Quoted: Chef Jacques Torres on Craftsmanship

Welcome to my new favorite thing: a weekly quote from an interview that's stuck with me; that's resonated on a personal note; that's made me super-excited by the people I get to meet and the stories I get to tell. Cheers.

"I am a craftsman. I love what I do.

My dad was a craftsman. He never made any money. He raised us well, but he never made any money. One of the reasons was that he was more excited about doing something and experiencing something than selling something. The selling was secondary. It’s funny, because in America you think about that and wonder, "What’s wrong with him?"

During vacation, we used to drive everywhere. He would see a gate or window that he liked, then stop and draw it. Later, when he talked to a homeowner he would tell them about what he'd seen, just because he wanted to make it. Because he’d never done it before he’d take a lot of time doing it and would be very proud of it. He’d sell it for whatever price he could sell it for, not really making any money from it. But he spent his life very happily doing what he did.

This is the definition of a craftsman. A craftsman has a certain way of living, and hopefully makes some money doing what they love to do."

- Chef Jacques Torres, from an upcoming piece