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People ask me for restaurant recommendations all the time.  So often in fact that one day while working out at the gym I had an idea.  All excited about my idea, I sent web guy Steve Ishiwara an email.  ”Hey Steve, can you put a speech bubble on the picture of me on the website? ‘Click here to ask Zane for a restaurant recommendation.’”

With amazing speed, Steve wrote back.  ”Why stop there?” he said. “Why not Ask Zane Anything?” Wow.  Holy shit. What an awesome idea.  Like Google but with me.  Like Ask Jeeves but with me. Like that feature on Reddit but…

When you’re as self obsessed as I am, there are few notions of self-aggrandizement that don’t appeal.  Plus, Steve suggested that he had a friend who could do a caricature of me. Great, I thought, here’s another opportunity for me to flatter myself.   What an awesome idea.  So I bought some web addresses and set the wheels in motion. Steve and his team did the rest.

Earlier this week AskZaneAnything.com went live.  We already have loads of questions on all kinds of subjects.  And in case I didn’t have enough to do, now I have questions to answer.

I’m really having fun with this.  And like the above, there’s a whisper of truth but mostly just fun and games.

The Prom night was a blast too.  It was so nice to get out of the deli, dress up and dance with the most amazing group of people I’ve ever worked with.  It was important to me to do this outside the deli.  Otherwise it feels like work.   The Latvian House is an amazing venue and it felt like a special occasion with everyone looking so nice and being so happy.

Best Prom Night Ever

I don’t remember my actual prom night being this much fun.  Proms are often cliquey. This one was very well-attended and everyone danced and partied with everyone else. Kristen and Ellie did an amazing job decorating the basement in an Undersea Enchantment sort of theme. And Tenzin easily won “Prom King” for his vintage tux, dance moves and photography.

Clearly, Tenzin didn't take this photo

With Donut Showdown airing on April 2, DDD on April 5 and patio season upon us soon enough I know we’ll be busy. This was just a small way to show the team I care so much about how much they mean to me.  We may not get another chance to get together until our second annual Toronto Island outing in late summer.

Thanks to everyone who came out.  I love us all.

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A few tickets are still available for both the 5pm and 8pm seatings on the 2nd Night of passover on March 26.  Everyone is welcome to come listen and participate in the telling of the story of the escape from slavery to freedom.

We follow the traditions and customs as families and gatherings do all over the world for the last 2000 odd years.  And then there’s the food.

Passover is always my favourite holiday.  Friends, family (new and old), traditions and wonderful food. Can’t beat that. And why would you want to?

These events always sell out so avoid disappointment and book by emailing Kristen@Caplanskys.com

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The Deli will close at 4pm tomorrow because the whole Caplansky’s Team will be dancing the night away to an “Enchantment Under the Sea” themed Prom Night. What it lacks in originality it makes up for in originality.

Yes, “Back to the Future” used that theme but I don’t know of any other restaurant that hires a ballroom, a dj and closes for the night so their staff can dress up and have fun. And of course because the owner of that restaurant is too cheap to feed his people he’s making them bring their own food.  How awesome is that?

What’s the occasion? How about… just a recognition of how amazing we are?!?  You see, in the restaurant business, we’re working while you party.  Your weekends and holidays our our busiest times.  So Monday March 18 is the perfect time to party!

In fact, I’ve wanted to throw a Holiday Party since, well, the Holidays.  But thanks to “Dragons’ Den” on Jan 6 and “You Gotta Eat Here” Feb 22 we’ve been a little busy.  And seeing how “Donut Showdown” airs April 2 and “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” goes on April 5, I think this is the only window we’ll have for a little while.

The restaurant business is tough.  It’s physically grinding, emotionally disturbing and generally one of the toughest careers a person can choose.  Add to that the bumps and disappointments that happen in every day life you have a great reason to find time to celebrate.

Apologies to everyone who shows up tomorrow night. However, I’m happy to report that thanks to my public griping about everything being closed that night, Rose and Sons is now open on Monday nights.  I went last week and it was amazing as always.

