Friends, Family, & Fellowship with Joe Burton
EP 013: Joe Burton
Chef and Owner of Rooted Rotisserie
In this episode, Aubrey continues her conversation with Chef Joseph Burton and they discuss his journey of opening a restaurant, the importance of community, and how he balances being a business owner and a family man. This leads to the conversation of how to find the best balance between work and family life and what that looks like for Chef Joe and his family. He shares insight from his personal life, including what it took for him to achieve these successes while juggling his recent marriage, becoming a father, and working to open his restaurant during the pandemic.
EPISODE OUTLINE
[00:00:00] Hellos and introductions to the show
[00:02:30] Chef, business owner, new dad, and husband, how on Earth do you balance all of that?
[00:07:04] Carrying on the family legacy one show of support at a time
[00:10:00] Accountability, astrology, and availability. Three pillars of a healthy and happy relationship when you’re partners in life and in business
[00:14:42] Living a simple (read incredibly busy yet equally rewarding) life
[00:18:56] Giving to the community and in turn receiving from the community
[00:23:00] Helping one of us helps all of us in the end
[00:27:23] Rapid-fire Q’s and A’s
[00:33:56] Outro
RESOURCES
Where to Find Us:
Rooted Rotisserie on Instagram
Mentioned in the Episode:
University of Maryland Eastern Shore Hotel Restaurant Management
Ways to Support the Show:
Explore our bookshelf on Bookshop.org
Follow/Leave a review on Spotify
TRANSCRIPT
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[00:00:00] Joe: You know, every day that we open and the place is busy it's just so validating. Obviously, we do marketing but you can market your butt off and still have no one show up for you. Like, before when I was doing my dinners, I would say seventy percent of the people I knew; they just wanted to support what I was doing. But now people come and they don't know me from Adam. And they come to eat my food and see what my wife and I have created. And it's wonderful. Every week it grows.
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[00:00:37] Aubrey: Welcome to the Golden Approach Podcast. If you've listened before, it means the world to have you back. And if you're new here, I have no doubt you'll find some helpful little nuggets, but first let me give you some super brief context about myself and the show. I'm Aubrey. I've spent the majority of my career as a pastry Chef in elite companies with lots of stars, diamonds, James Beard nods, wins, and so forth. [00:01:00] And while I love all things food and beverage, what really ties it together for me is the art of caring for others. On this show, I'm excited to share all I've come to learn and introduce you to other talented and insightful professionals, F&B or not, who are passionate about making the world a better place. I have full confidence that together we can cultivate growth and meaningful connections as individuals, communities, and in any form of workplace. So without further ado, let's get to the good stuff
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[00:01:31] Welcome back for part two of my conversation with Chef and Owner of Rooted Rotisserie here in Baltimore, Joseph Burton. If you haven't listened to part one yet, I highly recommend to do so. So just go back into the feed and check it out. We talked about his journey opening a restaurant, but the more important morals of the story were about how the important people in his life helped shape him into the kind soul that he is today. I also especially loved hearing [00:02:00] about how he and other local professional peers were able to create reciprocal relationships; one of our most powerful and accessible resources. And we're going to dig into both these ideas a little more today as well, as he tells us more about how he makes that dynamic of being a business owner, and the family man work, as well as how his roots in the community have grown only deeper now that the restaurant's open. Get comfortable, and enjoy the rest of my conversation with my dearest friend, Joe.
