Sustainability: As Sweet As Honey
If there is a word to describe Chef Michael Johnson, caring is the first that comes to mind.
He cares for his family, his employees, his athletes, and his environment.
Starting as a dishwasher in restaurants, Johnson’s peers were the first to notice his potential as a chef. He had always been fascinated by how things are made and how certain processes occur, especially with food. After discussing career options with his father, he made the move to the South, where he attended the Culinary Arts Institute of Louisiana. Johnson graduated at the top of his class with perfect attendance and a 3.99 grade point average.
“You obviously don’t start with cooking in a kitchen,” Johnson noted. “You have to live through the hell of the dishwashing before getting the romance of being a chef. But, it’s really easy to fall in love with.”
Upon completing culinary school, Johnson began working in local Baton Rouge restaurants. After having three kids, Johnson says his career decisions became more impacted by being a father. Johnson decided to move to Missouri, where the public-school system was strong. He started off working in athletic stadiums selling concessions, and eventually progressed into the cooking roles.
After cooking in stadium concessions, Johnson moved to Seattle where he was the director of culinary operations for the Seattle Mariners. From there, the Seattle Seahawks hired Johnson as the team’s chef, which led to his position with LSU Athletics as the Executive Chef of the Performance Nutrition Center (PNC).
While it has not always been Johnson’s end goal to work with athletes, he believes he is right where he is meant to be. His passion for “slow food” allows him to serve the best quality food to athletes that need it.
Providing the highest quality of food ties into Johnson’s core value of sustainability. Regardless of the cost, Johnson is as committed to preserving the environment as he is to cooking at the highest level.
“I don’t give up,” Johnson said of his dedication to sustainability. “I don’t stop. If you throw something away that you’re not supposed to, I’m going to point it out until you get it right.”
To reflect his support of the environment, Johnson decided to purchase a bee hive that would give the PNC a local supply of honey. Johnson purchased a hive from Biggie Bee Farm in Port Allen, Louisiana, choosing to spend the money on the hives instead of commercial honey. The PNC also pays an upkeep fee to help the bee keeper continue to support himself and his family. With LSU being a bee-supporting university, Johnson’s move not only aligns with LSU’s values, but also preserves the environment. Purchasing a bee hive is the epitome of Johnson’s philosophy, which is operating as close to farm-to-table as possible.
“We need to be aware of where food is coming from, and have relationships with the people that feed us,” Johnson advised. “The positions along my career path have always found me one way or another. I call it fate, I guess. It’s been good to me.”
In order to fuel athletes properly, Johnson recognizes that building trust is essential. He says if the athletes lack trust in the chef, they will not trust the food. Thus, Johnson focuses on building relationships with as many athletes as he can. He opens the door for athletes to be open about their likes and dislikes with food, and even just about who they are.
Building these relationships make it difficult for Johnson to see athletes move on after graduation. However, Johnson says reconnecting with athletes later down the road, after they have even more of a taste of what real life is, makes it worth it. Former LSU Football superstars Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Rashard Lawrence have been outspoken about how much they appreciate everything Johnson and his staff did for them.
While Johnson’s job requires him to serve everybody else, the kitchen is what gives back to him. Whether it is just the room itself or the people he works with, the kitchen is his place of comfort.
“My kitchen is more my home than my own house is,” Johnson said. “I don’t even know if it’s a career for me. It’s a lifestyle. I’ve tried to do it as right as I can, and impact as many people as I can. For me, it’s not just being a chef today. It’s about sharing the craft with other people, so the craft isn’t lost.”
