I do not claim to be an expert on the history if monarchies and their relevance in today's society. However I'm going to go out on a limb and say that, in general, monarchs are not in vogue. Last time I checked the Prime Minister had been determining the course for the U.K. for quite some time, while British royalty has maintained their roles as inspirational leaders to British society and the the outside world. So if royalty doesn't work anymore in governing a nation; why would anyone think that a monarchy in business is ok?
I was touched recently by an article I read containing an interview with my former employer Bill Marriott. He had just retired as CEO of Marriott International, and was telling the story of how none of his kids wanted to succeed him as CEO. Instead they chose to maintain other positions in the company, and a longime executive was chosen to be the new CEO. Mr. Marriott seemed to be holding out for one of his kids to take over, but recognized that Mr. Sorenson was a better fit. I think that this is a great example for family run companies, or companies founded by a visionary entrepeneur.
Just because I love my kids, it does not mean that they are the best person to run my company when I'm ready to cede control. My family is much better off with the best person for the job doing the job, and they could act as a Board overseeing the professional management of the business. Royalty makes decisions that benefit themselves, and strengthens their foothold on power. Left unchecked that power can be percieved as greed by other stakeholders, and that's when it all starts to implode. It takes a very special person to be an entrepeneur; taking all that risk gives the entrepeneur a sense of pride in that business that nobody else can understand. However at some point the entrpeneur has to step back and determine when the business no longer needs to be 100% entrepeneurial, and needs to transition to professional management. Maybe in some organizations there is room for both, but a line must be drawn.
I have now lived through this process, and I can day that I was successful in many ways but failed in many as well. I could go on about the trials and tribulations of running a family owned business, but I'll save that for another blog post. For now I will just ask that families really take a strong look at their "team", and determine who is the best person for each position; regardless of their bloodline.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Royalty and Business don't work together
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Mie N Yu - a restaurant's rise and fall
Mie N Yu, which I opened as the GM (later managing partner) during the great blizzard of [February] 2003, had a meteoric rise, and a long...slow fall. Sadly but predictably, Mie N Yu closed it's etched front doors for the last time just a few weeks ago. Almost 10 years is a feat in the restaurant industry, especially with themed upscale restaurants, so why did this soon-to-be-institution drown. I can tell you why because I was part of it until July 2010 when I resigned.
First, a little bit about the rise of Mie N Yu.
We opened as second in what was meant to be a chain of upscale ethnic restaurants, the unlikely brainchild of a wealthy entrepeneur's son and a successful Asian restaurateur. By the time I got involved a few months prior to opening, the construction was well underway and nobody could explain what this Silk Road themed restaurant was actually going to look like when completed. That's probably why we had such a big bang for an opening, because nobody knew (not even the staff) what the place would look like until 2 days after we actually opened! We were fortunate to open during the blizzard of February, 2003. Why fortunate you may ask? It allowed us a week of relatively low volume to work out the kinks before the onslaught, known in the industry as the honeymoon period. Our honeymoon lasted until mid-2007! We built our business methodically, and by 2004 our menu had been revamped and our private events engine was in place, which would be our vehicle for growth over the coming years. We looked at private events as a major strategy for growth and longevity, and it worked. What better PR than to have 100 young executives in for a company-sponsored event. They would get a glimpse of Mie N Yu's fairytale ambiance, only to return later on their own dime. Our strategy was a success and vastly exceeded our own expectations. By 2006 we were realizing incredible growth in private events, even as our bar and restaurant business stayed flat.
Arguably the smartest decision made by the initial ownership group was picking the location. Georgetown was just about to wake up to it's former glory as DC's most notable neighborhood. After a few years of rampant crime, exploding manhole covers, and being known as the "underage drinking capital" of the entire region; Georgetown was updating it's infrastructure and image via the Georgetown BID (business improvement district). Mie N Yu was opening just as all of these new forces were converging. Even during the all night construction of M street, bar-goers would wind their way around construction crews and barriers to Mie N Yu's bar entrance at 3125 M St, NW.
A noble mission.
Internally we built a management team worthy of running any type of business, and our mission was simple. To make Washington, DC a global dining destination. By 2006 Mie N Yu was actively involved with multitudes of organizations and causes to "grow the pie". What I now realize, is that our success in these endeavors may have also helped to speed up our demise. By 2007 Mie N Yu was represented by various managers on the Boards of Directors of RAMW (Restaurant Association of Metro DC); Destination DC (DC's convention & visitors bureau); The National Cherry Blossom Festival; The Georgetown BID (business improvement district); and the RAMMY awards gala (recognizing DC area restaurants). We were also represented on various committees within those organizations, primarily those that increased visitation to DC, and promoting DC's burgeoning restaurant scene. We were involved in every major cause, and we seemed to be doing everything right.
Chinatown
As the economic boom was starting to show signs of weakening, DC was staying strong, and our homegrown restaurant scene was getting stronger by the day. At first a few small, little known outsiders started to scout out DC as safe havens for growing their restaurant groups. I met several operators from Philadelphia, who felt we were close enough for them to visit their new DC outposts once a week. Then came the onslaught. At a blistering pace every inch of retail space in Chinatown/Penn Quarter was being gobbled at exhorbitant rents by NY groups and many more who looked at DC as a safe haven in the upcoming tumoltuous economic times. Their bets paid off, and pretty soon Chinatown took over as the dining capital of the nation's capital. The old bellweathers like Dupont Circle, Adam's Morgan, and eventully Georgetown would now feel the brunt. With the downturn in late 2007, I walked out onto M Street only to hear the sucking sound, similar to a vacuum, pulling our loyal customer base closer to 7th street (Chinatown).
Mie N Yu's revenues began to fall sharply, even as we were arguably at the top of our game operationally. We had become laser-focused on ethnic cuisine, actually consulting with master chefs from the countries our concept represented; to introduce authentic ethnic dishes as opposed to the "fusion" dishes in our opening years. We had embarked on a groundbreaking Farm-to-table program, eventually purchasing almost 100% of our meats from local, natural and organic farms. Our guest service, our food quality, and our events division were all operating at their highest levels in 2007. In hindsight, our best move would have been to bite the bullet, and move Mie N Yu to Chinatown in early 2008. We could have reconcepted Mie N Yu in Georgetown back to a bar/lounge, which would have dramatically lowered our overhead and allow us to survive the storm. That was not in the cards for several reasons.
