Renewed Inspiration

     I try to tie inspiration into everything that I write.  In my mind, we need it more than anything during these current times--inspiration and love.  I'm always looking for things and people to inspire me on a deeper level.  I'm talking about inspiration that should be recycled.  Not that inspiration of being able to buy the bar at the club, or having the ability to buy the newest car, or the latest and greatest iPhone or iPad.  I'm talking about the inspiration that promotes better living, promotes change within ourselves to become greater individuals.  Inspiration that inspires us to want to lead and inspire others to be greater.  While writing and doing research for my book, I come across many inspiring figures.
     My most recent inspiration is that of Chef Jeff Henderson.  I've known about Chef Jeff for quite some time, being that I love to cook and studied different chefs during my years of culinary dreams.  I just vaguely knew of his story, but knew that I wanted to highlight him in my book.  A book in which I desperately want to leak the title of, but I won't until I get it copywritten.  Anyway...Chef Jeff has a story that is not uncommon to many of us.  But the difference between him and many of us is this:  Once knocked down in life, he re-invented himself , changed his life and pursued his passion that he found while locked up in a federal penitentiary.  And upon his release he pursued his passion with passion and vigor.
     Let me give you a rundown of Chef Jeff's history:  Jeff Henderson is an African-American male that went from earning over $35,000 weekly at age 21 to facing nineteen and a half years in prison at age 24.  All from dealing crack on the streets of southern California.  He ended up serving about a decade incarcerrated in various federal institutions during that bid.  During this time he found his passion for food and cooking.  He utilized his time locked up to change the deviant he had become slangin poison (crack cocaine) on the streets, to become a man of principle, a man of self worth, a man with a plan.  It didn't happen overnight, though.  In his book titled:  Cooked; he admitted that years after being locked up is when he realized that he was rescued from the streets.  Going from having tons of money, cars, clothes and women at your disposal.  To prison issued clothing, monitored visits and a small cell can be humbling and de-humanizing.  It takes incredible growth, maturity and soul-searching to view a nearly two decade prison sentence as you being rescued from the free world.
     Chef Jeff not only became a chef, but he became the first African-American Chef de Cuisine at Caesars Palace.  He also became the Executive Chef at Cafe Bellagio.  He did all this without spending one day in Culinary School--no degree at all!  I want you to wrap your brain around that.  In this society when nothing is given--especially to a convicted felon who happens to be a black man.  He learned how to use every resource that was available to him and simply took no for an answer.  I'm sure that you can only imagine how many times he was told no when looking for work in the business of fine dining.  A business that already has almost no black chefs at all.  Chef Jeff used what he would call his Ph.D in game to export knowledge from many that he came across in the business, and in prison.
     Just like I always tell many people that I come across; you can basically learn anything that you want to.  How?  All you need to know how to do is read.  Knowledge is in the books--in which there are millions of.  It has always been said that if you want to keep something from blacks, put it in books.  Historically it is said that we (blacks) do not like to read.  Chef Jeff immersed himself in all kinds of books to re-invent himself, and also to aid in learning his trade in which he would become an award winning chef. 
     Chef Jeff's story truly inspires me.  Not just because of my love for cooking.  His story is about redeeming, focus, determination, charity, faith, progression, and taking chances.  Things that we all can relate to in the game of life.  We all have been knocked down at some point in life.  And not to be the bearer of  bad news; most of us will be knocked down again in the future.  The will to get back up and fight again is imperative to success.  His story transcends becoming a chef.  What I took from his story is that in life the only thing that can truly stop us is us!  Rapper Big K.R.I.T. has a song called Boobie Miles.  And in that song he says, "you got to play it to the end, the only difference between a winner and a loser is a winner plays until he wins."  We have to play the game (life) until we win.  All successful people has lost at some point.  Donald Trump and Rupert Murdoch have filed bankruptcy many times.  They've also had business deals go south and fail miserably.  Today they are billionaires.  They played the game until they won--and they continue to play the game.  It never stops!
     Thank you Chef Jeff for sharing your inspiring story with the world.  You proved to the masses that anyone can redeem one's self.  All you need is a chance.  And if no one wants to give you that chance--it's okay, create your own path to that chance.  I will share this story with all my fellow black men.  I will share it with them because I know a lot of brothers that have that "the white man ain't gonna give a brother like me nothing" attitude.  This is true.  No one will give you anything--including your fellow black man.  So lets eliminate that whole way of thinking from our existence.  It has been a known fact for years now.  With that being said--my inspiration is renewed.  I hope that yours has shifted just a little bit.