Learning To Do a Napa Weekend Right, With Lexus Culinary Master Carlton McCoy
At a dinner in Montalcino, in the heart of Italy’s prestigious Tuscany region, Carlton McCoy learned for the first time that a locally made wine isn’t necessarily a drink. It’s an ingredient when it’s paired with the signature dishes of the same region — they work together seamlessly. “It was like I connected the dots that night,” he recalls. “That the style of wines is selected and engineered to be part of this meal.”

Lexus Culinary Master Stephanie Izard: On the Radical Act of Joy
For Lexus Culinary Master Stephanie Izard, James Beard Award winner and “Top Chef” champion, “joy” isn’t an afterthought or a garnish; it’s the main ingredient. “Food is just beautiful,” she says. “When you start with the best ingredients, it goes beyond looks. You find yourself asking: How does it taste? How does it feel? Does it make you smile?”

Lexus Culinary Masters Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo Go Together Like Olive Oil and Soy Sauce

The debut of Lexus Culinary Masters Jon & Vinny’s in 2015 was a turning point in their culinary journey. It was both a namesake and a home base: a place where Italian American comfort food met California produce and where fluffy pancakes cozied up to savory pies. “We always wanted to contribute to the greater food scene,” Vinny Dotolo says. “It’s fun, exciting, challenging. But the goal has always been to get better.”

Lexus Culinary Master Shota Nakajima and the Subtle Art of Storytelling
For chef Shota Nakajima — Lexus Culinary Master, “Top Chef” finalist and James Beard Award semifinalist — comfort food holds a special meaning. “Comfort food to me means something that is satisfying in all regards. I think about staff meal a lot of times, because that’s the food people cook that they want to eat. For me, it’s rice, carbs, everyone sitting around together. Food isn’t just flavor or sustenance — it’s the environment you eat it in.”

Griffin Colapinto is Building a Legacy Beyond the Podium
When asked what he hopes to leave behind, Griffin Colapinto doesn’t talk about stats or records. “Legacy, for me, is about being a good person,” he says. “Not reacting to negativity. Staying true. Putting out positivity. That’s what I want people to remember.”

Jack Hawksworth Stays in His Lane and Learns From the Best

For Jack Hawksworth, the secret to achieving his racing goals lies in a focused strategy: keeping his eyes forward, staying in his lane and never letting off the gas. “I think the biggest thing for me is, in racing there are so many moving parts, and just to try and control the things you can control and not worry about the things you can’t,” he says. “You have to stay focused on the present and the step-by-step, trying to be in the moment and execute.”

Lexus Racer Ben Barnicoat Reflects on the Inspiration Behind His Success and What Drives Him Toward the Finish Line

While victory is always the ultimate goal, Ben Barnicoat’s commitment to it remains unwavering, regardless of the race outcome. “When you are having a bad day, it’s so easy to throw in the towel and think, ‘Well, I’ll get it next time,’ but you really don’t know what’s around the corner, and you have to live every day like it’s your last, so you never give up,” he says.

Lexus Driver Aaron Telitz on Embracing Setbacks and Why Prioritizing Fun Fuels Him

Aaron Telitz believes that embracing setbacks is the best way to move forward. “In life in general, you’ll get told no a lot, and in racing it’s no different,” he says. “I’ve had moments in racing, whether it’s a sponsor who has told me no or a race team that has said no — you use it as fuel.”

How Lexus Driver Parker Thompson Lets Go to Push Forward
Although many races stand out in his career, Thompson isn’t driven by one defining moment. Rather, he lives by a particular outlook that applies equally to his life on and off the track. “I’ve come to realize in life there are things you can control and others you cannot control,” he says. “And if you worry about the things you can’t control, you forget about those you can control; so that’s something I try to take with me not only in racing, but in life. The only way you’re going to perform is letting go of the variables that happen that are out of your control.”