A lot of late nights, boatloads of coffee, and many early mornings went into getting this book ready on time. What a ride!
I’ve been told by other chefs and/or restaurateur friends who have written books that the toughest thing would be to get all of the information from my crazy head or chicken-scratch notes and on to paper. After going through this experience, I have to say they were totally right! This exciting journey I live daily would not have been possible without some amazing people.
To my pops, Dad: thank you for always being there for me. I could not have asked for a better Bruce Springsteen concert partner, graphic designer, and sensational artist who has helped me, since day one, bring my brand to life. But, of course, most important, you are the best friend a son can have.
Momma, what can I say? Your little boy is all grown up and this book couldn’t have happened without your constant love, support, and years of cooking lessons. You and I are exactly the same, both strong-willed and very passionate about our true loves. Thank you for giving me these attributes as you are the most caring person I know.
To my sister and part-time editor, Amie, thank you. You have such a great heart as you take so much joy in life in helping others. Never lose this, Sis. People see this and love this about you. You helped me learn to read and write, and after all these years here we are. Who would have thought? You’re the best big sister a little brother could have.
To the love of my life, Dana: you make me a better person daily. I couldn’t do what I do today without your love and support at home. Life can definitely bring its challenges, but, babe, you’re always there to steer me in the right direction or provide a different voice or point of view. I know we’re on the right path to a life filled with rich and meaningful experiences. I love ya, Bagel!
Cheers to Robert McCullough, Zoe Maslow, Lindsay Paterson, and Terri Nimmo of Appetite by Random House. Robert, we met by chance. Some say “you need to be lucky to be good,” but I think luck had nothing to do with it as your passion and professionalism brought us together. Thank you for taking a shot on a crazy guy who just really wanted to give the world a new look at lobster.
To my brand team, Marian Staresinic and Sean Beckingham at Branding & Buzzing: you guys are simply the best. The devil is in the details and, as they say, hard work pays off. Both these statements sum up how you run your lives and business, and how you respect your clients. Since day one, I’ve known we would form a great team destined for success.
To my amazing Rock Lobster staff and partners: I can’t say thank you enough for holding down the fort while I was busy writing this book. You guys are my voice, my eyes, and the true face of Rock Lobster, and for that I thank you. They say it takes a village to raise a child—and it is exactly the same for a restaurant. What started as an idea on a piece of paper and one employee exploded in just over a year and a half. Keep pushing, guys. Thank you for being the best.
To my crazy friends who have helped me since day one with ideas, spreading the RLFC name, or actually standing in a park or field selling lobster rolls to 5,000 hungry customers for three days in a row with very little sleep at times. I love you guys: Matty C., DC, Wick, Spano, Hugo, MacNeil, Big T, Gee, Andres, Jamie, Jeremy, Ronan, Blair, MacInnis, Goat, Joel, and Fil—the list could go on forever. My parents had only one son, but I consider you guys all my brothers!
Caiti McLelland: thank you for working with this first-time author and really ensuring that my vision, passion, and voice made it onto these pages. You knew how important this was to me. Looking forward to working on the next book with you!
To Brilynn Ferguson, my amazing photographer. I still can’t believe that you filmed and shot pretty much everything I did during the early stages of Rock Lobster. The best part is that after all this time, you are still capturing the amazing moments. Thank you!
Mr. Tom: thank you, sir, for taking a chance on a young man from a lake and not an ocean, a young man who wanted to show Canadians outside the Maritimes what top quality fresh lobster is. You provided me daily with the best that money can buy, and for that my customers and I thank you. I know you get a lot of excitement and enjoyment from knowing that others are loving quality Nova Scotia lobsters!
To my friends, the contributing chefs who shared a piece of their world with us in this book: I truly thank you for your contribution. It’s a very exciting time to be in the food industry. I love seeing chefs supporting one another, and we seem to be at an all-time high in this respect. Mark, Claudio, Rocco, Rob, and Roger, you are all world-class chefs. Thank you for your guidance and support.
To my sponsors, big thanks. Since the beginning, working with you has felt easy and natural. Thank you, Samuel Adams and McClure’s. Here’s to great long-term partnerships.
And last but not least, thank you to the Toronto Underground Food Market (TUM) team, fellow street food vendors, and #LobsterLovers everywhere. Without you guys we definitely could not have done what we did. Man, collectively we certainly took the food world by storm, helping to shape it for future food-entrepreneurs. I can’t say thank you enough. Love you guys!
Cheers!
MDP
