July 23, 2025

A Midsummer Reflection by Eric Rupert

Fortune Favors founder and chef, Eric Rupert, has had quite the year. From a 3-week road trip across the southeast where he sampled pecans at more than 30 Whole Foods stores to spending 40+ hours per week on the production line, it's safe to say he is one of our most valuable assets! However demanding his life gets, he always finds time to recenter his vision and reflect on what it means to be a "maker."

The entry below was written by Eric on July 17, 2025.

I have been noticing that as I get older, I find myself being more reflective on my career and where I am now. I wrote a few things down at 2 in the morning when I couldn't get back to sleep the other night. Here ya go —

I am a maker. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been a maker. That identity has shaped the way I see the world, the way I interact with people, and the way I express myself. From an early age, I found joy and purpose in using my hands, my body, and my creativity to bring something new into existence. Making, for me, has never been just about the end product. It's about the process, the intention, and most importantly, the connections. Community.

Lately, as I have been in the kitchen, I’ve been thinking deeply about what it means to be a maker—not just in action, but in identity. Making is more than a habit; for me, it’s a way of life. It’s a lens through which I engage with the world. I've made a lot of things in my life, but perhaps nothing more consistently or meaningfully than the food I've made over these many years. I’ve fed a lot of people, and I’ve come to realize that the food I’m most proud of—the creations that feel most authentic to me—come straight from the heart. So this chapter's title would be "Pecans."

Cooking, like any act of making, is an extension of my whole self. It's a language of care and creativity, a way to communicate something wordless but very deeply felt. When I make food, I’m not just nourishing bodies and souls; I’m building connections. I’m offering a part of myself to others. There’s something beautifully ephemeral about food—it disappears quickly, yet its impact can last and cascade forever. That, in itself, feels like a metaphor for life and for the kind of impression I hope to leave.

I’ve made it a goal in life to continue this work of making with purpose and love. For me now, it's these pecans. I want to keep creating from a place of authenticity. Being a maker isn’t just what I do—it’s who I am.