What's in a Name?
There has recently been a feeling I have had to return to the name of 'Josh'. My name at birth was Phillip Joshua Foss, though I was called Josh from the time I was born, all the way up to the point that I had been in NYC for 3 years. I'm not going to get into why I was called by my middle name, but the logic of the change was this:
I had been fired from my first 4 positions in New York largely due to the fact that I was not nearly as good as my CIA diploma would have had me believe. Granted, two of these were NY Times four star restaurants that I was trying to cut my teeth in, but I had even backed away from the culinary world for a time to work in wine sales (I was kind of a wine snob back then). When after a ton of persistence, patience, and persistence, I finally received a call from Le Cirque to interview/stage for a position, I made a deliberate decision to "change" my name to Phillip. The mind behind the madness was two fold:
Phillip is more universal a name and rolls off the tongue easier for the Spanish, Italian, and French speaking colleagues of Le Cirque.
Phillip carries a different connotation than Josh.
The second point is the interesting one for expansion. There could certainly be a numerology study that could be referred to, but lacking time or any idea of numerological jargon, I will relay simply from my gut and experience.
Josh is the dude you are going to get crazy with, make you laugh, and get drunk or stoned with. Almost all the Josh's I know are laid back and good friends with good senses of humor, but not very confrontational or serious about their career.
Phillip, on the other hand, is the guy you want to go to war with. He's the guy who'll have your back in a fight, and may even be the one to instigate it. He can be belligerently drunk, defiant, and rebellious. He takes his work seriously, quick to spark, and co-workers take him more seriously than they do Josh.
Of course a lot could be said for the fact that by the time I got to Le Cirque I was ready for things to fall in their place, but I also believe there is a subliminal aspect to the tone of the name that is missing with Josh.
The reason for this post, is that it may give you a better look into who I am as a person. Josh is what my wife and family call me (even my 4 year old calls me Josh as opposed to Daddy). Josh is the guy who writes most of my 'off the wall' posts. Josh is very much my creative side, poet, and far and away the core of my sense of humor. When I look in the mirror, it is Josh who I see looking back at me. Phillip is there when the kitchen whites are on. Josh may have come up with many of my culinary concepts, but Phillip is the chef I want executing them. Phillip traveled and staged through France, and Josh exploited Brazil and all its beauty. Josh is without a doubt the beast behind the Meatyballs concept & cracks jokes and puns all day, and Phillip is the chef who's behind EL, longs to be taken seriously, & comes down on the team when they need a push. Yes, there is a schizophrenic aspect behind my being, and moments of silence have been extremely awkward when I have to think twice before introducing myself.
As for you, continue calling me Phillip if that's how you know me and continue/start calling me Josh if that is easier. I really don't care and answer and turn my head to both, and even many other names that are not appropriate to be repeated on a family blog as this.
So why this post? Does it really matter what you call me or that you know any of this? To tie it in, it is best said that the project of EL will be a little of both Phillip and Josh. There will be serious cuisine with frills and tricks, and there will also be tongue and cheek humor. One thing Josh has learned from the time on the streets operating the Meatyballs Mobile, is that even Phillip has enjoyed bending people's minds and enticing laughter. And Josh knows that Phillip seriously misses the creativity and refinement of a sit down dining experience that will be satiated in EL.
Thanks for your time, Phil/Josh
P.S. If you were expecting to find information here on why we've decided to call our project EL, stay tuned... it will be explained, but I needed to get this out there.