What Will Your Legacy Inspire?
Last week I attended and spoke at the National Restaurant Show in Chicago, one of the largest trade shows in the country. The sheer scale of it is impressive. Thousands of booths, countless innovations, and restaurant professionals from all over the world gathered together to learn, connect, and be inspired.
One evening, I attended the Menu Masters Awards where Grant Achatz, founder and chef of the acclaimed restaurant Alinea, was recognized with the Hall of Fame Award. Having dined at Alinea last October, it made the evening even more meaningful for me.
What impressed me most, though, was not his culinary accomplishments. It was his humility.
Grant shared stories about growing up in his parents’ restaurant before eventually attending culinary school, where his understanding of what restaurants could be completely changed. He talked about working for incredible chefs who challenged him and inspired him to forge his own path. For someone considered one of the most creative chefs of our time, there was very little ego in his speech.
Jason Sutton (Footers Catering), Jay Varga (The JDK Group) and Anthony with Grant Achatz at the Menu Masters Awards Celebration
Having survived cancer, he spoke with deep appreciation for the restaurant community that rallied around him during that season of his life. And when he reflected on legacy, what stood out to me most was that he wasn’t focused on preserving what he created. He was focused on inspiring what comes next.
He said: "My hope is that someday, 20 years from now, a 20-year-old kid who’s not even born yet finds an Alinea cookbook, dusts it off, and is inspired to improve upon what we did."
That perspective stuck with me. Most of us are standing on the shoulders of people who came before us. Teachers, coaches, mentors, parents, leaders, authors, and friends who shaped the way we think and who we’ve become. And eventually, whether we realize it or not, someone will stand on ours.
Leadership is not just about achieving success for ourselves. It’s about creating something meaningful enough that it opens doors for others. A great culture. A standard of excellence. A new idea. A belief in someone who didn’t yet believe in themselves.
Too often we think about legacy as what we accomplish. But maybe legacy is better measured by what continues because we were here.
The people we developed.
The opportunities we created.
The example we set.
The courage we gave someone else to try something new.
Grant also shared that this award meant so much to him because, “Stars come and go, but a lifetime achievement award is forever.” It was a reminder that recognition fades, trends change, and success evolves. But impact lasts.
So here’s the question I’ve been thinking about this week:
Are you building a legacy centered around your own accomplishments… or one that creates inspiration and opportunity for the people who come after you?