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[00:02:30] Aubrey: I am curious if you don't mind me sort of bridging these two topics, and if this is too personal, feel free to say no, but you're a recent dad. You have a beautiful one-year-old with your wife, who is cute as a button. I can't. So I'm curious, you know, you've done a lot over the last few years. Like in the last four years, you've gotten married, you opened a restaurant, and you had a son. That is remarkable considering it was all during a pandemic. So, I'm curious [00:03:00] if you don't mind me asking, as someone who is doing all of these things simultaneously, as someone who is still quite young, is there anything that you're willing to share or speak to? You had a fulfilling childhood, so how are you kind of passing those things on? How are you recreating that? And just anything you feel comfortable speaking to…
[00:03:22] Joe: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. I grew up with my Mom. My Mom was always around. I didn't grow up with my dad in the house. So it was always my Mother and I. Now that I have a son, it's like one of the most important things for me in the world to be there for my son always. And I know, you know, time is hard, especially when you're in the industry. Like a lot of your time gets eaten up, in the day-to-day grind. I've been trying my best and I haven't figured it out yet. Like, like you said, my son just turned a year old, [00:04:00] but I've been trying my best to figure out time and how I can be there more for him. You know, I'm there with him every day, obviously, but it's just for a short time. It's like kind of a hi and bye thing. So now what I'm challenging myself to do is like, okay, I've got the restaurant running pretty good. By no means do I have it all figured out yet, I’m still working the kinks out, but say I would have done this years ago, like when I was maybe just turning 30 or whatnot, I would have just been in the turn and burn. If I would have had the child then just been turn and burn. Just go, go, go. Obviously, I would still been there for the child, but it would have just been, you know, let me make sure I provide money, or provide, you know, situations where he's, he's okay; proper daycare, food, everything that he needs. But now, I'm like, okay, I've got the restaurant. [00:05:00] It's doing great. I love being the Chef there. How can I be in this space less now? How can I be in this space less? So now I'm trying to do the work to put all the systems in place. Get this liquor license so that we can get more capital so that I can eventually find a very good Chef to run this place for me so I can kind of manage almost from afar, you know. It's not that I don't want to do it anymore, it's that I feel like I owe it to my son not to be there as much. I need to be there with him. That's where my journey is right now. Like trying to figure that piece of the puzzle out. Like, I mean, I've been busting my butt trying to make this thing work so that we can afford to hire somebody to basically be me in the space. So yeah, you know, just trying to figure out that move so that[00:06:00] we can be together a lot more often. Like it’s really what’s, really what's important to me now. Cause I mean, he's growing. I mean, God, he was just born last April and now he's already a year old. So it was like, you know, I see how time works. And, it's not always on your side. I mean, before you know it he'll be a teenager and I'm like, ‘Oh God, I'm still trying to, you know, get this restaurant staffed.’ Yeah, just making sure that I'm there with him, you know?
[00:06:26] Aubrey: That's cool. I think time is really the one that if someone can figure out how to truly balance it like you've become the master. I feel like every time I start to get time figured out and I'm like, ‘Oh good, I'll have time for friends, I'll have time for life, whatever’ and then life does what life does, and throws another curveball and you're like, ‘and I don't have any time anymore. Well, shit.’ So I was just curious because that's a lot. And so like, honestly, I appreciate that you're like still figuring it out, [00:07:00] actually not quite sure the answer to that one. And that's totally fine.
[00:07:04] Joe: Yeah yeah, exactly. Still figuring it out. But I will tell you that having him gives me great energy, motivates me to try and figure this thing out cause he's a fun little dude, you know, like now he's starting to come to himself. Now he's getting his own personality and getting his sea legs, and I want to be around for that. You know, like, over the years, working in the kitchen, like I missed out on a lot of stuff, mainly because I wanted to learn, but now I feel like that, that time you never done learning, but now I need to learn my son. Now I need to learn what works for us as a family. And, you know, that's what I want to do, while growing this business, because I think it's kind of crazy because I grew up in the kitchen with my Aunt and my Mother. Like every day I would go to my Aunt's house. She would be making something. [00:08:00] I don't know, it's cake, applesauce, anything. I mean, she would always be making something. And my Aunt was retired my whole life so she just had nothing but free time on her hands. It was either gardening or cooking. Gardening, cooking, or baking, and she did all three well, and I grew up in that. And my Mother was always cooking, and now that we have the restaurant, now Ari's gonna grow up in the restaurant. So now he's gonna be a restaurant kid. And that's like one of the most fascinating parts to me. I'm like, every time I think about that idea, I get so excited because I'm like, wow, like he, he's going to be so ahead. It's like, you know, he might go to his friend's house and they offer him some chicken nuggets or something like that. He's going to look at them like they had three heads. Amanda and I laugh about that all the time. Like Ari's going to be the super bougie-est kid that ever walked the Earth. It's like, it's like…
[00:09:00] Aubrey: Ryan and I joke about this too. We're like, we'll have a kid and someday they'll win like MasterChef Junior because they'll have been cooking since they were like two years old. No big deal. So I look forward to seeing Ari blow everyone out of the water.
