What makes restaurants such a force in our lives?Out front, memories to last a lifetime create bonds that bring relationships to new heights. For reasons as diverse as life itself, we sit together to break bread and slow time down. I like to say this is a sacred place for us. Behind the scenes, restaurants can be so chaotic we're tested to the point of breaking. Regardless of education, upbringing, experience, language, training or beliefs, we're a family that supports each other not only through such tests, but in the most personal areas of our day-to-day life. As we share our differences and find common ground, we become richer as a people. For those that either pass through to other ventures, or find themselves with hospitality forever in their blood, the lessons we learn are far greater than taking orders or flipping burgers. What becomes our beliefs and our outlook on life, is forged in fire through teamwork, humility, endurance, adaptation, compromise, defeat and victory. Add to this the freedom our industry offers us. We can travel the world. There's always a job. We can choose unique hours to allow for other needs in our life. We can take on entirely new roles which open doors to whole new career paths.In our industry, now matter the skills we master, the ceiling stays just out of reach. It never keeps us down, and inspires improvement. For those who pursue excellence as a way of life, there's always one more achievable step up, and forward. In the twenty-seven plus years since I peeled my first shrimp, I’ve worked along-side the best in the business, eventually helping to create and implement restaurant concepts for both independent operators and international hotel brands.As CEO of RestaurantConnect and co-host of Table for Two TV, this is where our mission comes from. It's where we return to each day as we ourselves, seek to serve, to get better, and make that sacred place something to remember for everyone.