The accouterments are the food, the wine, the glassware, etc...And the wine I sell. And the more and more I dive deeper into these accouterments the more I find myself looking for things that are 100% original and authentic. Products that are pieces of true craftsmanship and are 100% filled with soul. For me, it's more and more important that there's a related experience through the accouterment product....that the fish was hand-harvested, that the wine came from a biodynamically farmed estate, that the flowers were picked from someone's garden. In short, it's about care.
And in the end, this concept of care doesn't just stop at care of the table. The sourcing of care must descend all the way back to the source of the product- the earth.
Last year, I stumbled upon a trailer for the film 180 South (http://www.180south.com/) by Chris Malloy. Patagonia Clothing Company was heavily involved in the movie and I eventually found myself reading quite a bit about Yvon Chouinard and Patagonia. For me, Chouinard has become a proverbial business mentor. His company is worth hundreds of million of dollars and yet it maintains the feel of a company that was just created by some kids out of a college dorm room. It is anti-establishment in every way, yet feels free enough to sell millions of dollars worth of clothing to Joe and Jane America every day. And the beauty in all of this is that they haven't, nor ever will, sell out. They are 100% authentic, soulfull, and sincerre in everything they do.
One of the tenants of Patagonia has become a staunch aggressive stance on pro-environmental issues. In fact, they have become the first members of a group called 1% For The Planet in order to actively care for the planet.
And that's where I'll tie all of this together. To love the table, to love the food, and the wine, and all that is the dining experience- and life for that matter- and simply ignore the environmental problems around us is simply arrogance. It's not dreaming. If you think otherwise, go to the Gulf coast and ask some blue collar fisherman what they think about the importance of environmentalism...Cause that could be us Northeasterners, or Westcoasters, or whoever next week!
And so....
If you own a business, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you go and visit Patagonia's Tin Shed (http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/tinshed/index.jsp?ln=263). Click on the link for 1% For The Planet. Listen to Yvon and co.
Once you do- and you think about the Gulf- it becomes a no brainer.