[00:09:14] Joe: Love that. I love it. Getting ahead on life.
[00:09:17] Aubrey: Yeah. I think that's so cool. And so I guess the part B of this question then, okay. So we've got all these things on your plate. Again, whatever you feel comfortable speaking to but how do you fill your cup then with your marriage? Because you also run this restaurant with your wife, and have a kid; like how do you guys find that balance? How do you speak to making sure that you both feel good in what you're doing? That you feel rested in what you're doing? Supported in what you're doing?
[00:09:45] Joe: So that's a delicate balance also. That's in, a work in motion also. Obviously, our relationship is great. You know, we love one another or else we wouldn't be doing this together, the restaurant or the baby. [00:10:00] Communication, so my wife is great with communication, like great. Great with communication. I am terrible with communication. Like, absolutely terrible.
[00:10:12] Aubrey: No offense said, most men everywhere.
[00:10:15] Joe: In my mind everything's fine until my wife starts to talk and I'm like, ‘Okay, everything is not fine. Alright, great. Screwed that up.’ So she is the one constantly reminding me like, ‘Hey Joe, you know, we just had a baby. He's great. I love him. But what about us? We need to, we need to go out or we need, we haven't, you know, had a dinner with just, just us.’ So she always kind of keeps me in check.
[00:10:50] Aubrey: Good for her, I'm glad, she sticks to her guns.
[00:10:53] Joe: Yeah, oh, yeah, she, yeah. Yeah, she’s a Libra. She doesn't mind being verbal, you know, [00:11:00] about something, about things she feels strongly about. So she's been in my ear and, you know, I listen to my wife. I wouldn't have gotten this far without my wife. So, I know that what she's saying is valid and it's only, to better us, to help us move further in life together. And, we do work day to day in the restaurant together. She usually has a day or two off during the week, aside from our Monday and Tuesday closed days. So, um, she gets some time to be away from the restaurant. I don't, I mean, I live there, but, she always makes sure to remind me like, ‘Well, maybe on a Monday or Tuesday, maybe, we should, drop Ari with your Mom for a couple hours, and let's just go out and have a bite to eat and talk.’ And we'll do that a lot of times. Just sit at a table, just her and I, and [00:12:00] talk about life and what's working, what's not working, what we need to improve on. And, my Mom watches our son on Friday and Saturday for us because, you know, Friday and Saturday are super busy days at the restaurant and it's like, by the time we close the place we're trashed, and my mother is retired. I'm her only child. So this is her first grandchild. She always wants Ari. Always. She, she would take him seven days a week if she, if we would allow her.
[00:12:34] Aubrey: That's awesome.
[00:12:37] Joe: So she watches him on the weekends. My wife and I either go to what we think are, are the two best bars in the city. One, either W. C. Harlan,
[00:12:47] Aubrey: I would agree.
[00:12:49] Joe: or Dutch Courage.
[00:12:50] Aubrey: I would also agree. They're so good.
[00:12:52] Joe: Oh, yeah, they're phenomenal. And, you know, the staff is always great at both places. And we'll go after, after service and have a drink.[00:13:00] And that's, that's usually the most consistent time that we have, like to kind of hash things out, talk about business, what's happening, what we need to improve on, you know, certain appointments that we might have. W. C. Harlan is not always the bar for those talks, but Dutch Courage usually is a little more quiet. But we're working every day to improve on our communication and, what we want our lives to be, moving forward with us and our child.
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[00:13:36] Aubrey: Hi there! Maybe you've noticed, there's no commercials on this show. And that's because we don't currently have any sponsors. And while I do hope, someday in the future, that that will happen; currently, this is totally funded by yours truly. So, if you like the show and would like to help me make sure it continues to exist and grow, I just wanted to let you know that you can support the show directly by checking out our merch on [00:14:00] our website, www.goldenapproachpodcast.com. And in case you didn't know, every person we interview gets to choose a cause of choice. We then make them a custom episode merch piece, and we donate $8 of every shirt and $7 of every tote to that cause. It's vital we do what we ask of others, and we take action to build the world we believe in from the start. So each piece of merch sold could support up to three businesses at once. And I would say that's working smarter, not harder, am I right? So after listening, head to the show notes where we'll have the website page linked. Thank you so, so much because I literally couldn't do this without you.