1) We had recently divested ourselves of a costly restaurant partnership in Annapolis, MD; which took a lot of our attention and financial resources away from Mie N Yu between 2005-2007.
2) Our owner (now just the wealthy entrepeneur), was beginning to have family and financial problems, which got very ugly and very serious in 2009. To the point that all remaining cash reserves were virtually depleted.
3) We did not have the capital to convert our concept to a bar/lounge, and therefore were stuck with a high-overhead upscale restaurant that really could not support the concept at the sales levels we were headed towards.
4) Our landlord(s), as we were 2 buildings combined, were not interested in our long term success, only that we pay our rent on time. The landlord of the larger of the 2 buildings was, quite frankly, a greedy prick. Unbending in his negativity and refusal to compromise.
In essence, we were a large ship headed into low tide. We needed to get small quickly, or risk getting stuck on the ocean's floor. That never happened, and as a result we stayed a large ship, trying to stay afloat by lightening our crew and cargo; a recipe for disaster in the hospitality industry.
In the end we failed because of being under-capitalized. We knew what needed to be done but dug a hole too deep to get out of. Mie N Yu outlasted many other restaurants facing the same slow fall in Georgetown because it had it's good reputation to keep it going. Rome didn't fall in a day, and neither did Mie N Yu. It's a lesson in business. We need to be prepared (emotionally and financially) to make drastic changes; recognize when the tide is turning againts us; and take decisive action to keep the business floating on steady waters.
In the end Mie N Yu will be a distant memory for most Washingtonians. But for industry insiders I think there should be no dispute that Mie N Yu was a trailblazing restaurant that helped set DC's restaurant scene up for success. It's sad, but I'm very proud of the many employees, managers and customers that helped make Mie N Yu such a special place.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Leave the door open...and you will prosper.
I'm travelling between Phoenix and Baltimore for a visit to Mala Tang. I just "broke the fast" with a couple bags of trail mix flying somewhere over the midwest. Now that I can think about something other than food, I thought I'd jot down a few notes about employers (myself included). I'm inspired to touch on this subject as I read the book "A Slice of the Pie. How to build a little big business," by Nick Sarillo the owner of a small group of pizzeria's in Chicago. Sarillo touches on some emotions that hit close to home as I ponder my dual role as restaurant owner in Virginia, and restaurant executive in Phoenix. What is the "right" formula for attracting and retaining a passionate team to operate your business?
I tend to relate to my own experiences, as most of us do. However my philosophies are typically a blend of my own experiences with those of great people who I've read about. I'm a biography addict, and I especially enjoy reading biographies that focus on the development of the person prior to attaining greatness. Walter Isaacson's bio of Benjamin Franklin was particularly inspiring for me, and led to me convincing my wife to give our 2nd son, Brady, the middle name of Benjamin. Anyhow, one of my early experiences in business was working for Peter Wood, whom at the time was the managing partner of Hofberg's Delicatessens. I had worked at Hofberg's for over a year before I had the opportunity to work directly under Peter at his Potomac, Maryland location back in the early 90's. I had established myself as a trusted prep cook and then kitchen supervisor. I had always found Peter's passion for the business infectious, and I decided to begin my lobbying effort to become a supervisor. The only reason I wanted to become a supervisor at the time was because my impact on the business was limited to 40 hours a week. I was an hourly employee and Peter was pretty adamant about no overtime. I just wanted to be on salary, so I could work as many hours as I wanted (usually 70+)! Yes I was young, and I certainly wasn't thinking about a "work-life balance", but it was Peter's passion that really motivated me to do more for the business. I wholeheartedly believed that so long as I committed myself to the success of the business, the business would eventually reward me in kind. A year or so later, having been on salary at Hofberg's, Peter offered for me to be his partner in a new venture called Luchansky's Real Brooklyn Bagels in Annandale, VA. After a year and a half that business was sold as a result of a falling out with Peter and his partners at Hofberg's; but nevertheless I was able to create a completely new concept, and open a business from the ground up, at age 22. Peter didn't care how young I was, all he cared about was that I shared his passion for Hofberg's and Luchansky's, and he gave me a shot. Eventually I returned to Hofberg's and helped facilitate it's sale to a new owner, whom I worked with for a couple of years as their General Manager. This was yet another valuable set of learnings in opening, operating, and facilitating the sale of a business.
Now as I contemplate my ownership of Mala Tang, which is the first restaurant I've opened with my own resources (along with my partners Liu Chaosheng and Liming Zhang), I want to make sure that the people working for me are just as motivated to help propel our business into the future. Especially since I am not the operating partner, as I live 3,000 miles away, I want to develop a sense of ownership in our entire staff that makes them feel more connected to Mala Tang than a mere paycheck. Right now we're "re-grouping" our ownership structure, which will give me more control over the organizational infrastructure of our business. This is the result of my partner, Mr. Liu (who is an extraordinary chef and entrepreneur , not understanding the nuances of successfully managing an "American style" restaurant model. Mr. Liu has been very successful opening authentic Chinese restaurants in Northern Virginia with a business model that focuses on him and family members having unapologetic tight control, very low payroll (at the expense of service), and no frills. This model does not translate well at Mala Tang, where we are trying to encourage Americans to experience the magic of authentic Sichuan cuisine. Mr. Liu has acknowledged this (fortunately), and he has agreed to step back to focus solely on the culinary operations of the business. I had agreed to some of his decisions in order to maintain harmony in our partnership, but it never felt right. Mr. Liu had burned through 3 general managers, and after terminating the last one abruptly, I knew that I needed to step in. I couldn't stand by as we set another manager up to fail.
