How Creating Food & Beverage Content Scratches Gabe Kapler's Creative Itch

Showered and blue blazered: Gabe Kapler is slick and debonair like Matt Berninger from The National's lyrics. You may know Kap as the 37th Manager of the San Francisco Giants, or perhaps you remember him from being a member of the Curse of the Bambino-ending World Series Champion 2004 Boston Red Sox. I first met Gabe in 2016 at a wine bar I co-founded, at the time he was the Director, Player Development for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and we had some mutual friends within the organization. I made sure he had an excellent wine experience, supplementing the food and wine he ordered with some vintage wines to taste and a little extra storytelling, for maximum effect. Near the end of his visit, I shared that Jon SooHoo, the team photographer for The Los Angeles Dodgers since 1985, sent his regards. Gabe smirked, asked how I knew the legendary photographer, then handed me his business card. I was all but sure Gabe would become the next Manager of the Dodgers when the position became available following Don Mattingly's exit in 2015. An unlikely candidate swooped in and won the position, leaving Gabe a future Manager, still. As I got to know him better, his hunger to Manage a big league club became obvious - and like Dave Roberts who was hired to be the Dodgers Manager in 2015, Gabe has a magical talent of zeroing in with his conversation-mate, making them feel like the only other person on the planet. This rare trait (and talent) shows leadership on the highest level, and is a recurring attribute in Head Coaches & Managers across professional sports. Gabe's patience was tested until the Philadelphia Phillies gave him the opportunity to Manage their club in 2018, following the heartbreaking 2017 World Series loss for the Dodgers. When I asked him what the opportunity to Manage (now a second Major League Baseball team) meant to him, here's what he shared: "I feel pretty lucky to lead by example. I don't always have the right words for players and staff. I don't always necessarily have the right direction...but I feel pretty strongly about helping people build better processes. I am constantly iterating on my own processes, as I mentioned, to lead by example."

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Growing up in the Los Angeles area as a stud prep baseball player, Gabe was drafted in the 57th Round of the 1995 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers. After playing three all-star development seasons in the Minor Leagues, he played 12 Major league Seasons for 6 organizations. His father, Michael, wrote music and taught piano while his mother Judy is an early childhood educator at a Jewish preschool. Music and teaching are in his blood. Guiding and coaching young baseball players comes naturally to him, leading by example and helping to build better processes...but he also has a very creative side. For years Gabe wrote his blog Kaplifestyle with posts on Fitness, Nutrition, Heath, and a myriad of other inspirational topics important to him. In recent years Gabe had a realization he shared with me: within nutrition there must be a balance between consuming food as fuel, and finding pleasure in eating. Today he believes the less rigidity, the better. It's okay to let go...frequently! Gabe repudiates limiting food exploration. "I am a big believe that if you limit your exploration, you're likely limiting your life experience." Maybe you follow him on Instagram, and if so you've no doubt seen his IG Reels series, the quest to find the best burger. Wherever he is, he's on the lookout. Creating food content has become Gabe's outlet - the hobby that fulfills a creative itch. He's 99% baseball, but that last 1% is filled by focusing on determined artistry. Gabe recently reached out to Johnny Spero, a friend of his, to ask for some tips on making a burger. Johnny also happens to be the legendary chef/owner of Reverie (temporarily closed due to fire) & Bar Spero, and is known for making the best burger in DC and possibly the country. Gabe is thirsty. He wants to learn and put his learning to good use. I asked how he's built better processes in his content creation, and I loved the answer I received:

"The only thing I'm going to kick myself for, is if I want to make some content and I don't have it. So in the moment when food comes out of the kitchen or I'm at home cooking, there's really no downside to having my iPad next to me recording. From a process perspective, you can record and throw stuff away. But if you're late to the party, you don't have it at all. I throw away footage all the time because the food wasn't that good. I don't want to make inauthentic content. So I guess the process adjustment is to capture as much as possible, as often as possible. There is no harm in recording when you can just throw it out. If you capture that really inspired moment, it actually might help somebody else."

Steaks play a big role in Kap's kitchen. He explores the differences between preparing them grilled, smoked, or sous vide. Sometimes even bacon-wrapped. When I asked what wine he liked to pair with steaks at home, Gabe confidently admitted that he pairs way more Scotch and whiskey with meat than he does wine, especially if he's at home preparing a meal by himself . Scotch and other whiskies play a mighty role in post-game celebration! He shared that after every win, Joc Pederson pours a shot of whiskey for everyone on the team, and he apparently has very good taste. I asked how the attitude around alcohol had changed from his time as a player, to now being a Manager, and he remarked, "It's actually pretty similar. There are some players who use alcohol as a crutch, to manage anxiety and as a way to escape, to get to sleep. And then there are some players who look for the sensory experiences with alcohol, which include colors and flavors and pairings with food. Getting out there and exploring lots of different tastes! It's true for food, coffee, and anything you ingest." With his life centered in San Francisco, an epicenter for culinary indulgence, Gabe is surrounded by some of the best chefs and winemakers in the world. "I feel really lucky getting the chance to meet and learn from local chefs and obviously spending time in the various wine regions as well." One memorable wine experience Gabe shared with me was a visit to the WALT Tasting Room in Sonoma. A winery owned by Hall Wines, WALT focuses on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the best vineyard sites ranging from Santa Barbara to the Willamette Valley. Lisa Covey, Director of Public Relations for Hall Wines, mentioned that in addition to the premium boutique wines WALT produces, they also host tailored events like "Paint With Pinot" or "Paella & Pinot." Owners Craig and Kathryn Hall are not just wine lovers, but famous art collectors. At each of the properties, tasting rooms, and hotels there are countless paintings, sculptures, and art installations curated for guests' enjoyment while on premise.

I'll end by sharing a personal anecdote. Back in 2017, Gabe's last season with the Dodgers, he texted me the morning of Dodger Stadium FanFest - the yearly event held to introduce new free agents the team signed or players they traded for, directly to the fanbase. He asked if I would be at my wine bar Augustine (where we met originally), that he'd like to stop by on his way home to give me his jersey. I tried to mask my excitement, letting him know I would be there all day and that he was welcome to come by. Inside I was freaking out. What an insane offer! Then I had the thought...*Do I ask him to sign it?* Do I become *that* person. I had about an hour as he drove from the stadium to Sherman Oaks, and as soon as he walked in the door he tossed the jersey to me. In almost slow-motion, the jersey flew through the air and I could see ink on the white backdrop. I was relieved because it meant I didn't have to ask, but in that moment I knew I had something special to give him outside of the traditional jersey swap (spoiler, I am not a professional baseball player, so no jersey to offer in return.) - I did have a special bottle of Bordeaux from the year Gabe was born, 1975. I told him to hold up a moment, I went back into the wine cellar to grab it - on the walk, I confirmed the year he was born (thanks Wikipedia), grabbed it out of the cellar, and walked back to tell Gabe about the bottle. He wanted to know everything about it. His thirst for knowledge is what I believe keeps his process evolving, and elevating. How lucky are we to get to watch from the grandstand? How does social media play a role in this? Gabe would rather create content than consume content. He believes it's better for his mental health. Spending time creating versus scrolling, to him, has a chance to impact your life in a pretty positive way. Keep creating - sharing your passions and positivity with us, Kap. We'll be watching.

The inscription on the jersey: "MATTHEW, WORLD SERIES RING COMING TO AUGUSTINE + COVELL FOR A VISIT IN 2017! -GABE KAPLER #35 LAD ***I went to all seven games of the 2017 World Series. I wore his jersey to Game Seven, it was too fitting. Gabe's prediction did not come true, but he was only off by one win.***

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