05/19/2023
Dear friends…
I’ve got something to share, and I’ve been struggling with how to say it. Here goes…
A few years ago, I allowed Bardo Restaurant to define me as a person, and in some ways it always will. I can’t even describe the lens I see the world through after accepting its finality. With the dust settled, I am certain of only one thing; I can’t do it again, not anytime soon. I won’t.
I achieved the goals I set out to accomplish and along the way I’ve seen enough to know that I will not be fulfilled as a person if I continue down the path I’ve been traveling. I strained relationships and I endangered myself. I also mentored young people and created lifelong memories for amazing people I’ve never met. Success is always a relative term, and so is failure. Sometimes they feel the same.
I will be ending my career as a professional chef this summer.
Thank you, Lowell and Richard, for trusting me with the most magical music room I could imagine and allowing me to heal and recognize myself again. There are only two universal languages between strangers that cannot be misunderstood. They are music and food. The Dakota is a beacon of compassion and that space exudes love that lives forever.
I also need to properly acknowledge my big brother Zach. He has been my best friend and idol for my entire life, and he is the only person that truly understands my motor. My brother is my protector and my greatest advocate, and I would not be who I am without him.
Looking forward, I am extremely grateful and excited for the opportunities before me. I will be moving to North Carolina this fall to complete a degree that I intend to use to launch a new career in video game development. In doing so, I’ll also have a chance be near to my parents whom I owe for everything I've ever had the opportunity to do. Cecily and Tom are quite possibly the best most genuine people ever to walk the earth.
Thank you to everyone who has been there for me and anyone that has contributed to the hospitality industry I am leaving. It’s not a ‘me game’ it’s a ‘we game’, and I will always love anyone that chooses to serve people through passion and excellence. Family once is family forever.
As far as my hometown goes, I love this city and I will never abandon it; Minneapolis is my forever home. One way or another I will be back… but for now, I must say goodbye.
Thank you thank you thank you!
Remy