I believe that it is the business owner (or corporate executives) greatest responsibility, to their business and to society, to open doors for ambitious people...and to keep them open. With this type of mindset, we inevitably allow great talent to rise to the top. Some might argue that by keeping the door open I might be giving opportunities to people who haven't earned it. I have seen the opposite of this theory on many occasions. That's not to say I haven't had poor outcomes by giving certain individuals an opportunity; but as long as I can recognize that it's not a good fit early enough, it shouldn't have too bad of an impact on operations. I think that everyone deserves a chance to challenge themselves in an environment that cultivates success. If parameters are too tight, or pay is too low, or hours are too long...we are just establishing a cycle of mediocrity and attrition. After all, if I ask someone to commit themselves to my business (ultimately to my success), shouldn't they feel as if they have a stake in that success. It's like renting vs. buying...I want my staff to feel like they're "renting to own". Sometimes even renters will take great care of their rented property if they like living there! It's our responsibility as owners and executives to guide these future leaders, and to help them to recognize and minimize failures that lead to the business suffering. As I've always said, I'd rather have to pull someone back than kick them in the butt. I feel as if I've kept the door open whenever I've been in a position to do so, and I think that people who have worked for me over the years would agree with that. I admit that I could always do better with guidance and development. I like to teach by letting others make mistakes, and being there to help them recover from it and never let it happen again. On the first day I've ever started in a new leadership role, my first initiatives are not procedural in nature, rather they are to start building a capable leadership team around me. Then the process of improving operations can begin.
So I would urge business owners and executives to keep the door open for people like me. People who are driven, passionate, and want to do what's best for the business. People who want a stake in it for more than a paycheck.
I was employed not so long ago by an owner who purposely compensated new managers, no matter how qualified, at about 50% of their market value (including myself). His philosophy was "show me" what you can accomplish with my business and in 1 year we'll discuss your accomplishments and what they are worth to this company. He was able to get away with this due to one reason or another, but primarily due to economic conditions causing managers to seek stability in an established company, rather than taking a higher paying position with a newer company. The inherent flaws in this philosophy (I hesitate to call it a strategy), are that from the outset even the most ambitious managers/employees feel unsure about their future with the company. Then getting to know the rest of the leadership team, I realized that nobody (even those that had been with the company for decades), was being compensated even close to market rates. As a result, mediocrity and excuses were the norm; as anyone with ambition and motivation left for greener pastures. Overworked and underpaid was not a cliche, it was the overriding company philosophy. It's not surprising that the company's operations, processes, administration and ownership were fragmented and extremely unproductive, at the expense of profits. I felt that I could really affect change and bring the company to a new level of revenue, profitability, and more importantly customer and employee satisfaction. After a year I submitted my annual report of accomplishments, which was basically ignored. Upon further contemplation of the outcome of this philosophy it seems to me that the owners understood that after a year of being grossly underpaid and working with, at best, mediocre managers...even highly accomplished leaders would not accomplish much. Thus giving them the comfort and justification that they were right not to spend too much on talent, that no matter how good the resume the individual would always fail to deliver exceptional results. Duhhh!
Here's an alternative STRATEGY; which is still financially prudent but would have a much more positive impact on the company's performance:
1) Determine the market value for the leadership position, and then for the first year or so, make it a combination of base salary and incentives. But make the incentives rich enough to get the individual to their compensation goal. If they don't it's not because your cheap, it's because they didn't focus enough on accomplishing their objectives.
2) In year 1, the incentives should be based on measurable process improvements; understanding that it's very difficult to drastically impact any financial results in the first year. This encourages the leader to focus on improving the core processes and procedures that will lead to sustained financial improvements.
3) In year 2, offer a standard base salary increase based on basic performance standards, with the incentives being blended evenly between processes and specific financial results.
4) In year 3 and beyond, the shift can be made to 80% financially focused incentives, with only 20% focused on process based incentives; which are important in ensuring the manager or executive is not blindly pursuing financial results at the expense of sound processes.
5) IMPORTANT: Do not cap the incentives! If the business is profiting as a result of the improved procedural and financial results, let the leader and his team feel that there is no limit to how far they can take the company. After all, isn't that what you want?
I'm not suggesting that my method is that innovative, but it does allow for individuals to prosper as they grow the company. And back to my earlier suggestion that anyone who shows the initiative should be given an opportunity, I stand by that. It doesn't mean that they should be promoted to a leadership role immediately, it means that they should be given some small responsibilities in their area of work to see how they handle them. Then over time, if they are productive and achieve the desired results, they can be given more impactful responsibilities. and eventually be promoted. This allows you to let them grow at a measured pace while you assess their abilities and character.
When someone comes to me once and says they want more responsibility, or they want to become a manager, I usually don't act on it. I usually will have an honest discussion with them about what leadership really is, and then will not address it with them again unless they approach me again. In many cases I've found that employees may have a revelation (or frustration) on a particular day that leads them to want to take the next step in their career. These may be short-lived, especially after I give them a realistic glimpse into the world of restaurant leadership. If they persist, then I don't hesitate to give them an opportunity, unless they are known to be a poorly performing employee. Using this method, I've promoted hundreds of employees over the years, to the benefit of the company I was working for.
So I implore everyone who has the capability to take a hard look at your own practices. Look around and determine who you've overlooked, ignored, or set up to fail. Give them a real opportunity to grow, take a risk and don't be scared of the outcome. People will see that there is a willingness in your organization to open the door to success at all levels; the goodwill generated by this strategy far outweighs the possibility of demoralization because someone did not succeed in their elevated role. In fact it encourages employees to rally behind newly promoted managers who may lack confidence early on. This is, in fact, what I like to call a win-win-win scenario.
I tend to relate to my own experiences, as most of us do. However my philosophies are typically a blend of my own experiences with those of great people who I've read about. I'm a biography addict, and I especially enjoy reading biographies that focus on the development of the person prior to attaining greatness. Walter Isaacson's bio of Benjamin Franklin was particularly inspiring for me, and led to me convincing my wife to give our 2nd son, Brady, the middle name of Benjamin. Anyhow, one of my early experiences in business was working for Peter Wood, whom at the time was the managing partner of Hofberg's Delicatessens. I had worked at Hofberg's for over a year before I had the opportunity to work directly under Peter at his Potomac, Maryland location back in the early 90's. I had established myself as a trusted prep cook and then kitchen supervisor. I had always found Peter's passion for the business infectious, and I decided to begin my lobbying effort to become a supervisor. The only reason I wanted to become a supervisor at the time was because my impact on the business was limited to 40 hours a week. I was an hourly employee and Peter was pretty adamant about no overtime. I just wanted to be on salary, so I could work as many hours as I wanted (usually 70+)! Yes I was young, and I certainly wasn't thinking about a "work-life balance", but it was Peter's passion that really motivated me to do more for the business. I wholeheartedly believed that so long as I committed myself to the success of the business, the business would eventually reward me in kind. A year or so later, having been on salary at Hofberg's, Peter offered for me to be his partner in a new venture called Luchansky's Real Brooklyn Bagels in Annandale, VA. After a year and a half that business was sold as a result of a falling out with Peter and his partners at Hofberg's; but nevertheless I was able to create a completely new concept, and open a business from the ground up, at age 22. Peter didn't care how young I was, all he cared about was that I shared his passion for Hofberg's and Luchansky's, and he gave me a shot. Eventually I returned to Hofberg's and helped facilitate it's sale to a new owner, whom I worked with for a couple of years as their General Manager. This was yet another valuable set of learnings in opening, operating, and facilitating the sale of a business.
