Gary V. Powell, Author

Ten years ago this spring, I bailed out of Corporate America.

My last "job" was with KPMG Peat Marwick where I was charged with selling tax shelters to very wealthy people. I feared that the tax shelters were illegal and resigned. As it turns out, the government agreed with me about the illegallity of the tax shelters--a few years ago, 16 KPMG partners were indicted, the firm admitted wrongdoing, and paid $456 million dollars in fines. The individual defendants were left to fend for theselves.

Since then, on my own and more recently in partnership with my wife, I've had a successful consulting business--Centerg, Inc. It's been a pretty good ride.

The truth is, I've used the business to finance my passions for fiction writing and high-end cooking. Like I said, it's been a pretty good ride. But for a variety of reasons, I'm cutting back on my work for CenterG and starting a new business--Joie de Cuisine. Basically, I'm turning what I know about cooking--and I've come to know quite a lot--into a business.

To date, there's been a lot of work--planning and thinking and learning--to get the new business up and going. We've filed for business permits, obtained an Assumed Name, opened checking accounts, and run up a credit card bill. I've created menus, joined a personal chef organization, and attended training in Chicago. We're getting close to opening with several Grand Opening parties scheduled for next month. I'm scheduled for more training in Philadelphia next week.

I'm as pumped about it as anything I've done. It's both thrilling and scary.

We've got really delicious, really beautiful, really interesting food to put on a plate. We've got a strong marketing plan.

Now, we just need to find that first client. Unlike my first business venture, ten long years ago, where I had a paying client or two right out of the box, we're going to have to scratch for business and compete against the local restaurants.

But it'll be worth it and we'll hold our own, if the food is good as I expect to be.

As a footnote. Just yesterday, charges were dismissed against most of the individual KPMG defendants. The dismissal was not on the merits of the case--the firm already conceded wrongdoing. Instead, the dismissal was on a "technicality." As it turns out, the Prosecution had pressured the firm not pay the defendants' legal fees, thus interfering with their 6th Amendment right to counsel--at least that's what the trial judge thought. His decision will likely be appealed.

I'm sure glad I'm just a cook and a writer.