[ HAWAII AT WORK ]
RONEN ZILBERMAN / RZILBERMAN@STARBULLETIN.COM
Love to cook,
love to eatJack Mead makes money
doing what he loves bestMy name is John Mead, but my friends call me Jack. I'm the executive chef here at Morton's, The Steakhouse Honolulu, which is located at Ala Moana Center.
As executive chef, I'm responsible for overseeing all aspects of the kitchen, ensuring food quality and consistency.
I moved to Hawaii over six years ago from Northern California, where I worked at various restaurants in the area for seven years. My wife, Cameo, who is originally from Hilo, and I decided to move to Hawaii because of the true Aloha spirit of these islands. My wife and I just had our first child, a beautiful baby girl born on Sept. 21.
My job here at Morton's is a dream come true. Not only is Morton's a great place to work with terrific employees and "guests," it provides me the tools, equipment and technology to make my work easier. For example, if I have a question about a supply order or a cost issue, information is available to me from the home office via computer. It's all about quality and service. When I first started working here, I went through an extensive training session on the Mainland to make sure that everything that I make here in Hawaii meets the Morton's standard of excellence.
I really love food. I love eating it, I love thinking of new ways of preparing it, I love making it and I especially love it when I know people enjoy what I make.
Sometimes I can't believe I actually make a living at doing something I love. I remember when I was just 15 years old and my mom's friend who was a waitress got me a job washing dishes in the kitchen. It was love at first sight. From then on I knew that cooking and being in the kitchen was going to be a part of my life forever.
I often get asked the question "what's the secret to being a good chef?" and basically my response is very simple. "You gotta love it!" We set our grills to about 1200 degrees and believe me it can get hot in the kitchen, but I can't complain because the high heat is just a necessary part of making the perfect steak.
Everyone has the potential to being a good cook. Even for those "weekend warrior chefs" who light up their hibachis on the weekend, it's all about the love you put into it and the quality ingredients you put on it.
Hawaii At Work features tells what people do for a living in their own words. Send submissions to: business@starbulletin.com