Now as I contemplate my ownership of Mala Tang, which is the first restaurant I've opened with my own resources (along with my partners Liu Chaosheng and Liming Zhang), I want to make sure that the people working for me are just as motivated to help propel our business into the future. Especially since I am not the operating partner, as I live 3,000 miles away, I want to develop a sense of ownership in our entire staff that makes them feel more connected to Mala Tang than a mere paycheck. Right now we're "re-grouping" our ownership structure, which will give me more control over the organizational infrastructure of our business. This is the result of my partner, Mr. Liu (who is an extraordinary chef and entrepreneur , not understanding the nuances of successfully managing an "American style" restaurant model. Mr. Liu has been very successful opening authentic Chinese restaurants in Northern Virginia with a business model that focuses on him and family members having unapologetic tight control, very low payroll (at the expense of service), and no frills. This model does not translate well at Mala Tang, where we are trying to encourage Americans to experience the magic of authentic Sichuan cuisine. Mr. Liu has acknowledged this (fortunately), and he has agreed to step back to focus solely on the culinary operations of the business. I had agreed to some of his decisions in order to maintain harmony in our partnership, but it never felt right. Mr. Liu had burned through 3 general managers, and after terminating the last one abruptly, I knew that I needed to step in. I couldn't stand by as we set another manager up to fail.
I believe that it is the business owner (or corporate executives) greatest responsibility, to their business and to society, to open doors for ambitious people...and to keep them open. With this type of mindset, we inevitably allow great talent to rise to the top. Some might argue that by keeping the door open I might be giving opportunities to people who haven't earned it. I have seen the opposite of this theory on many occasions. That's not to say I haven't had poor outcomes by giving certain individuals an opportunity; but as long as I can recognize that it's not a good fit early enough, it shouldn't have too bad of an impact on operations. I think that everyone deserves a chance to challenge themselves in an environment that cultivates success. If parameters are too tight, or pay is too low, or hours are too long...we are just establishing a cycle of mediocrity and attrition. After all, if I ask someone to commit themselves to my business (ultimately to my success), shouldn't they feel as if they have a stake in that success. It's like renting vs. buying...I want my staff to feel like they're "renting to own". Sometimes even renters will take great care of their rented property if they like living there! It's our responsibility as owners and executives to guide these future leaders, and to help them to recognize and minimize failures that lead to the business suffering. As I've always said, I'd rather have to pull someone back than kick them in the butt. I feel as if I've kept the door open whenever I've been in a position to do so, and I think that people who have worked for me over the years would agree with that. I admit that I could always do better with guidance and development. I like to teach by letting others make mistakes, and being there to help them recover from it and never let it happen again. On the first day I've ever started in a new leadership role, my first initiatives are not procedural in nature, rather they are to start building a capable leadership team around me. Then the process of improving operations can begin.
So I would urge business owners and executives to keep the door open for people like me. People who are driven, passionate, and want to do what's best for the business. People who want a stake in it for more than a paycheck.
I was employed not so long ago by an owner who purposely compensated new managers, no matter how qualified, at about 50% of their market value (including myself). His philosophy was "show me" what you can accomplish with my business and in 1 year we'll discuss your accomplishments and what they are worth to this company. He was able to get away with this due to one reason or another, but primarily due to economic conditions causing managers to seek stability in an established company, rather than taking a higher paying position with a newer company. The inherent flaws in this philosophy (I hesitate to call it a strategy), are that from the outset even the most ambitious managers/employees feel unsure about their future with the company. Then getting to know the rest of the leadership team, I realized that nobody (even those that had been with the company for decades), was being compensated even close to market rates. As a result, mediocrity and excuses were the norm; as anyone with ambition and motivation left for greener pastures. Overworked and underpaid was not a cliche, it was the overriding company philosophy. It's not surprising that the company's operations, processes, administration and ownership were fragmented and extremely unproductive, at the expense of profits. I felt that I could really affect change and bring the company to a new level of revenue, profitability, and more importantly customer and employee satisfaction. After a year I submitted my annual report of accomplishments, which was basically ignored. Upon further contemplation of the outcome of this philosophy it seems to me that the owners understood that after a year of being grossly underpaid and working with, at best, mediocre managers...even highly accomplished leaders would not accomplish much. Thus giving them the comfort and justification that they were right not to spend too much on talent, that no matter how good the resume the individual would always fail to deliver exceptional results. Duhhh!
Here's an alternative STRATEGY; which is still financially prudent but would have a much more positive impact on the company's performance:
1) Determine the market value for the leadership position, and then for the first year or so, make it a combination of base salary and incentives. But make the incentives rich enough to get the individual to their compensation goal. If they don't it's not because your cheap, it's because they didn't focus enough on accomplishing their objectives.
2) In year 1, the incentives should be based on measurable process improvements; understanding that it's very difficult to drastically impact any financial results in the first year. This encourages the leader to focus on improving the core processes and procedures that will lead to sustained financial improvements.
3) In year 2, offer a standard base salary increase based on basic performance standards, with the incentives being blended evenly between processes and specific financial results.
4) In year 3 and beyond, the shift can be made to 80% financially focused incentives, with only 20% focused on process based incentives; which are important in ensuring the manager or executive is not blindly pursuing financial results at the expense of sound processes.
