Sally and her husband were the founders of the highly revered restaurant The French Laundry. Described as the pioneers of the Napa Valley culinary scene. Recognized as starting the local food movement.
Sally was quoted as saying, “I didn’t have a mission. I wasn’t trying to prove anything to the world. I didn’t really have a statement to make. I just put good food on the table. It is fun to feed people. It is very pleasing.”
Sally, I learned, did have a very intentional cooking process. She explained it this way:
“I was successful putting everything together in the right place. I started with the complex, followed by simple, then more complex. I added texture, color, and flavor. I kept things balanced. All piled high with good conversation.”
Sally’s attitude and approach have inspired my 2023 focus - just put good programs on the table. Here’s my new program format recipe (per Sally)
Recipe: Everything Together in the Right Place
Ingredients:
Start with Complex - understand the layers of business operations
Followed by Simple - outline the essentials (needs for the business, employees and clients)
Then more Complex - what happens when essentials aren’t met.
Texture - create dynamic solutions that include appearance, tone and consistency.
Color - reflect the light of internal ingenuity.
Flavor - create a distinctive taste that is unique to your company.
Balance - introduce solutions that are in correct proportion to the end goal.
Directions:
Roll up sleeves and get to work.
Mix in plenty of good conversation
Sally died this past year, right before her cookbook - “Six California Kitchens” - was published. In the books’ Forward she was described as, “Kind and generous, forthright and unpretentious.”
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