Why Chef Curtis Duffy inspired so many
9/09/2016
If you are a fan of cooking shows, documentaries or simply a Netflix user, you probably have seen or heard of a documentary called "For Grace". You might have seen the film poster but did not watch it or it is just sitting in your watch list ... GO Watch it!
Many so called "foodies" have seen the documentary but most importantly the majority of those who saw it, fell in love with and were "inspired" by it were absolutely NOT foodies. Regular people who could barely cook! The social media feedback about Curtis Duffy and "For Grace" is astonishing. In fact, in today's social media universe, putting yourself out there as Curtis has done could get you as many haters as fans if not simply haters. Not Curtis!
I dare you to find anything bad said about him, his story, his documentary, his restaurant Grace and his work. The man is truly loved and is truly inspiring many to make their lives better and to work hard to achieve their dreams.
So why is this man such a huge inspiration to many?
He is modest
Chef Curtis Duffy exudes modesty in this documentary. Most chefs you watch on other cooking documentaries are snooty, talented but self centered which is a huge turn off for most people.
Curtis, throughout the movie, spoke little, in a soft yet assertive voice and did not say much about himself unless asked but talked mostly about his work.
He lets his work speak for him
The man is all about the work. He does not talk too much about the food like other chefs do. He creates beauty and we all fall in love without a word.
This is a rare quality among artists and creators. Most talk too much about the emotional process that led to creation. They beat the emotional story to death until the artistic creation loses its appeal or their talk turns into unattractive bragging especially when it comes to food. We never got that from Curtis ever!
He admits to failure in a brave human way
The most painful part of the documentary was when he read his dad's letter right after he spoke about his failed marriage. That part broke the hearts of many.
We are all human with flaws. In today's world where everyone seeks perfection and tries to appear as if they are flawless, Curtis touched hearts because we could relate to him. We all try our best to be the best version of ourselves and we can't have it all. It's an illusion. He admits to continuously struggling to find balance as we all do especially when you are driven and ambitious.
He made it very clear he was focused on his professional success and he was not going to give it up and made no apologies for that fact. This is hard for a father to say in public without the fear of the backlash he could get accusing him of being a bad father. We have to give up things for others in life. This does not make us bad people or bad parents.
The culture of being perfect, flawless and having it all is one of the biggest lies sold to the current generation and it's a breath of fresh air to hear someone as successful as Chef Curtis tell a different story we all know deep inside but have a hard time accepting.
He is focused
His focus while you watch him work is unlike anything you see these days. He is intense without speaking.
In a distracted world, that is is a rare quality we all love and admire and when we see others who exude it, it inspires us to focus on our goals and ambitions.
He creates true simple beauty
Most chefs in his class try too hard to impress with crazy plating, made up foods that look like other foods or taste like other foods just to play with your mind and justify charging $500 for a dinner. Not Chef Duffy.
His food creations are gorgeous yet authentic to the nature of food itself without trying too hard to impress or being pretentious. This is a reflection of his personality and his taste. So the choice of the name for the restaurant could not have been any better. He truly creates with Grace.
We live in a world where everyone seeks the next thing, the new, different, ... sometimes we just want real with taste and grace and that is inspiring.
He is grateful
He never talked trash about any of the chefs that he worked for but made sure to be thankful for the learning experience. Even when he spoke about Charlie Trotter! He said the man "was a monster" but he respects him.
He was thankful for everyone he worked for and what they thaught him and he never forgot the influence of a great teacher in his life Ms Ruth Snider. We all have someone we could look back at and see their influence in our lives no matter how small or big it might be. We could all find Ms Ruth Snider somewhere in our past.
Many who achieved the success Chef Curtis did hardly go back and recognize the "small" people in their lives who made a "Big" difference. It is important to be thankful and grateful for those who see something in us and give them recognition because it inspires us all to be the next Ruth Snider and help others in the way and give love and support when needed no matter how small it could seem. Everyone is fighting a battle and a small gesture could leave a lasting effect and change someone's life.
Our culture is becoming too selfish that we forget to be grateful and it is inspiring to see someone like Curtis remind us all to look back and move forward with gratitude.
He turned a tragedy into a success story
This is possibly the most touching and inspiring part of Chef Duffy's story and documentary. Yes his tragedy was incredibly painful for most of us to relate to. We don't all have parents who murder one another yet we complain endlessly about our families, our childhood, blame those around us, the system ....
His tragedy reminds us all that we have it better than we think and we should not complain. It reminded us that it could be worse but even when it is worse, it does not have to define us, at least not in a negative way.
There are lessons to be learned or in many cases none learned at all because we can't grasp the tragedies themselves but we move on. We all carry a painful load daily and we drag a painful past behind.
Watching and learning about someone like Chef Curtis reminds us all to keep moving and to find our "amazing Grace" whether it's our work, a hobby, a dream .... he inspires us to pour our heart and soul in whatever represents that "happy place" in our life and go as far as we could go to reach the highest we could because the only way to deal with pain is to keep marching forward.
This is easy said than done but it's inspiring to have a modest real human like Curtis to remind us that we can without having to be a superhero.
He is a true "modern hero"
One of the biggest challenges of this generation is having enough great people to look up to. Humans by nature need heroes. For some generations, Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa and others were heroes kids looked up to. This generation does NOT have heroes and it is a sad fact.
We are all looking for what we call these days "modern heroes". People who are just like the rest of us, weak, with flaws, tragedies and dreams. Heroes who live among us, speak like the rest of us without the big "I have a dream" speech ... we look for people who despite the odds march forward and follow a dream and live it.
The Netflix generation that is inspired by Chef Curtis Duffy is a generation that saw in him the true "Modern Hero" they have been looking for. I am not saying that he is at the same level as Martin Luther King or Mother Teresa ... of course not. At the end of the day, he cooks food not save lives. Or does he save lives?
To the 16 year old teenager who believes life is not worth living, his life is too hard and will never amount to anything and contemplates suicide ... then watches a documentary and gets inspired by Curtis' story, he is a hero who saves lives.
The current generation feels like so much has already been accomplished in the world that they don't need people who abolished slavery or fought for civil rights to be inspired. Yes they have the utmost respect for Dr King and Mother Teresa but they have a hard time being inspired by them.
The new generation does not look for inspiration in historical figures who changed the world, they are looking for real living people who change their lives, struggle with personal challenges and win. Those are the modern heroes that inspire many and this is why Chef Curtis Duffy is a true hero to many.
Other reasons he is inspiring?
Well he is just a cool good looking tattooed fit biker! Shall we say more?
I hope all of us who find him to be a true inspiration accomplish our dreams and goals and inspire others as well.
Curtis, thank you for being brave to be you and inspiring us to do the same. You are a wonderful human being who will continue to have a special place in the hearts of many.
Read more details on Chef Curtis Duffy's story in Chicago Tribune
Curtis Duffy's recipes were featured in this beautiful book among other chefs
1 comments
He is a hero because he displays character, maturity, and wisdom. He also bucks the awful trend in the restaurant industry of neurotic, egotistical, sexist, drug addicted, maniacal "monsters" of head chefs.
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