5) IMPORTANT: Do not cap the incentives! If the business is profiting as a result of the improved procedural and financial results, let the leader and his team feel that there is no limit to how far they can take the company. After all, isn't that what you want?
I'm not suggesting that my method is that innovative, but it does allow for individuals to prosper as they grow the company. And back to my earlier suggestion that anyone who shows the initiative should be given an opportunity, I stand by that. It doesn't mean that they should be promoted to a leadership role immediately, it means that they should be given some small responsibilities in their area of work to see how they handle them. Then over time, if they are productive and achieve the desired results, they can be given more impactful responsibilities. and eventually be promoted. This allows you to let them grow at a measured pace while you assess their abilities and character.
When someone comes to me once and says they want more responsibility, or they want to become a manager, I usually don't act on it. I usually will have an honest discussion with them about what leadership really is, and then will not address it with them again unless they approach me again. In many cases I've found that employees may have a revelation (or frustration) on a particular day that leads them to want to take the next step in their career. These may be short-lived, especially after I give them a realistic glimpse into the world of restaurant leadership. If they persist, then I don't hesitate to give them an opportunity, unless they are known to be a poorly performing employee. Using this method, I've promoted hundreds of employees over the years, to the benefit of the company I was working for.
So I implore everyone who has the capability to take a hard look at your own practices. Look around and determine who you've overlooked, ignored, or set up to fail. Give them a real opportunity to grow, take a risk and don't be scared of the outcome. People will see that there is a willingness in your organization to open the door to success at all levels; the goodwill generated by this strategy far outweighs the possibility of demoralization because someone did not succeed in their elevated role. In fact it encourages employees to rally behind newly promoted managers who may lack confidence early on. This is, in fact, what I like to call a win-win-win scenario.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Trip to Nanjing & Chengdu, June 2012, Part 1
Day 1: San Francisco to Beijing
So as I sit on my China Air flight, occasionally glancing at the 90's documentary on 80's Russian tennis stars, I can't help but feeling a bit of deja vous as Mr. Liu sits next to me nodding off and pecking with a plastic fork at some stale rice and tasteless beef. It was a little more than 2 years ago that Mr. Liu and I embarked on a journey to Chengdu that resulted in our first restaurant partnership, Mala Tang. So far our 3 meals together on this trip have been unremarkable. I was looking forward to tasting some really good food at San Francisco Int'l Airport, as we had an 8 hour layover there due to some delays. It was a lot better than the junk I ate at Atlanta's airport yesterday on my way to Phoenix from DC, but only the Pork Ramen at the sushi joint could pass muster in the "real world". To me it's all good, as I prepare for what undoubtedly will be a trip filled with the best regional dishes in Beijing, Nanjing, and finally our beloved Chengdu...center of the world for Sichuan cuisine.
This is a tough time for both of us to get "out of town". Mr. Liu just took over China Star in Fairfax, VA, his latest project in reviving a non-perfoming American-Chinese restaurant into a local bastion of authentic Sichuan cuisine. I have no idea how he does it. It seems like every time I talk to him he's got to run to work in the kitchen at one of his 5 restaurants. He has plenty of family members manning the host stands and kitchens throughout his mini-empire, but there is no doubt that he keeps the motor running. We are both very focused on rolling out a new Sichuan specials menu at Mala Tang (officially launches July 16th); and I am in the middle of several other projects for Chompie's in Phoenix. Not to mention that my wife Diana is in her 3rd trimester with our 5th child in 110 degree Phoenix...and yes she has all other 4 kids driving her nuts. However we all agreed that an invitation from the Chengdu Government and our friends at Baguobuyi restaurants, was well worth the trip. For Mr. Liu and I it's 3 days of talking business and determining how we can help our hosts bring the intense flavor of Sichuan cuisine and culture to the US; and another 3 days tasting our way through the most authentic and delicious cuisine Chengdu and Sichuan have to offer. I've often told Mr. Liu that he could make far more money as a culinary tour guide then as a restaurateur. But for now I'm happy to be his only client.
My first and last visit in 2010 opened me up to the wonders of Sichuan culture and cuisine, and both Mr. Liu and I were so excited that in a mere 10 months we had opened Mala Tang, arguably the most direct attempt to introduce Americans to Sichuan cuisine, through the very interactive hot pot. It has been an interesting partnership; an old school Chinese master chef who runs his other restaurants on a shoestring budget; and an American restaurateur who's latest ventures were upscale, fashionable, heavily staffed, expensive ventures. We're having fun, and enjoying our successes and challenges very well together. After all, being selected as no. 24 on Washingtonian's Top 100 in 2012 was quite the reward; as was being selected as one of their Top 10 new restaurants in 2012. Then Candy Sagon wrote a great piece in the WaPo that confirmed Todd Kliman's pretty solid review. I should also mention Tim Carman's pre-opening support (Tim wrote a great piece in the City Paper a while back about Mr. Liu when his only venture was Hong Kong Palace). We enjoyed the throngs of customers, and then quickly remembered what it's like when the honeymoon is over. Now we need to focus on reminding the dining public why Mala Tang is worth the visit. This new Sichuan Specialties menu will be a nice reason to try us again.
So for now I'm excited to get to Beijing, where I may get to experience Peking Duck in the city it was named for. We were supposed to fly directly to a meeting in Nanjing, on the east coast of China. But our delayed flight is forcing us to spend a night in Beijing...oh well...I could think of worse places to be stuck for a night with a Chinese master chef.
My next report will hopefully be a recount of some insanely good Peking Duck...and then I will try to get a feel for Nanjing. When I asked Mr. Liu how their cuisine is in Nanjing, he gave me the same look he always gives me that is saying "it ain't Sichuan, and that's that". Then he mentioned something about seafood. We will be meeting with restaurant execs and government officials...so I'm sure whatever we eat will be very memorable.
So as I start to nod off... zài jiàn.