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[00:14:42] Aubrey: I think this is so great. You really, just in everything you speak to it and in everything you do, which I kind of already knew this was going to be a little bit how it played out cause I know you, but I just hope that other people hear that like you have such a beautiful, simple approach to life. Like you really stick [00:15:00] to the foundational necessities, right? Good people, kind family, time together. And as long as you really do those three things, and you nourish your body, nourish your soul, and nourish your family, everything else will come together. And I, I love hearing about how the multiple generations supporting each other and communicating with each other. It's like even the community aspect where you're like I'm getting to know the people in the restaurant. That to me is all it's about. It's yes. Okay, you and I've worked in these beautiful “frou-frou” places, but like at the end of the day, it's always the most fulfilling and the most sustaining in whatever you do. If it's just about connecting and communicating with the people around you.
[00:15:52] Joe: Yes. What makes people happy? Creating a space for people to feel comfortable spending their money, and feel good about [00:16:00] it. We have people that are regulars, you know, I never thought that I would be saying that I would have regulars, but I mean, we have people that come in every single week. Sometimes two and three times a week to eat my food and, you know, share the space with me. And, um, I love that. I love it. You know, every, every day that we open and the place is busy it's just like, I don't know, so validating. Obviously, we do marketing and things like that, but you can market your butt off, and have the best marketing ploy, or best marketing scheme and still have no one show up for you. People every day constantly show up. We do reservations now. We'll have maybe 10 or 15 reservations on, and then still have a boatload of walk-ins. And it's just like, it's just the greatest thing. It's like, you know, before when I was doing my dinners I would say seventy percent [00:17:00] of the people I knew. You know, they just wanted to support what I was doing, but now these people, I don't even know. I've never seen them before in my life. They just come and they don't know me from Adam. And now they come to the restaurant to, to eat my food and see what my wife and I have created. And it's wonderful. Like every week it grows.
[00:17:26] Aubrey: I think it's beautiful. I hear about people talking about your restaurant more and knowing about it and I just, I love anything community-based, personally. Like that, that's my jam. That's my point. That's what keeps me going. Yeah, I just, I think it's really, really cool to see people showing up for each other. And I, you know, Baltimore has quite the reputation. We always have and probably always will, but that to me is the Baltimore I know, That's the culture that I don't think gets enough attention in this city, [00:18:00] that it's about people showing up for other people. And I think it's especially cool you being in the neighborhood that you're in because I feel like Hollins Market, uh, Union Square, all of those over there, they fall in that category of sort of, they've been, not abandoned, I, or maybe some people would say that, but they're definitely sort of a more less-known pocket of the city that has a lot of gems hidden in it, and I think it's really cool to see it growing and expanding, and like you were saying earlier about people being like, oh, thank you for coming here, thank you for offering something like this, like, I challenge people that if they're thinking about starting something, who are the people around you? Which communities or families or whatever it is that you feel like you're already a part of, but isn't getting that support or that love? That's it. And then just show them some support and show them some love
[00:18:56] Joe: Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Because, you know, in southwest Baltimore [00:19:00] people are super like together down there. Like all the, all of the neighbors know each other. They eat together, walk the same streets, the dogs know each other, you know, and, uh, it's just a food desert there. Like they had one decent restaurant in the area and that's a pizza place, but you know, not everyone always wants to eat pizza every day. So now that we've come in the neighborhood, like people are really like over the moon, they're ecstatic. I mean, people love that we're there. They love what we're doing. They're like, finally, we have a place to come and we're able to sit down and laugh and fellowship and feel safe in a different environment, you know, and they love that. Like, they have been super supportive of us. Like, you know, unfortunately, I forget what month we're in. I think it was month four or five, someone, threw a brick through our glass door [00:20:00] and broke into the restaurant. And you know, opening a restaurant or opening any business, that's something that's always in the back of your mind; like theft or, you