Defining Creativity Podcast [September 6, 2022]
S1E10: A Sommelier's Definition of Creativity with:
David Hale
David Hale brings a wide variety of experiences to his recently launched Gemini Wine Company. Even as he introduces himself in this episode of Defining Creativity, it is evident that his background in musical theatre, opera, directing children's theatre, work alongside award-winning chef Michel Richard, and twenty-five years in the restaurant and wine industry all influence his creative approach to his business and life in general—though he ultimately chose to have the title of the episode designate him as a sommelier, because as he states:
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"I identify with the spirit of what it means to take care of somebody— and that's just what I try to do; try to do it with love; try to do it with energy and passion behind it."
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"As far as creativity, I’m just the messenger in a show; I’m just the messenger as a sommelier. I’m connecting you to somebody that I love that has work that I love and that’s basically all it is."
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-David Hale
“Creativity to me is about either producing something from yourself or drawing something from others that creates a level of positive energy for either you or them. Whatever it is, if you’re actually painting something, if you’re performing something, if you’re making a business deal, if you’re showing a bottle of wine, it either needs to be something you’ve thought about and produced a little bit of energy to that can then serve to enhance the other person or, correspondingly, if you see a person in need of having something positive drawn out of them, then it’s doing just what we said and getting your positive energy scalpel in there and pulling it out.”
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-David Hale
“Some of the same aspects of people watching live entertainment and then restaurants apply… no one comes to a restaurant to have a bad time. They want to have a great time, and they come primed to do so—all you have to do is just sort of put the cherry on top and give it to them. It takes some reading of the audience; it takes some reading of the guests; it takes a little bit of good-hearted hospitality and a dose of humility, but it’s easy to do, and to view it as that.”
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-David Hale