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I think about things to blog about all the time.  But then I don’t do it and stuff builds up and I realise I’m going to be typing for hours just to get out all the stuff I need to get out. I wish I were more disciplined and could make a time and do this once or twice a week. No I don’t.  That’s so not me. But I do have a lot to say. Get comfortable.

Remember the girl I wrote about in my “Secrets” post? She dumped me.  I thought was “The One”?  I guess she turned out to be one of The Ones.  No hard feelings. Wasn’t meant to be, I guess.  An effective way to keep my ego in check anyway.

Oh yeah, my ego.  Did you notice all the attention I seem to be getting lately? Sick of me yet? Gee I hope not because it’ll get worse before it gets better. You know I love it all right? I just sit at home watching a loop of myself: the Dragons Den episodes, Eat Street, You Gotta Eat Here, Restaurant Takeover and whatever else I can find.  That’s totally not true.  Please believe me: not true.

When I said it’ll get worse, I meant that there are two more major shows coming up in the next few weeks so if you’re sick of me now, you’ll loathe me soon enough. I’m a judge on Food Network Canada’s new Donut Showdown along with David Rocco and Maggie McKeown (plus Host Danny Boome).  14 episodes starting April 2 @ 10 pm.

We filmed the series in November/December of last year and it was the most fun thing I’ve ever done.  We laughed from morning till night and ate a lot of donuts in between. That show was the motivation for the juice cleanse and the weight loss.  I still hate the way I look and sound on camera but I’m sure I’d hate myself even more if I hadn’t lost all that weight.

I actually suffered Post-Donut Depression when the show was over.  It’s hard not to let that shit go to your head:  The dressing room.  The hot makeup artists whose job it is to make you look great. The wardrobe person who chooses your amazing clothes. The PAs who get you stuff. The famous people you’ve watched on tv for all those years who are now your colleagues. The catering.  The craft services. Being referred to as “The Talent”. The super cool crew. The uber smart producers. It was so surreal. And then it was gone. But the team at the deli whipped me back into shape and brought me back to reality.

The whole Donut experience was a little much at first. It was the first (and hopefully not last) tv series I’ve done and I wasn’t sure I belonged.  In fact, on the first day of shooting I got this idea in my head that they were going to fire me.  I don’t know exactly why. I didn’t do anything obviously wrong. But as I’m changing into my street clothes I had this vision of walking down the long corridor to the parking lot.  The Exec Producer would be standing there.  ”Can we talk a minute,” he’d say. “Look Zane,” he’d be all soft and sympathetic, “You’re really great and thanks for your time but this just isn’t working out.” I’d smile and thank him for the opportunity. Get into my car and drive home.

So when I actually finished changing and walked down that corridor and he was actually standing there I wasn’t all that surprised.  I’d even taken all my things from my room so I wouldn’t have to go back and do a whole ‘walk of shame’ and say goodbye to anyone. “Hey Zane, can we talk for a sec,” he actually said. “Sure,” I said as I watched the scene play out exactly as I’d imagined it.

“Do you mind if I give you some notes,” he asked. “Sure,” I said not really knowing exactly what he meant.  Maybe “notes” is a tv term for “the reasons I’m about to fire you”, I thought to myself.  He then gave me some constructive criticism as well as some really nice compliments.  ”See you in the morning,” he said. “Really? Um, yeah,” I said. “See you tomorrow.” I guess I’m not fired I said to myself as I got in my car and drove home.

My confidence grew over the next couple of weeks.  I did go out a couple of nights with David and Danny and admitted to David how weird it was to work with someone I’ve watched on tv for so long.  Awkward fan boy moment.  Before meeting him I totally expected him to be aloof and uninterested in getting to know me or hanging out together. I was so wrong.  David Rocco is a prince.  Warm, funny, talented, generous and so supportive.  On our first day off he brought his whole family to breakfast in the deli.