know, break-ins and that was, like, at the forefront of my mind. I was always thinking about it, always trying to take precautions to avoid that happening. And, you can only do so much, and unfortunately, it happened to us, and someone threw a brick through our window. I think they were trying to come in and look for liquor or cash and we have neither of those things. So they just made a huge mess. And got absolutely nothing. And, first of all, first of all, people from the community notified Amanda and I that the store had been broken into. They were walking to yoga. They walked past the restaurant, saw that the window was broken out and they found our number on Instagram or Facebook somehow. And they found my number, [00:21:00] called me and told me that the restaurant had been broken into. We, we flew down there to find the mess. We, you know, we were planning on opening by four o'clock, obviously. Then that's when one of the lady's husbands comes by and he's like ‘Oh my God, did y'all still want to open a restaurant today?’ It's like, cause I think I can get the door situated to where you know, I can get it covered up and you guys can open if you want. So we're like, yeah, we still want to open, you know, because now we have to pay for a door. The ladies who found the place broken into stayed and helped us clean up all of the glass in the restaurant. I mean, they helped us move the furniture, helped us sweep up the glass while one of the women's husband went to Home Depot and got, uh, wood to, cover the door up. And, um, her husband happened to be a NASA engineer. So, he came up with a way to build, uh, build a frame inside of the door. And I mean, it was so neat [00:22:00] and so clean. I was so fascinated. I was like, wow, this, this guy actually got the thing looking nice and it looks like it’s secure. And he didn't charge me a dime. Didn't charge me one dime. After he got that up, there's an artist in the area, his name's Patrick. He came by, he heard what happened, and was super sorry that it happened. Because they all love coming to this place. And they're like, ‘Oh my God, they just got here, they just opened up, it's great. Um, we don't want the neighborhood to run them off,’ basically. So he went and got some chalkboard paint and he painted both sides of the door black, so it wouldn't just be like a raw wood look. So he painted it then he stood outside and he, he hand drew our logo on that piece of wood. Um, you know, because we had just got the decals and everything on the window.
[00:22:55] Aubrey: That's so cool.
[00:22:56] Joe: Yeah, it was beautiful. It was like, you know, if it was ever a time [00:23:00] that I was sure that we were supposed to be in that neighborhood doing what we're doing, it was then. I mean, like, people just came out of the woodworks helping us out, you know. That really felt great, you know.
[00:23:12] Aubrey: More of this energy in the world.
[00:23:14] Joe: Yeah, more of this energy in the world, you know. And to make a long story short, we ended up being able to open by four o'clock exactly. And we had a busy night and we didn't let that stop our thunder. So, the community is resilient, now that the community knows we're resilient and they constantly want to support us. Like we have a regular couple that comes in every Friday. Fran and Deb. Fran and Deb are awesome. They own a home in Union Square. And they constantly send people here, you know, send their grandkids, uh, people come in from out of town, they come to the restaurant and that's, that's what I want. People to have a place to where they feel comfortable bringing, you know, their guests like, ‘Hey, [00:24:00] you're in town. I've got this great restaurant that we go to, let's take you here’, and then they ended up having a great time. And then we have people for whatever reason, traveling from around the world who are in that neighborhood that come to the restaurant and love it. Like, I mean, I can't tell you how many times we had people like from Paris, from Belgium, from all these different places, come and eat in the restaurant and tell us like how good it is. You know, I'm just over the moon with, with those responses and, it just adds more fuel to the fire and makes me want to go that much harder.
[00:24:35] Aubrey: I think sometimes it's, it's wild to me because it's, hmm, how do I put this? Like, we all know that being supportive, being kind, giving, you know, words of encouragement, that's like winning the lottery, I feel like to most people. Like when someone, whether it's because I was able to help them with something or because of something of mine that they ate, that they feel touched [00:25:00] by it, I feel touched by it. It's always the little things, it's the little signs that people care and are connected that I think are the most impactful, and it's just like, you're literally a walking, living example of it. You and your restaurant and the community are just living it and showing it, and I just hope more people will remind themselves that it's that simple. It really is that simple. It's hard I'm, not saying it's not but it's that to the point. I guess is the way to put it.
