These past few months have been the most difficult during our 30-year history of doing business in Central New York. Out of concern and curiosity, numerous friends, loyal guests and valuable employees have wondered when we will reopen and how. We will resume limited operations as Phase 3 of the New York State reopening begins and we intend to fully comply with all state, federal, and CDC guidelines to maintain guest and staff safety.

After disappearing for almost 3 years, I’m back. Allow me to tell you where I have been, as most of you know we purchased the old Onondaga Music Building and we have turned them into 21 apartments plus one clothing store. We made a lot of friends over the new project. We rented them all out currently but please keep checking in with us to see if there is any availability or put your name on our  wait list. 

Syracuse Downtown Dining Weeks finished with the greatest success ever. The Grass broke records on quantity, quality, and sales. As Downtown Committee always wants, to produce more traffic downtown, more income on a hard month, to introduce different clienteles from other areas to get more familiar with our beloved area.

I must tell you about this year's Graduation War.

It has been awhile I have put over 80 hours in the kitchen for a single week, along with our new chefs, John and Ing. Both worked a combination of over 150 hours. My oyster and cold line chef Mang, who barely speaks English, was standing shoulder to shoulder for the whole week and has been my best buddy. Neal, my Sous Chef, had everything ordered and all sauces done earlier. Our Graduation Menu changes every year so the estimation on some of our proteins were really off.

Spring is here for real Ocean is getting warmer. More fresh seafood and toys start to march into our kitchen. Last month trip with Palmer, lead by Kip Palmer and Steve Valentine that provided my staff a private jet to Seafood Expo in Boston, we got a lot of great suppliers.

It has been more than a year I was away from all my fans. A lot of my buddies keep teasing me and start to call me a quitter. Well, I'm back with several stories to tell.

Staff, we have changed most of our new staff from last year. The last one leaving us for her own good is Alyssa, she will continue to start her career in NYC in May. She will be missed, especially our sales team. We all wish her well. Now, I have to take a small management job too, not just designing and inventing food alone.

I am now paying my dues after close to 6 1/2 weeks away from my office. All the work has piled up over my head. Vince, my new Chef de Cuisine, is doing well. He's been trying to put this kitchen to work the way it belongs, and he did it on time with the new season starting.

It's me again! I'm back and still alive in New York. I left you guys back in Tokyo, Japan several days ago. I have to accept that the cost of living in Tokyo is very high -- too high. It is very easy to spend as much as or even a lot more than in most major cities in Europe.