Philip Tessier

The first was actually at culinary school at the CIA in Hyde Park where I worked at first as a student worker and then as a Fellow at the Escoffier Room (now Paul Bocuse Restaurant) under William Phillips. He was meticulous about everything, especially cleaning and taking care of what we were given, which if you've ever been to a culinary school kitchen isn't normal. Little did I know, I would work for the master of detail when I took a position as part of the opening team at Per Se with Thomas Keller in 2004. I thought I was a good cook until I went there and was surrounded by the incredible talent that had been assembled to helm that kitchen.

One note, any resume that has multiple one-year stints or less basically hits the bin immediately. I'm looking for team members who want to invest in us which in turn allows us to invest in them.

We work hard at PRESS to create a culture and environment where our team can thrive and grow. Every day there are new difficulties, frustrations and challenges – it is only with an attitude of positivity and patience that we can rise above the fray and maintain a positive work culture for the rest of the team.

What an incredible opportunity we have every day to discover new ingredients, new techniques, and new ways of thinking about food, service, and hospitality. Every time I start to feel like I've "arrived", I see other amazing chefs doing things I've never thought of and it makes me eager to learn more.

One thing I've learned is that work/life balance is less like two even scales and more like a pendulum that swings back and forth. It is critical to be intentional with the time we are given especially with family and to take advantage of the time we have in between the long hours.

We are so busy, it is a challenge to carve out time to read and develop oneself, and that is the best source of education. Instagram is inspiring and pictures are motivating, but they don't translate to action, technique, and refinement unless one really digs beneath the surface and understands what makes those things we see special, whether an ingredient, method, or style.