What is the Breakfast of Champions: Answers from Unexpected People and Places

Perhaps you will remember a significant turning point in the movie "Rocky." Mickey arrives late night to Rocky's apartment in a drunken plea. Rocky listens with a deaf ear as he throws darts at his bathroom door. The two men verbally spar. Rocky's had it. He enters the bathroom, closes the door—shutting Mickey out. When Mick leaves, Rocky unleashes the rawest of emotions only run to down the street and embrace Mickey a few minutes later. We can't hear what they discuss, but it's clear—Rocky relents. He must have said, "You're hired." The next morning. Rocky wakes up at 4:00 a.m., hits the alarm and immediately gets out of bed. Rock goes to the refrigerator and cracks open, not one, not three but six eggs and drinks them for breakfast. For fun, I ask my students: on a scale of one to ten, How gross is that breakfast? (I will post my viewer's guide soon). And, Is it the breakfast of champions?

While Wheaties cereal might have coined term, the BofC, I love the question. If food is fuel, What is the Breakfast of Champions? And whether or not Rocky continued to drink eggs on training days, What is your breakfast of champions? For those of you who travel to South Bend, IN I have a suggestion. Even if you don't go there, there's a life lesson in here, too.

To me, a championship breakfast it devoid of sugar. Therefore, most cereals, muffins and pastries are off limits. For others, a good breakfast disinvites a heart attack. So many hotels and restaurants offer bacon and sausage, home fries and hash browns, biscuits and gravy. Cholesterol city. No thanks. At St. Francis High School, the principal made a point of having hot breakfast for teachers on inservice days. Did that make us feel like champions? Let me give credit where credit is due. Some of them were pretty darn good. Thank you, Katie! I think your care and intention might be one of the essential ingredients for this type of meal. Read on...

If you're like me, you enjoy staying at a hotel that offers free breakfast. It's nice to wake up and not have to go very far to eat and get the day going. In some hotels, you will find processed and packaged offerings, fruit that is no fun and cheap. At others you might have a breakfast bar, omelette stations, and more. To be honest, I'll take what is given. Free is free, right?

For the past two years, I have stayed at the Fairfield Inn and Suites in South Bend for the Alumni Association Leadership Conference. This hotel has an ideal location. One can easily walk to campus and its proximity helps me get to my meetings on time. 

Running slow and lagging behind due to that three hour time change, I remember feeling grateful that I could just grab and go. I picked up a bagel and put it in the toaster. It must have been obvious that I was in a rush. An employee came up to me and said "You know the longer you stare at that bagel, the longer it takes to come out of the toaster." It was so unexpected and so funny, I didn't even have a come back. His made me laugh, smile and relax—even if just for a few minutes! When that bagel popped from the toaster, I enjoyed it that much more. 

Returning to that hotel this year, I saw that same employee. He greets all the patrons. He asks them about their morning. He is always organizing the offerings, replenishing supplies, emptying garbage and keeping things clean. His name is Martin. 

Though I opted to go no bagel, I told him, "last year, you shared a brilliant comment. I haven't forgotten." I repeated  what he said." He smiled and said "well, it's true right?" He added, "this morning we have breakfast tacos. I have put out all the ingredients right here." He approached another guest and said "add a little chorizo to that. It gives a lot of flavor. Fresh salsa is over there." Martin emerged a few moments later with a sign that had said "breakfast taco bar" I told him "I would not have thought to make a breakfast taco, but you and that drawing are convincing." It was the Breakfast of Champions. 

I might have missed the opportunity for this delicious meal, had we not had that encounter.  Another board member came over to me and said "I'm going to head to the meeting. The breakfast here isn't very good. Theirs is better." I replied "not today. Check this out." I pointed to my breakfast tacos. I said "they have fresh sliced strawberries too." She said "that looks great. And it will save me time."

I have no idea what it must be like to work in a hotel, let alone oversee free breakfast for over 200 people. However, I do know that Martin and others work in the hospitality industry and that is exactly what I encountered during my stay. I also know that hard work, taking pride in a job well done, being creative, and having fun make something go for ordinary to extraordinary. That breakfast surpassed my expectations because someone was willing to go the distance. I think it was the breakfast of champions because it was really good food, made with cariño. 

Though Fairfield Inn and Suites doesn't offer raw eggs for breakfast, perhaps they should ask their patrons: On a scale of 1-10, how was breakfast? I know my answer: Breakfast of champions. Thanks, Martin! 

Photo Credit
Rocky
Ali
Fairfield Inn and Suites