than once I requested permission to ask a question, with the caveat being if you don’t want to talk about it, fine, we won’t.
But he did. And as presupposed it was difficult for him.
Emotionally charged, time was needed to recover from reliving certain horrors. I’d say “let’s stop” but he’d press on, sometimes through tears remembering a particularly difficult part of his jungle journey, or the impromptu call from his wife and daughter who he hasn’t been in the same room with in well over a year.
As my grandmother used to say “If you knew their troubles you’d keep yours.”
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.