Danny Boome was my best friend for two weeks.  We hung out almost every night after shooting and he’s an amazing guy.  Although originally from England Danny works out of NYC where he hosts food tv shows like Recipe Rescue and The Chew.  On set Danny kept us laughing until we cried. Maggie, who I love, would always ask him to tell us another story.  I just wish we’d record the stuff because he really is a riot.

In the middle of filming Donut Showdown Guy Fieri came to the deli to shoot an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.  It was like a scene from Adaptation.  I’m living a dream eating donuts and get shuttled over to my own deli to meet and be interviewed by Guy Fieri.  I’m sure lots of people who own restaurants fantasize about being on his show.  I’d certainly heard about what an appearance on DDD can do for business.

It was a surreal moment when I actually did the interview.  It all happened in super slow motion. When it was over, I got back into the Donut Showdown shuttle vehicle and went back to “work” judging donuts.

DDD will air March 25 in the US and April 6 in Canada on Food Network.

Having both Donut Showdown and DDD air within a week of each other will, I expect, keep us pretty busy around the deli. And like I said, if you aren’t sick of me now, you may be soon.

Donut Showdown and DDD are unique because they are the first times where I get to be on tv without wearing the paper hat, white t shirt and apron.  It’s just me.  Maybe that’s why I thought I was going to get fired: because I wasn’t used to people wanting to see me be me.  And the truth is I’m really proud of the show – both shows.

I’ll write more soon but I really need to get to bed now.  Helen Zuckerman is coming to the deli to teach me how to make Kreplach for a dumpling event I’m doing next week and I need to be rested.

More updates soon.  Promise.

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A couple months back I got a Facebook message from Chef Chris Jess asking me if I’d take part in a “Celebrity Chef” fundraising event in support of blah blah blah blah.  I stopped paying attention after the “Celebrity Chef” line and wrote back a quick “Yes”.

Me and Chef Chris Jess

In the intervening weeks and months Chris made an effort to include me in writing promotional material and sent me a copy of his proposed menu.  His menu was a riff on my menu and imitation being the highest form of flattery… In fact this whole event was an exercise in ego masturbation for me.

No one has ever referred to me as a “Celebrity Chef” before.  I’ve never been comfortable with either word.  My mother Elinor was a celebrity during her years in politics.  That was her role.  Even my brother David enjoyed some celebrity as a politician.  I never aspired or desired to be famous.  Still don’t despite the amount of air time I’ve gotten from Dragons’ Den and other tv shows. It just sorta happened. Oops.

“Chef” is even more difficult for me to wrap my paper hat covered head around.  I was an Chef’s apprentice to Scott Cook when I worked at Rip’n Richards Eatery in Fernie, BC.  I graduated, with honours, from George Brown College’s Culinary Management Program. However, I never wrote my Chef’s exams and thus I don’t have my “Red Seal”. I never call myself a “Chef”. I call myself a cook. A very good cook.

So you can see how Chris Jess’ invitation might appeal to me in a Haloweenish kind of way. Sort of like a very masculine Snow White. Minus the glass slippers. I get to dress up and be someone I’m not for just one night? Ok. Let’s do this.

I called Chris and asked him when I was to show up.  ”The dinner starts at 6pm but we load in at 4pm.  But it would be great for you to meet the students and see the project we’re raising funds for.  Why don’t you just come for lunch?” he said. “Ok,” I said not really thinking this through.  ’Not thinking Things Through’ is turning out to be a pattern in my life: just say yes and don’t worry about the details.  If it works, just go with it, right?

I emailed Chris and asked the address of the school.  Fergus, Ontario? Where the fuck is that? I figured I’d plug it into my phone and find my way at the appointed hour. About a half hour north of Guelph, as I turned onto the gravel road, surrounded by farms I started to think this whole thing was a big mistake.  As I pulled into the parking lot I texted a friend. “WTF was I thinking?  Why’d I get here so early? This’ll be a long day.”

