It is with both sadness (for us) and joy (for him) that we announce the transition of Steve Hallquist from being a long-serving, well-loved member of the BCBS team, to moving on to other opportunities at the end of November. We will dearly miss Steve’s solid, reassuring presence in the kitchen and his delicious meals. We wish him the very best on his new adventures on the west coast. Here is a brief letter that he wanted to share with all of you.
After 11 years of working in the kitchen at BCBS, it is time to say good bye. I will be leaving at the end of November and driving to California to cook at Ratna Ling, a Tibetan Center in Northern California. I am originally from California, so this is a little of going back home. I hope to eventually settle in the Santa Barbara area to be closer to family.
As I have said many times, the best part of my job has been getting to know and connecting with the people who come for our courses. While I probably don’t remember your name, I do remember your faces and your energies. I am always uplifted by people coming into the kitchen, saying hello, or many times commenting “oh good, you are still here!”.
Being part of a relatively small and intimate center has allowed me the chance to really get to know people. This has continually enriched my experience at BCBS and it is what I will miss most. I got to work alongside of a lot of you in the kitchen and this has been a pleasure. I have also enjoyed the early morning experience, the quietness, the sunrises over Mount Wachusett.
I hope I have learned to be a little wiser and a more compassionate human being (still working on the slowing down part). While I have loved cooking, it is just a conduit for becoming a better person. I have tried to give a lot to BCBS, but what I have received in return, was much, much more.
Goodbye and Best Wishes to Everyone!