When a person has that a’ha moment, you know that moment when he or she thinks: “This is what I was meant to do with my life”. At that moment there is a rush of adrenaline that provides the fuel for a sense of purpose. It may be said that people choose a career, but with chefs the rule is that the career chooses them. From that point on, a person becomes a sponge – seeking to learn whatever he or she can, engage in every opportunity, embrace the challenges thrown his or her way, and relishing the experiences that result. Join our conversation with Chef Michael Beriau, a career chef of extraordinary talent and a passion for the people and the environments of the kitchen. He is a competitor and a mentor, a person who truly loves what he does. When asked how important culinary competition is to a chef’s career, he states: “After competing at the highest level I found that I never viewed food and how I approached it in the same manner.” There was only one way to approach his craft – all in. Doing every task at the highest level was the only way to approach the job.