Day 2: leaving Beijing for Nanjing
So I shouldn't have been so bullish about the potential of Peking Duck. We had the B or C team on at the airport last night and it was almost 11pm before Mr. Liu and I got to our hotel, in the middle of an industrial area. So my dreams of Peking Duck were erased by a nightmare of what the hotel scrambled to put together for a few tired travelers; dried out white rice, some AA lettuce, and 3 pieces of duck bones with a little fat on them. The warm and sweet egg drop soup was really the only bright spot of our "dinner". Though breakfast this morning finally broke the streak of bad meals. It also was nostalgic as I remembered how much I enjoyed breakfast here on our last trip. While there were more offerings I sampled the following: aged duck eggs (much better than I expected), a variety of steam buns, aged tofu (this is some seriously potent stuff that I got used to on our last trip), I typically spread it on some off the steam buns because it's a little too potent on its own. Lots of steamed veggies like AA lettuce and baby bok choy, pickled radishes & cabbage, and some pretty good seaweed salad. All accompanied by warm soy milk. I could tell Mr. Liu was relieved to have a decent meal as well, as he encouraged me to follow him up for a second trip to the buffet. So with the streak broken, I'll go back to reading the Omnivore's Dilemma, which I would recommend to anyone who had anything to do with the food to read (again if you already have). As Diana and I will begin planting our own 3.5 acre farm in September, Pollan's reminders of what organic was supposed to be are hitting close to home. My next report will probably be after lunch in Nanjing.
Day 3: Nanjing
A representative of the Chengdu government picked us up at the airport and gave us a little primer on Nanjing. Basically it's capital of one of the hottest and most humid provinces in China. We were lucky, today is about 85 but very humid. He also explained that there's a very famous temple honoring Confucious in Nanjing, and the dish they are most famous for is some sort of noodle/blood type of dish. I'm assuming duck or cows blood, but hopefully I'll get more details as I'm eating it at some point. Mr. Liu and I had a nice lunch at the Sofitel's token Chinese restaurant, which claims to have a renowned master chef at the helm cooking up local favorites. For our lunch Mr. Liu ordered a warmer and milder version of the Spicy Cold Chicken he serves at Hong Kong Palace. It had the green version of the Sichuan peppercorn, not quite as potent but still had a nice flavor. We also had some beer nuts with our Tsing Tao's, and some pao chi (pickled veg), which I've learned that every chef in China has their own version of. This one was really good! We also had some short ribs with king mushrooms, roast goose (awesome), followed by sauteed greens and some rice (of course). Mr. Liu and I agreed that it was a decent meal, but for the price we could have gotten two of them in town. Which is where we'll be heading to a little later. I'll report back on the noodle dish...
Nanjing is a very historic city, and our main objective was to see the Confucious Temple. Slowing us down, of course, was the gauntlet of street food vendors lining the way. This was not junk food though, there were hundreds of little delicacies, and we tried a bunch. Including sweet rice wine with rice balls, spicy duck intestines, and spicy snails, to name a few. After our visit to the Confucious temple, we walked around then headed to Shyan Hon, a 100-year old restaurant that is considered a treasured landmark of China, and is even highlighted in Chinese text books.
This was indeed a great meal...well worth all the hype. We had two types of duck, one didn't look so great as it had a grayish tone and looked bland. But it was moist and tasted great, we all agreed it tasted like it had been brined in salt water. The other was a smoked duck, which also tasted great but was much more dry. Ducks in China are typically much smaller than our ducks in the US; so I think crossing the line to overcooked is a little easier. Nevertheless it was pretty good! Another favorite was the smoked bbq pork belly. This is always served a little differently, and this version was awesome. The pork was slow cooked as a large cut, probably 12oz. This dish is served a bit differently every time i've tried it; but usually is accompanied by chopped bitter greens, and doughy dumplings that are used to make sandwiches with the pork. The meal was awesome, and my novice assessment was that Nanjing's cuisine was very similar to Sichuanese cuisine, if you take away the spice and the Sichuan peppercorn. Leaving the restaurant we were able to watch the dragon boat races on the river, celebrating the Chinese holiday that was taking place over the next few days. It was a really spectacular night of Nanjing cuisine and culture. P.S. The Confucious temple was a must-see.
Day 4 & 5: Nanjing
We made our way to the Conference of US and China Cities. This was one of the reasons for our invitation to China. We basically sealed the deal in a ceremonial signing to bring Baguobuyi restaurants to the Washington, DC area. The conference was sponsored by the US and Chinese governments, and the intent was to foster business relationships between cities in the US and China. Quite a few US mayors were there, and DC was represented by the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and some of his staff, which was an opportune time to introduce our plans for Baguobuyi.
We wined and dine with government officials and businesspeople for a day and a half. I now understood Mr. Liu's references to seafood in Nanjing. This was a city with lots of rivers, and as a result the cuisine focused on fish and crustaceans from the rivers. I love river fish, but a true delight were the small lobsters (larger than crawfish but smaller than ocean lobsters), which were piled high in a sweet and sour sauce during one of our meals. I also realized how treasured fish is at the Chinese table. During any meal that featured whole fish, it was always the most popular dish. I became very adept at removing fish bones, which was good for me because it forced me to eat more slowly than my usual pace. Another aspect of Chinese cuisine that is ingenious in many ways, is the inclusion of bones. Boneless is not really an option, and he benefits are flavor of the meat as a result of the bones being present in the cooking process, as well more time devoted to carefully separating meat from bone and the subsequent smaller bites that go with it. It's no wonder my Chinese hosts are all able to stay so thin and eat so much food! As my wife constantly reminds me, small bites and chewing are the first part of the digestive process.
The time had come to leave Nanjing for the long awaited flight to Chengdu. So far my taste buds had been awaken with the delightful cuisine of Nanjing (along with a few beers). What awaited in Chengdu were feasts of biblical proportions, with enough Maotai (Chinese distilled rice wine) to pickle my liver for the next month (which I think it actually did)!
See pictures of my visit to Nanjing below, there is a link to the full gallery as well as a consolidated gallery of food-only pictures. All the pictures have captions, which are helpful to read.
Nanjing Food Pictures
Nanjing Pictures
So as I sit on my China Air flight, occasionally glancing at the 90's documentary on 80's Russian tennis stars, I can't help but feeling a bit of deja vous as Mr. Liu sits next to me nodding off and pecking with a plastic fork at some stale rice and tasteless beef. It was a little more than 2 years ago that Mr. Liu and I embarked on a journey to Chengdu that resulted in our first restaurant partnership, Mala Tang. So far our 3 meals together on this trip have been unremarkable. I was looking forward to tasting some really good food at San Francisco Int'l Airport, as we had an 8 hour layover there due to some delays. It was a lot better than the junk I ate at Atlanta's airport yesterday on my way to Phoenix from DC, but only the Pork Ramen at the sushi joint could pass muster in the "real world". To me it's all good, as I prepare for what undoubtedly will be a trip filled with the best regional dishes in Beijing, Nanjing, and finally our beloved Chengdu...center of the world for Sichuan cuisine.