[00:25:29] Joe: It is, it really is. Just really make them feel comfortable. People feel comfortable in that home. Like we had a lady come in and, have the greens, just something as simple as the greens, and apparently, she had a whole moment. Like, she sat at the table and cried because she said it reminded her that much of her grandmother's cooking and her grandmother's greens in Mississippi. And her Grandmother has since passed away, and [00:26:00] that just kind of brought that feeling back, that remembrance of her, back full circle.
[00:26:05] Aubrey: Well, anyone…please correct me if this is not how you would want me to describe your restaurant. When people do ask me about what kind of food you cook I have always described it as French fusion with Black heritage like it’s just it’s these two worlds, sort of coming together.
[00:26:25] Joe: Yeah, that's described that way. Yes. Wonderful.
[00:26:27] Aubrey: Oh, okay. Great. So I always tell people, I'm like, if that's home for you, then go. And if you don't know what that means, also, please go, because I feel like you'll discover something that is more homey to you than you realize, or is going to like open up a new part of your, your food soul that you didn't know was there. So I'm, I'm not surprised. I'm touched to know those stories are happening. But to be completely honest with you, they don't surprise me because that's exactly what I feel like your food does. It just bridges [00:27:00] this gap of technique and soul into one.
[00:27:05] Joe: Yep. Literally cooking from the heart. Literally cooking from the heart. That's all there is to it.
[00:27:11] Aubrey: You really are a teddy bear, Joe. I hope you don't mind that Ryan and I describe you as a giant, wonderful teddy bear of a human.
[00:27:19] Joe: Nope. No, not the first time I’ve heard it.
[00:27:23] Aubrey: Honestly, I'm not surprised to hear that. So just some final things I was curious to ask you about before we, you know, get to the end is, it's sort of a staple question that I've been asking on this show because I, I think it's really helpful. I'm always curious to hear, like, if you were speaking to your younger self or you were speaking to someone a few steps behind you, what would you tell them? What is sort of, the reminder, the piece of advice that you would offer to someone behind you or someone younger than you?
[00:27:53] Joe: Like I was saying earlier, don't focus on following the trends. Do what makes you happy. Because you never know, [00:28:00] you might be the trend.
[00:28:02] Aubrey: Wise words. Yes. I feel like, again, we do underestimate the fact that people are always looking for something different. And I feel like the things that people find is different is usually just somebody else being their authentic self that they haven't had exposure to. So just be you.
[00:28:22] Joe: Yes, your authentic self. Yeah, how many times have you said ‘Oh, this person is doing that. Oh, I thought of that,’ but you may have thought like, Hey, you know, maybe it's a dumb idea or maybe, Oh, that's not going to take off. Like, no, just be yourself. Do you, you know, see what happens. See where it guides you. Be authentic. Just that. Yep.
[00:28:43] Aubrey: Exactly. Just take the baby steps and see where it guides you. I couldn't agree more. If no one takes anything else away from this, just take that. Yeah, literally just please take that away from the show.
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[00:28:54] Okay, pardon one more quick selfless plug. We are now affiliate partners of [00:29:00] bookshop.org, an organization dedicated to supporting local bookstores and a direct competitor to Amazon, who honestly just doesn't need any more of our money. So please consider checking out our bookshelf through our affiliate link in the show notes to not only support our show, but other small businesses. Trust me, we appreciate it way more than those big guys. Okay, let's dive back in.
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[00:29:25] Aubrey: Alright, so before you go, we're going to do three rapid-fire questions. Okay. So just whatever comes to you, don't feel a lot of pressure.
[00:29:33] Joe: Let's do it.
[00:29:35] Aubrey: Okay. So we picked these randomly before. What would constitute as your perfect day?
[00:29:41] Joe: So believe it or not, it always involves food. I like going to a place that I've never been before. I don't know, finding some new restaurant or new type of food or something I hadn't experienced before and just [00:30:00] hanging out with my wife and my son, sharing that together. That's like the perfect day. I mean, just being with them, you know, just hanging out. Don't have to worry about like getting back to the kitchen or doing this, doing that. Just have a, just a carefree day.
[00:30:15] Aubrey: I love that... I mean that that really is the dream. I can hear him in the background. He's so cute. Well, don't worry, we're almost done, so you can go hang out with him post-nap well, final two. What is your most treasured memory? You touched on some, but I'm curious.