Was I ever wrong.  After signing in at the Main Office, I was met by Erik Eastmuir.  Erik seemed nervous and and a little awkward.  Chris told me later that Erik decided not to wear his trademark Canadiens cap thinking it might offend me.  He’s right. It would have (not really but we totally bonded over our mutual love for Ken Dryden). Erik showed me to the class where I met Chris Jess for the first time.

Walking into a new room to meet new people in a school (or any) environment can be overwhelming.  There’s so much going on. However, within about 35 seconds Chris gave me a potato latke. “Eat this,” he said. It was delicious and perfect.  At that moment I knew we’d be friends.

The next two and a half hours flew by.  Chris gave me a quick tour around the school and explained what we were raising funds for.  Turns out Chris started “The Food School” five years ago after seeing something similar in Stratford.  He converted storage closets and cafeteria kitchen space into a teaching and training space that is beyond impressive.

Most impressive of all were the students.  Because I was there for 2 periods I got to see one group work, clean up and then another group start.  Chris was amazing at directing them, demonstrating techniques, setting expectations and giving feedback.  The students were driven in a way that would be the envy of any teacher.

“The event tonight is an extension of the Food School idea,” Chris said.  ”We’re calling it the Farm School and it’s meant to provide a relevant context for learning about farming and food production in a farm setting.” Wow. Here we are surrounded by farms and in a community where, like many communities if you believe Jamie Oliver, people have lost the connection to where there food comes from.

And here’s this Chef from Montreal, Chris Jess, who’s helping reestablish this connection for the over 300 students in his Food School program. I thought how much I would have loved to find this program in my own High School. How much time would Chris have saved me if I’d have found this in my teens? And now the Farm School? Genius. Pure Genius.

At 3pm Chris asked Erik to take me to the Legion Hall in Elora where the dinner would be held to get my meat steaming and drop off some other supplies. After that Erik took me on a walking tour of the town.  Famous for the Elora Gorge, the very pretty town has an interesting history. As a professional tour guide Erik was able to bring the buildings and natural beauty to life during our hour long walk around the place.  We stopped at The Cork where Chef Ben has put together a mouthwatering menu as well as The Cellar where Chef Mike has done the same.  I’m def going to return to do some fressing when Ben get’s back from Ireland.

Erik showed me back to the Legion Hall where Chris and his student volunteers along with Chef Brian Schmeler were in the process of Kicking Ass. That’s an industry term that means ‘preparing to serve 140 people an awesome meal’.  We joined in the Ass Kicking crew and got to work.  Unless you’ve experienced it, there are few words that can describe the pure joy of being part of a team that loves it’s work.  But if you have been fortunate to experience that feeling then I don’t need to describe it to you. Bliss.

Again, it was the students who really made this fun.  They never stopped smiling. Never stopped looking for things to do. Joked and teased and generally made the idea of work being work a bit of a lie.  There was no where in the world I’d rather have been at that moment than among them.

At 6.30 pm it was my time.  My meat was ready to slice. I brought two briskets and proudly gave my fellow Ass Kickers samples of my Smoked Meat.  I beamed with pride as they ooohed and ahhhhhed.  The meat was excellent.  The first course was plated and just before it was served Chris introduced me at the microphone.  Being very shy I refused to step up and say anything. Of course that’s a lie.  I introduced the first course and thanked Chris and the students for including me in this most perfect day.

The rest of the night was simply magical.  I met many of the diners and shmoozed as I like to do.  Chris’ menu was a big hit and the students pulled it off like seasoned pros.  There was so much love in that room I was tempted to take the snow storm as God’s way of suggesting I spend the night.  Order of Canada recipient Anita Stewart even generously offered my a room for the night.  What a Lady!

But knowing when to leave a party and not overstay ones’ welcome is an art I’m always trying to perfect.  Before I checked out I connected with Calantha, Sonia and Yasser.  Calantha and Sonia own and run the Elora Bread Trading Co and Yasser is the Chef behind Artisanale French Country Cooking in Guelph.  They invited me out for a beer but I suspected that if I joined them I may never have left this wonderful place.  I simply can’t wait to return.

