Crepe Suzette!

This afternoon I had the pleasure of enjoying a delicious chicken and veggie crepe, purchased from a brand new [hygienic] vendor who specifically sells crepes. All varieties, all the time.

I love hearing the stories behind the people who start up these mini ventures, so it didn't come as a surprise that this particular seller had a fascinating history before he came to be a street vendor literally a week ago. At 62, he decided to forego his pursuit of working in the fine arts (sculpting, of which he has his masters) and embark on fulfilling another artistic passion...cuisine! Suspecting he was Eastern European because of a thick accent, I nevertheless asked him if he was French (stupid I know...but CREPES, people!) and he answered that he was Polish. I watched him masterfully create this $5 meal for me and wondered what life was like for him. He seemed happy that he was able to do this, but at the same time, it was clear from our conversation that he abandoned his search for employment as a sculptor because of the little pay and virtually invisible market for people with his skill-set.

I wish I caught his name.

Watching Mr. CrepePolish guy got me thinking of how I want to one day start a South-Indian restaurant. My imagination takes me to a point in time where I'll be a wealthy philanthropist, eager to pluck a poor, humble cook from the backwaters of Kerala, take her/him back to America and create a five star dining experience rooted in the home-cooked meals of our mothers and fathers, for patrons from all walks of life. God's Own Country...

Definitely, maybe.