“If you’re going to play at Wimbledon, the US Open or here at Indian Wells, if you’re not motivated, you might as well stay home,” he said. “So for me to do a new restaurant is always exciting. Even learning a lot is really exciting for me.”
The chef is also loyal to his team, and that loyalty has led to minimal turnover and employees that feel empowered. “We have to create a culture. We have to really get people who really understand what we do. And I have people who work with me for 30 years, 40 years.”
With the chef full of exuberance during his entire appearance on Second Serve, 30 minutes flew by during the lively conversations about food, tennis, and culture. Puck was a fan of Austin offering to fix his backhand, but he was not a fan of the cast & crew’s choice of dinner that evening (sorry to Smashburger). But on the whole, it’s great to have successful people with large platforms eager to join the tennis community, and it’s endearing to hear such an accomplished person marvel at what the world’s best players can do on the court.
Second Serve brings out the best the sport has to offer, and Puck’s appearance absolutely cooked.