[00:30:31] Joe: So always when, when someone says that, asks a question like that, I always go back to, for some reason, when my Chef instructor in college took me and a couple other people who were really interested in culinary to CIA for a tour. he was a graduate of CIA, and, I couldn't go to CIA for financial reasons, but, uh, my mother recommended that I go to University of Maryland Eastern Shore Hotel Restaurant Management [00:31:00] because they have a hospitality and culinary program there. And when I got there, the Chef and instructor was a graduate of CIA and his curriculum mimicked everything and when he finally took us on a trip to CIA, I mean, it was just like one of the greatest things, greatest times of my life. I met so many great Chefs, I mean, it's, it is literally incredible. Like if you love anything about culinary, that is a safe Haven. I can literally buy a house down the road from the college and I'll live there and I'll just go and.
[00:31:32] Aubrey: Well you just let us know, Joe, we've always been looking to like, go back up to retire there if we're ever blessed with the opportunity to actually retire. So you just let us know and we'll go with you.
[00:31:43] Joe: I will, that would be an incredible place to retire. Oh my God, just a mountain just the mountains alone. Oh my God.
[00:31:51] Aubrey: We agree. So, yeah, dude, we're in if you're in.
[00:31:54] Joe: Oh, for sure. For sure.
[00:31:58] Aubrey: Okay and your final one. [00:32:00] What is something that you have like, dreamed of, or wished to do, but haven't? And it doesn't have to be anything crazy.
[00:32:08] Joe: Oh, that one, that one was easy. So I've always wanted to get on a yacht and like, you know, it doesn't, I don't have to be rich or anything to do it, but it's just something that I always wanted to just take some of my friends and, my family and just go somewhere, preferably the Mediterranean. And, yeah, just have fun, you know, just chill out on the water and eat great food and go on land, eat more great food. And just one of my favorite shows, if you can't tell already, is Below Deck that's my trash TV, as my wife says. I love that show. I think it's great.
[00:32:55] Aubrey: I actually have not watched that show and everyone I know in this industry loves that show.
[00:33:00] Joe: I think it's great because it shows hospitality on the water, like being a restaurant Chef on the water. I love it. Like all of the pitfalls and…
[00:33:08] Aubrey: That's so funny. Okay. I'll have to watch it. I'll, I'll move it up the priority list. I love a good trash TV. I'm not gonna lie. Who doesn't?
[00:33:15] Joe: Oh, it's great. You should watch it. Yeah.
[00:33:18] Aubrey: Man, well, it has been a joy.
[00:33:20] Joe: Oh, yeah. Yeah. absolutely.
[00:33:22] Aubrey: Truly such a treat. First and foremost, thank you truly, Joe. I, I hope that you've enjoyed doing this. I'm so very grateful for your time. Like, just thank you.
[00:33:34] Joe: Yeah. This is awesome I had a wonderful time. Wonderful time. You're very welcome.
[00:33:38] Aubrey: I'll just hang out with you all the time. Ryan and I talk about you all the time. I think our only complaint about rooted and I say this about all my favorite restaurants is just that they're not closer to me. Like that's literally my only complaint. But you're not even that far, so that's on me. That's on me.
[00:33:55] Joe: Thank you.
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[00:33:56] Aubrey: Thank you for listening to another episode of the Golden Approach Podcast. [00:34:00] I hope you've enjoyed this episode as much as I did. I think it's always a good reminder of the true impact love, family, and community can have on all of us. That together, these three things will cultivate all we need to live our most fulfilling lives. I'll see you back here in two weeks to hear what's next. And in the meantime, I encourage you to give our episodes another listen, as often there's a lot of really important takeaways. And if you've liked today's episode or any episode prior, please show us some love by following the show and leaving a review wherever you're currently listening, and maybe even share us with a friend. Please and thank you! The hardest part is having people find our show, so your efforts are super appreciated. You can also stay in the know by following us on Instagram @goldenapproachpod, or on our website, goldenapproachpodcast.com for details, like reference links, merch, affiliate partner, details, transcripts, and more. All the things will be linked in the show notes. [00:35:00] Until next time, though. Bye bye!
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