The essence of success in the restaurant arena stems from a confluence of factors: great food, top-notch service and prime location are certainly paramount to the bottom line. What’s a great restaurant, after all, without a great concept and menu? But, as important as food is to the success of any restaurant, it’s the people who make the biggest difference. Without the passionate individuals who stake everything to launch these enterprises and the countless employees who perform a variety of tasks, day in and day out, success simply wouldn’t happen.
At its core, that’s what the Pinnacle Awards are all about — the power of individuals who come together to achieve greatness. Our annual Pinnacle Awards issue (see stories starting on p. 18) is a testament to the hard work, true grit, determination, blood, sweat and tears — and, above all, the passion of countless individuals. It’s all about star power and it’s the one common denominator that threads this month’s stories together.
By shining the spotlight on the stellar accomplishments of individuals and companies, we give credence to the power that we all have in our hands to create, to build and, in the process, inspire others.
Over the past 31 years of our Pinnacle Awards program, a dynamic industry has been forged from the whimsy of people’s collective dreams. As consumers, we’re blessed to be the benefactors of those dreams, with a plethora of wonderful restaurants to experience.
Interestingly, the word restaurant is derived from the French verb “restaurer,” which means to restore, first used in the 16th century when street vendors sold soups advertised as restoring your health. How appropriate is that? In a world that’s continuously becoming increasingly frenetic and fragile, how fortunate are we to be able to be “restored” by this industry that feeds us on so many levels and helps us forget daily stresses by breaking bread with family, friends and business associates.
As another year comes to a close, let’s look ahead to 2020 not with fear and dread as to what new challenges await us, but rather at the vast opportunities that exist to help us deal with them and, in the process, shape a new, exciting and improved landscape. The world may be more turbulent, but we also have more resources, better technology and more creativity at our fingertips than ever before.
In the spirit of the season, and on behalf of the entire KML team, I wish readers and advertisers health, happiness and, as always, a touch of magic.
