No , i just remember how it is not to be able to have nice things. I can't buy them a custom or something really special, hell I can't really afford to by them the knives I do. Most of my guys came here with nothing and they work their asses off to take care of their kids or families back home. When I show up to work with a new knife I can see the I wish in their eyes. Along time ago I started giving high quality vintage knives to my cooks, most got it and some didn't.The one's who got it were the ones who were always asking to use my knives because they out performed anything they ever used and they took great care of them. The ones who didn't would say "chef why do you give me a rusty old knife, you have lots of money give me something new." those guys didn't last much longer after that.
Now a day's those vintage knives are getting harder to find, so I literally search the world for deals. I have sources in places you have never heard of. If my chef friends go on vacation I make them search for stuff for me. You never know when it may come in handy. I literally have 7 full kits and 3- 20 gallon rubbermaid containers completely full of just vintage chef knives alone in storage at my dad's house in Cali. I often times give the kits to aspiring culinary students who just can't afford knives and would never consider anything other than a beat up victronox or dexter because that's what they have to work with at the job they end up.
Am I a good person/ boss? Not really, just making up for what I should of done back in the earlier days of my career.
Thank you for the compliment,
son