This is a tough time for both of us to get "out of town". Mr. Liu just took over China Star in Fairfax, VA, his latest project in reviving a non-perfoming American-Chinese restaurant into a local bastion of authentic Sichuan cuisine. I have no idea how he does it. It seems like every time I talk to him he's got to run to work in the kitchen at one of his 5 restaurants. He has plenty of family members manning the host stands and kitchens throughout his mini-empire, but there is no doubt that he keeps the motor running. We are both very focused on rolling out a new Sichuan specials menu at Mala Tang (officially launches July 16th); and I am in the middle of several other projects for Chompie's in Phoenix. Not to mention that my wife Diana is in her 3rd trimester with our 5th child in 110 degree Phoenix...and yes she has all other 4 kids driving her nuts. However we all agreed that an invitation from the Chengdu Government and our friends at Baguobuyi restaurants, was well worth the trip. For Mr. Liu and I it's 3 days of talking business and determining how we can help our hosts bring the intense flavor of Sichuan cuisine and culture to the US; and another 3 days tasting our way through the most authentic and delicious cuisine Chengdu and Sichuan have to offer. I've often told Mr. Liu that he could make far more money as a culinary tour guide then as a restaurateur. But for now I'm happy to be his only client.
My first and last visit in 2010 opened me up to the wonders of Sichuan culture and cuisine, and both Mr. Liu and I were so excited that in a mere 10 months we had opened Mala Tang, arguably the most direct attempt to introduce Americans to Sichuan cuisine, through the very interactive hot pot. It has been an interesting partnership; an old school Chinese master chef who runs his other restaurants on a shoestring budget; and an American restaurateur who's latest ventures were upscale, fashionable, heavily staffed, expensive ventures. We're having fun, and enjoying our successes and challenges very well together. After all, being selected as no. 24 on Washingtonian's Top 100 in 2012 was quite the reward; as was being selected as one of their Top 10 new restaurants in 2012. Then Candy Sagon wrote a great piece in the WaPo that confirmed Todd Kliman's pretty solid review. I should also mention Tim Carman's pre-opening support (Tim wrote a great piece in the City Paper a while back about Mr. Liu when his only venture was Hong Kong Palace). We enjoyed the throngs of customers, and then quickly remembered what it's like when the honeymoon is over. Now we need to focus on reminding the dining public why Mala Tang is worth the visit. This new Sichuan Specialties menu will be a nice reason to try us again.
So for now I'm excited to get to Beijing, where I may get to experience Peking Duck in the city it was named for. We were supposed to fly directly to a meeting in Nanjing, on the east coast of China. But our delayed flight is forcing us to spend a night in Beijing...oh well...I could think of worse places to be stuck for a night with a Chinese master chef.
My next report will hopefully be a recount of some insanely good Peking Duck...and then I will try to get a feel for Nanjing. When I asked Mr. Liu how their cuisine is in Nanjing, he gave me the same look he always gives me that is saying "it ain't Sichuan, and that's that". Then he mentioned something about seafood. We will be meeting with restaurant execs and government officials...so I'm sure whatever we eat will be very memorable.
So as I start to nod off... zài jiàn.
Day 2: leaving Beijing for Nanjing
So I shouldn't have been so bullish about the potential of Peking Duck. We had the B or C team on at the airport last night and it was almost 11pm before Mr. Liu and I got to our hotel, in the middle of an industrial area. So my dreams of Peking Duck were erased by a nightmare of what the hotel scrambled to put together for a few tired travelers; dried out white rice, some AA lettuce, and 3 pieces of duck bones with a little fat on them. The warm and sweet egg drop soup was really the only bright spot of our "dinner". Though breakfast this morning finally broke the streak of bad meals. It also was nostalgic as I remembered how much I enjoyed breakfast here on our last trip. While there were more offerings I sampled the following: aged duck eggs (much better than I expected), a variety of steam buns, aged tofu (this is some seriously potent stuff that I got used to on our last trip), I typically spread it on some off the steam buns because it's a little too potent on its own. Lots of steamed veggies like AA lettuce and baby bok choy, pickled radishes & cabbage, and some pretty good seaweed salad. All accompanied by warm soy milk. I could tell Mr. Liu was relieved to have a decent meal as well, as he encouraged me to follow him up for a second trip to the buffet. So with the streak broken, I'll go back to reading the Omnivore's Dilemma, which I would recommend to anyone who had anything to do with the food to read (again if you already have). As Diana and I will begin planting our own 3.5 acre farm in September, Pollan's reminders of what organic was supposed to be are hitting close to home. My next report will probably be after lunch in Nanjing.
Day 3: Nanjing
A representative of the Chengdu government picked us up at the airport and gave us a little primer on Nanjing. Basically it's capital of one of the hottest and most humid provinces in China. We were lucky, today is about 85 but very humid. He also explained that there's a very famous temple honoring Confucious in Nanjing, and the dish they are most famous for is some sort of noodle/blood type of dish. I'm assuming duck or cows blood, but hopefully I'll get more details as I'm eating it at some point. Mr. Liu and I had a nice lunch at the Sofitel's token Chinese restaurant, which claims to have a renowned master chef at the helm cooking up local favorites. For our lunch Mr. Liu ordered a warmer and milder version of the Spicy Cold Chicken he serves at Hong Kong Palace. It had the green version of the Sichuan peppercorn, not quite as potent but still had a nice flavor. We also had some beer nuts with our Tsing Tao's, and some pao chi (pickled veg), which I've learned that every chef in China has their own version of. This one was really good! We also had some short ribs with king mushrooms, roast goose (awesome), followed by sauteed greens and some rice (of course). Mr. Liu and I agreed that it was a decent meal, but for the price we could have gotten two of them in town. Which is where we'll be heading to a little later. I'll report back on the noodle dish...