This morning I got loads of Fb friend requests and some lovely messages from diners and students. But this one from a student touched me deeply: “Thank you for your time last night. It really made a difference in our lives. I hope we meet again.” I told him that was perhaps the nicest thing anyone had ever said to me.

Thank you all for making my day, evening and night so memorable, warm and special. Special thanks to Chris Jess for everything you do.  Georgia is the luckiest little girl to have you for a dad and your students and community are similarly fortunate to have you in their lives.  I look forward to Lobster Night in April and a Pig Roast this summer to among you again but I certainly won’t wait so long.  You rock.  You all rocked my world.

Pics: Check out my Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/caplansky/posts/10151380764625100

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If you want something kept secret, please don’t tell me about it.  I suck at keeping secrets.  I blab about anything and everything and then kick myself afterwards for being so forthcoming.  I don’t think the reasons are all that obscure: I enjoy the delicious experience of feeding someone new and exciting information. I like to talk. A lot.

I’m not without my filters.  I’m finding as I mature I’m getting better at knowing what not to discuss. Of course there are some things that if one talks about will cause them to run away and disappear.  These are the one’s that cause me to sit at my computer at 3.08 am on a Sunday night and start a blog post entitled “Secrets”.

I am in agony. I want to talk about these events, these people and these feelings but I fear that doing so will be detrimental to the long-term continuation of these relationships, events and feelings. I desperately want to tell you all about the last 2 weeks of my life.  I want to tell you about this person I’ve met, this organisation I’m working with, this project I’m launching. It’s all so exciting.

If any one of these things happened on their own it would be cause for enormous feelings of joy, expectation and celebration. But it’s not one thing.  It’s several things and they’re all happening at once. They’re all happening right now.

The one that means the most to me is this very special person I’ve met.  It would be a grave mistake to name names, to be indiscreet.  I’ve made this mistake before and won’t make it again.  Some things are private and must remain so.  My love life is sacred.  What if she changes her mind? What if she decides she doesn’t want to be part of all this? I’ll feel pretty stupid, wouldn’t I?  To share my heartbreak with people I don’t know and will never know? Sucks, sucks, sucks.

I do love this feeling.  The feeling of having found what I’ve been looking for.  And I have been looking.  Hard.  I date a lot.  I’ve met many wonderful people who just weren’t right for me for one reason or another.  I’ve met others who I thought were “all that” but they didn’t feel the same about me.  Can you imagine? No, really: it’s true.  hahahaha

By this point in my life, being 44.5 years old, once divorced and the owner of an established business, I know what I want.  It’s not so complicated.  I want a partner. And by “partner” I mean my equal.  I want someone wonderful to share my life with and someone who will share their’s with me.  I want to build a life together apart from my business and apart from her work life.  I want to support her to be her best self and for her to do the same for me.  I want to be a father and a husband. No. I want to be a great father and a great husband. I’m ready.

However, people being human, we make mistakes. Well meaning though we may be, we get ourselves into situations where we think, we’re sure, we know what’s right and then time and experience proves us wrong. And looking back it’s all so clear.  What was I thinking? Why did I do that? Buy that? Say that? Whatever. Regrets? I’ve had more than a few, Frankie.

I was married once. It was a brief but devastatingly painful experience.  We were married for 50 weeks.  These days they’re called “Starter Marriages” by magazines you find in grocery checkout aisles.  I won’t say it was all her fault.  That would be unfair and untrue. I bear at least half of the responsibility for that disaster. And it was a disaster.

At the time I thought I loved her but now I recognise that I confused co-dependance for love.  Co-dependance happens where, as a damaged person, you use another person to fill a void inside yourself.  You replace your lack of self-esteem with another’s feelings for you.  And in turn, you affirm them when they may be unable to feel worthy of themselves.

Co-dependence is not the foundation of a healthy long-term relationship.  It’s a sad state of affairs where two people use each other to prop themselves up.  It feels great when times are good but when fortunes change: watch out.

