“Resolutions”

  With the New Year just days away, we all feel a bit of excitement, hope, and anticipation for what 2026 will bring. I thought I would talk about the yearly rite of passage—“New Year’s Resolutions”.  Those promises or affirmations we say to ourselves that begin with- “This year…” (you can fill in the blanks). 

We all start off with good intentions, full of motivation —until February hits, and suddenly the conversation shifts to next year.

 Like any situation I face, I like to look at the WHY. 

Why did that just happen?

Why didn’t that work? 

And, far too often, why did I just say that? 

  For me, those questions are about understanding something well enough to fix it. That is also me being a constant “the glass isn’t even close to being half filled” kind of person.  However, that’s very much 2025 Dan thinking. Let’s see what 2026 Dan has to say.

 Now here’s where I’m going to start working toward one of my resolutions— trying to be more positive. Instead of focusing on why resolutions don’t always succeed, I want to put my energy into talking about why they’re worth pursuing in the first place.

  To satisfy the chef in me, let’s think of it like preparing our holiday menu. In order to pull off the perfect meal, there are a few crucial steps we need to do: Design the menu, Mise en place, Preparation, and finally… Service.

Step One - Menu Design

When making our resolutions, we should begin by taking an honest inventory of ourselves and focusing on a few key areas— personal well-being, finances, health, professional goals, or any other place where you  (that’s the key word, you) feel there’s room to grow. To be honest, this step isn’t always the easiest to do. 

  For it to work, we may have put aside our ego and look at ourselves in a way we may not be comfortable with. An inventory or self reflection is not meant to be a tool to beat yourself up with, but more like a flashlight meant to shed light in a not so bright area. As part of our inventory we may want to list the areas of importance and use that as our guideline that will help us towards designing the menu. 

  Maybe our passed hors d'oeuvres represent something you’ve always wanted to try, but something has held you back. Our starters are the things you’ve been kind of working on but never fully got around to making a part of your daily routine.

  Then there’s the entrée: the big thing. The elephant in the room. The thing you know you need to work on, but for some reason just can’t bring yourself to face. That’s the dish that deserves our focus. Everyone remembers the entrée—no matter how good the dessert is, if the entrée is burnt, that’s what people will remember.

  Lastly, dessert. The final piece. This isn’t something that’s weighing you down all that much, but rather something that would simply make you better overall.

Step Two - Mise en Place

  Once the menu is planned, it’s time to start preparing the meal—and just like in the kitchen, that begins with mise en place.  We need to gather all the ingredients and tools required to bring this outlandish meal to life. Depending on what we are trying to work on, will determine the supplies we need to get the job done.

  For most of us, that probably means finding time in the day to work toward accomplishing our goals. The biggest hurdle when sticking to my own personal resolutions is time. No matter what the resolution may be, my excuse is always the same: “I didn’t have the time yesterday.” Then yesterday becomes last week, last month—and before you know it, it becomes last year.

Maybe your goal requires some outside equipment such as additional schooling, or scheduling time to meet with someone—and that’s completely understandable. But don’t wait to acquire the tools needed.   You have to hit the ground running, or you’ll just end up with your next excuse.

Step Three- Preparation

  Here, we focus on what we’re actually going to need to work on. Maybe it’s one thing, or—like me—it’s a couple of things. We know it will not always be easy, but at the same time we also know that if we stay committed to our resolutions, we’ll be in a better place next year.  “Next year”, is also way too far in the distance. How about this instead: if we stick to our resolutions, we’ll be in a better place next month.

  Like a great meal—unless we’re cooking in a crock pot—flavor is developed through a series of procedures, with ingredients added at just the right time. Maybe we begin with a hard sear  (fully immersing ourselves in the resolution). Then comes a nice deglaze—This could be something gentle, like white wine, or something with more kick, like a strong brandy— (a brief push to keep us on our track).

  Now that the base of the meal is moving along, it’s time to add the flavors. Depending on how we’re feeling, that might mean something bold, like chili peppers, or something more understated, like fresh herbs. (These are the small rewards along the way that keep our goal interesting and give us the desire to keep moving forward.)

  And finally, a good dollop of butter—the finishing touch that makes everything taste better. Over time, as we stick with our resolutions, it’s easy to forget about them altogether. That final touch is our reminder, a way to keep our goals fresh in our minds.

Ah… the perfect meal.

Step Four- Service

  Finally, it’s time to eat. Time to put all your hard work on a platter and show the world what you’ve accomplished. This is where we celebrate your resolve. Whether your resolution was about getting healthier, reaching a professional milestone, or something personal, go out and share your new found success with others. You’ll be surprised—those closest to us often notice the change before we even mention it. Bask in the glory that your hard work has brought.

Changing our habits and creating new routines is never easy. My only suggestion is to take it slowly. Remember, it will not  happen overnight, but each day—and each night—we have the chance to work on becoming the best version of ourselves.

Another New Year. A clean slate. Everything we didn’t accomplish last year is in the rearview mirror. This is the year of change—and we will be here alongside you the whole way.

Happy New Year.

As the new year begins, what is one small meaningful shift you could make- personally or professionally- that would positively ripple through your restaurant this year?