The Rebirth Of An Entrepreneur

It's no secret that I prefer private dinner parties as opposed to eating out at mediocre restaurants populated with people I wouldn't want to share my last supper with. That said, I do love to go to a restaurant that has figured it all out: subtle service, normal portions, well-made food and a low key enviroment.

In the majority of cases, restaurants are a way for people to show that they a) make enough money to pay 10x the cost of food, b) to be seen paying 10x the cost of food, c) expressing that they are to busy / do not have enough knowledge to cook themselves and d) have read 'Competitive Advantage' by Michael Porter and learned that one hour spent in the office is more profitable than spending one hour in the kitchen.

Very seldom do the food that you eat at restaurants blow your culinary mind. Restaurants are in general just there to feed the mass audience and charge well to do so. Hey - if it makes money it's good, right?

Think about it: when was the last time you had that great meal that really far exceeded your expectations? I know: it was at Thymus in Buenos Aires. There is NO way I could replicate the brilliant quail by Fernando Mayoral (taught by Michael Bras). I paid $50 for a bottle of wine and a three-course meal for the Missus and I. Not cheap but far away from being expensive. I'd say worth it!

Hold on, I'm not saying that you only have to go to Michelin stared restaurants to enjoy a great meal - quite the contrary. I went to a one-star in Palma the other week and it sucked; completely overpriced. My point is that our culture is turning into an earn'n'spend society where we tend to forget the basic pleasures. A home-made sandwich with dijon mustard, turkey and cheese can be a real treat.

Well, back to the entrepreneurial topic of this posting. An entrepreneur is frugal beyond being cheap. Never overpaying for anything. Just trying to survive by find arbitrary oppertunities that benefits the end consumer.

So to make along story short, I'm finally getting back to thinking and acting like an entrepreneur after a few wasteful years in the corporate enviroment. And I'm loving it!