Fortunately for me, my marriage and subsequent divorce was exactly the nuclear blast I needed.  It destroyed my life and gave me the time and opportunity to examine why I chose that person and rebuild my life in a way that I could feel confident would result in a different outcome.

Like I said, people make mistakes but smart people learn from those mistakes and make important changes to ensure they are not repeated.  I’ve come to believe that this is an important part of life.  If we keep doing the same things, we’ll keep making the same mistakes over and over until we change.

The pain of my divorce caused me to make fundamental changes.  Primarily, I stopped trying to please others and focussed on a process of self-discovery. Who am I? What are my passions? Simple stuff but life can lead us far away from our core. It just can.

But I’ll tell you what I did.  I looked at old photographs of myself as a boy. 4, 5, 6 year old Zane was a pure spirit.  I looked into his eyes in those photos and tried to remember what got him excited.  I spent countless hours just looking into those eyes and trying to remember how he felt before everything else happened. Before he lost his way.

I carry this knowledge with me now.  I can see those eyes even now and remember how I felt as a little boy.  My love of people, family, food, gatherings, places and adventures. I rebuilt my life around these memories and realisations.  I no longer needed anyone else’s approval to feel good about myself.  I’m good.  I just am.

But I’m not easy.  I live life with a degree of intensity that I realise is not for everyone. I’ve had love interests and new friends slowly back away because I’m just too damned intense for them.  That’s ok.  There’s no hard feelings. Fortunately for me, I’ve been imbued with an indomitable spirit. I just won’t give up and I refuse to settle.  Persistence is my other middle name.

I’ve never lost confidence in the notion that the right person is out there. That all I had to do was keep trying, keep looking and eventually we’d find each other.  And so, at exactly 4 am, I can tell you I think the search is over. Although time will tell the full story.

My father says that if you want something kept a secret, don’t tell anyone. Let  me spare myself the usual feelings of regret at having said too much and simply say, good night.

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Today was perfect. Perfect. PERFECT. Am I making myself clear? I’m pretty darned happy about today. First the hockey lockout gets settled, then I made the most incredible breakfast, yadda yadda yadda and finally my third episode of Dragons’ Den aired.

The whole Dragons’ Den experience has been transformative.  I never imagined when it all started the impact that show would have on my life.  Not only have I been on that show three times but not a day goes by where someone doesn’t ask me about The Den. And of course, being positively portrayed and getting rave reviews for my food only increases business in the Deli.

I still find it odd that people regard it as a game show in that there are winners and losers depending on whether you get money or not.  I guess that’s the most simplistic view but the truth is that getting 9 minutes of national air time on the CBC’s most popular non-sports show is a win any way you slice it.

I’d strongly encourage anyone to apply to be on that show.  While the editing really helps to tell the story, what you see is what you get.  The Dragons are all wonderful characters and the show is designed to give a big boost to Canadian businesses.

I have no regrets.  Wouldn’t change a single thing.  Big “Thank You” to everyone involved with that show as well as my own team who helped make it so much fun to do.  Elliott, Kevin and Tari in the truck and everyone at the deli too.  I love you all.

Of course the burning question is no longer what happened on Dragons’ Den but what did I “yadda yadda yadda” over.  Hmmmmm… it’s too soon to name names but I think I’ve met my match.

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Words fail me.

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One week tomorrow, at 8 pm on January 6, 2013, watch me take on the Dragons – again. My segment is part of a “Second Chance Pitch” special and although I can’t discuss the outcome, I can tell you it should be great tv.

Having been on the show twice before, I’m well aware of “The Dragons, Den Effect”. The deli will be nuts for about a month – at least. In fact, Dragons’ Den changed my life. You can watch my episodes on YouTube or on the media page at CaplanskysDeli.com.

