Jonathan Brooks is the head chef and founder of Beholder and was the head chef (Josh Kline has been killing it at Milktooth since Beholder opened) and founder Milktooth.  He is extremely notable and has won many awards from the onset of his career. More than that Jonathan is young, tenacious, and relentlessly himself. It is inspiring to be around someone who owns what and who they are to such an extreme. Who does not back down when, a few silly people get offended, by his brutal honesty and passion for supporting artists. I find how he lives his life admirable. In a lot of ways, I think he is able to do this because of his intense focus and discipline on his craft. He is able to not "give a fuck" about so many things that bother most people because each day he is blessed to have the opportunity to do what he loves.

How do you find your inner badass?

There is so much power in finding your craft and spending your life in pursuit of that. That's what I  believe it means to be an artist. Though Jonathan might disagree, his creativity, and drive in the pursuit of his craft is art. Jonathan has too much respect for art and for creators to toss himself in that category, but the experiences I have had eating the best damn gyro I have had in my entire life at Nightsisters (RIP) to Pig Skin Pad Thai at beholder have done more for me than just sustain me through my day. They have been avenues to a community that I became insanely stoked to be a part of. It made me excited and proud to live in Indianapolis and that honestly is what this whole podcast and journey are all about. To help people, myself included, become proud to live in their communities and to see the beauty that is just down the street.  Seize the day. I mentioned Milktooth and what it has meant to me in the episode we recorded with Ryan McCarty which you can listen to here!

Quotes from Jonathan Brooks founder of Milktooth & Beholder:

“I think having a place to come every day where it feels like you own part of it creates better employees”

“I feel a responsibility to be young and have some young energy in the scene”

“I’m not trying to create perfect restaurants, I don’t love perfect restaurants. It’s more about the story and the journey and the people that work there”

“Everybody plays to the mainstream and to the masses”

“Some of the meals that I look back on and am inspired by aren’t the best meals. They’re the meals that put me out of my comfort zone.”

“We all need to surrender to the experience of life”

“I enjoy the beauty in the process as much as the final product”

“Every human being should know how to cook eggs”

“I’m so lucky every day to cook with Hoosier ingredients”

“We have incredible produce here, incredible meat. There is no reason not to eat well in Indy”

“People love seeing someone who is STOKED"

"I just want to live big, have fun, and not think too hard about what it means."

To follow along with Jonathan, Beholder and Milktooth follow below:

Instagram:

@thebeastgodforgot

@beholderindy

@milktoothindy