To recap: when I first appeared the Dragons didn’t get the whole foodtruck concept (or phenomenon). Of all the eventualities I had prepared for, the “I don’t get this” one escaped me. I was looking for funding for my foodtruck business and while they didn’t bite, TD Bank did. Funny, eh?

The second episode was a follow up special that aired last February 29. On that one, the Dragons’ Den crew filmed me at an event and we showed that the Dragons missed the bus on my deal. I guess they heard about it from enough people that they invited me back for the Second Chance opportunity you’ll see next Sunday.

I want to say a special thanks to my friend Gregory Macdonald. Two years ago, almost to the day, I told Gregory about my idea for Thunderin’ Thelma, Toronto’s first great foodtruck. Gregory not only “got it” but he had a terrific idea. “You should go on Dragons’ Den,” he said. The rest, as they say, is history.

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Lying in bed just now, listening to Whitney Houston (It’s Not Right But It’s Okay), I was compelled to come sit down and write about my friend Dan DiMatteis.  Dan isn’t with us any longer but I’m not depressed or maudlin about that.  I miss the shit out of him but in so many ways he’s still with me.

Dan had urged me to do something about our knish and although it took over a year, it’s done.  ”That knish is unbelievable when it’s fresh out of the oven but you need to find a way to reheat it other than the microwave,” he said.  I bought three convection ovens and we killed each of them.  Some died a spectacular flame out death.

Last week we finally installed a Merrychef I bought used off eBay.  WTF’s a Merrychef? Need me to Google that for you? Okay, it’s a high intensity oven. 15 times faster and hotter than micorwave or conventional convection ovens. You find them in places that need to reheat or bake on the fly. Dan would be proud. If you liked my knish before, you’ll love it now.  And although you won’t know or appreciate Dan’s contribution, it’s there.

In fact, if you watch my upcoming episode of Food Network’s “You Gotta Eat Here” you’ll see me make 3 of Dan DiMatteis’ dishes. Weird eh? The show producers picked my (read: “his”) fried chicken, meatloaf and The Leaning Tower of Caplansky for that show.  For the record, Dan’s also responsible for my deep fried pickles, beef ribs and onion rings. Onion Rings? Yeah, bitches: ONION RINGS. It’s a secret menu item.

These last few days and weeks have been groovy.  I mean that in the most literal way possible.  It feels like life is happening exactly the way I’d never dared dreamed it could. In fact, earlier this evening, as we were wiping menus (me) and rolling cutlery (him) I told awesome server Michael Illiades what my original dream was. “A few days after opening in the Monarch in 2008,” I said “Tenzin came down to visit me and my new venture.” Tenzin had been my Assistant Manager at the Magic Oven as well as my friend. “I told Tenzin,” I continued, “All I needed was to sell 20 sandwiches per day to make my rent and put gas in my motorcycle.”  ”Tenzin responded predictably if you know him at all,” I said. “Tenzin told me that if I sold 19 sandwiches that I should call him and he’d come and buy the 20th,” I said.  ”And we both knew he would.”

The conversation started with Michael saying something about my “million dollar idea”. “It was more of a $100 idea,” I said. “Actually, it was closer to a $10 idea.” And maybe that’s the key.  This has never been a ‘get rich quick’ scheme.  Getting rich or famous was never my thing.  I just wanted to pay my rent.  I just wanted to do my own thing. I just wanted to make a great sandwich, a nice bowl of soup, some killer fries and a mean knish.

I gotta tell you: I’m really happy with the result.  I don’t care that it took me this long. When you have people who care just as much as I do on the team like Dan and Tenzin (Caplansky’s General Manager and Partner) and Michael anything is possible.

It’s actually unfair to single out any single member of the team.  The truth is, as a group, we are amazing. Click the link below to see a video the incredible Gina made.  It was a Secret Santa gift for Therence, one of our extraordinary cooks who jokes that the rest of us can’t dance. Special thanks to Cressida for organising the Secret Santa event.

As you watch, look at the faces of our people.  I couldn’t be prouder.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSs7H28sVvQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Merry Christmas, Dan.