Nanjing is a very historic city, and our main objective was to see the Confucious Temple. Slowing us down, of course, was the gauntlet of street food vendors lining the way. This was not junk food though, there were hundreds of little delicacies, and we tried a bunch. Including sweet rice wine with rice balls, spicy duck intestines, and spicy snails, to name a few. After our visit to the Confucious temple, we walked around then headed to Shyan Hon, a 100-year old restaurant that is considered a treasured landmark of China, and is even highlighted in Chinese text books.
This was indeed a great meal...well worth all the hype. We had two types of duck, one didn't look so great as it had a grayish tone and looked bland. But it was moist and tasted great, we all agreed it tasted like it had been brined in salt water. The other was a smoked duck, which also tasted great but was much more dry. Ducks in China are typically much smaller than our ducks in the US; so I think crossing the line to overcooked is a little easier. Nevertheless it was pretty good! Another favorite was the smoked bbq pork belly. This is always served a little differently, and this version was awesome. The pork was slow cooked as a large cut, probably 12oz. This dish is served a bit differently every time i've tried it; but usually is accompanied by chopped bitter greens, and doughy dumplings that are used to make sandwiches with the pork. The meal was awesome, and my novice assessment was that Nanjing's cuisine was very similar to Sichuanese cuisine, if you take away the spice and the Sichuan peppercorn. Leaving the restaurant we were able to watch the dragon boat races on the river, celebrating the Chinese holiday that was taking place over the next few days. It was a really spectacular night of Nanjing cuisine and culture. P.S. The Confucious temple was a must-see.
Day 4 & 5: Nanjing
We made our way to the Conference of US and China Cities. This was one of the reasons for our invitation to China. We basically sealed the deal in a ceremonial signing to bring Baguobuyi restaurants to the Washington, DC area. The conference was sponsored by the US and Chinese governments, and the intent was to foster business relationships between cities in the US and China. Quite a few US mayors were there, and DC was represented by the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and some of his staff, which was an opportune time to introduce our plans for Baguobuyi.
We wined and dine with government officials and businesspeople for a day and a half. I now understood Mr. Liu's references to seafood in Nanjing. This was a city with lots of rivers, and as a result the cuisine focused on fish and crustaceans from the rivers. I love river fish, but a true delight were the small lobsters (larger than crawfish but smaller than ocean lobsters), which were piled high in a sweet and sour sauce during one of our meals. I also realized how treasured fish is at the Chinese table. During any meal that featured whole fish, it was always the most popular dish. I became very adept at removing fish bones, which was good for me because it forced me to eat more slowly than my usual pace. Another aspect of Chinese cuisine that is ingenious in many ways, is the inclusion of bones. Boneless is not really an option, and he benefits are flavor of the meat as a result of the bones being present in the cooking process, as well more time devoted to carefully separating meat from bone and the subsequent smaller bites that go with it. It's no wonder my Chinese hosts are all able to stay so thin and eat so much food! As my wife constantly reminds me, small bites and chewing are the first part of the digestive process.
The time had come to leave Nanjing for the long awaited flight to Chengdu. So far my taste buds had been awaken with the delightful cuisine of Nanjing (along with a few beers). What awaited in Chengdu were feasts of biblical proportions, with enough Maotai (Chinese distilled rice wine) to pickle my liver for the next month (which I think it actually did)!
See pictures of my visit to Nanjing below, there is a link to the full gallery as well as a consolidated gallery of food-only pictures. All the pictures have captions, which are helpful to read.
Nanjing Food Pictures
Nanjing Pictures
Developing Local Farm to Table programs...the next step.
In 2008 I embarked on an ambitious project, via the restaurant I operated at the time, Mie N Yu, to connect family farms in Virginia with restaurateurs in the DC metropolitan area. The name of the program was Farm to Table DC, and has been well documented to have been a financial and PR success for the natural, pasture based farm movement, particularly in Virginia. The mission would not have been possible without having a high volume restaurant outlet to sell the products, ranging from pasture raised meats and dairy products, to naturally and organically grown fruits and vegetables. By all measures, the program was a great success for 2+ years, generating well over $2 million in revenue for small family farmers, local processing facilities, and transportation providers. Most importantly it connected the farmland to the consumer through chefs and restaurants. Many of the relationships continue, even without the assistance of an organization like Farm to Table DC. However the nature of the restaurant business is that it unstable, and many of the founding members of this Co-op no longer operate the restaurants that did such a great job absorbing these incredible meats, produce and dairy. Namely, since Chef Tim Miller and I left Mie N Yu in 2010, the ownership has retaliated into survival mode and become a commodity buyer. Harry's Tap Room (Michael Sternberg, Michael Kaufman and Chef Alex Reyes), which single-handedly supported an all natural, pasture based beef farm in The Plains, was sold recently and is being re-concepted by new owners. Potenza and Zola (Dan Mesches and Chef Bryan Moscatello) recently closed, once supporting an entire family of farmers near Culpeper, VA. Sad...yes. All the restaurateurs and chefs were committed to "the cause" regardless of profit potential, it was the most fresh, high quality product we could buy. I had held several conferences to promote the program to other chefs and restaurateurs. Some dabbled, some forged their own relationships, and some continue to market themselves as sustainable, local purchasing chefs...while in actuality many are just supporting the burgeoning agri-business industry of "natural" meats, dairy and produce. They would be startled to find out what those products really are...
But what of the successes? DC Central Kitchen, which graciously provided transportation for the initial program, continues to be the largest purchaser at the Shenandoah Valley Produce Auction in Virginia (a market for local farmers, mostly Mennonite to sell their products), and is pursuing plans to develop it's local-only commissary. Not surprisingly, former Mie N Yu chef and whole animal guru Tim Miller, is heading up that mission. Grayson Natural, a group of family farmers in SW Virginia has developed a tremendous relationship with Virginia and North Carolina universities, ensuring that students are enjoying wholesome, nutritious, grass fed beef year round. These links were developed between farmer and buyer due to the cash flow generated by being involved in the Farm to Table DC program. For this I am very proud, and feel that the fledgling program was able to create real opportunity and a basic model for how these types of relationships could work around the country. It was never easy, and we all learned a lot about the life of farmers, the life of restaurateurs, and the challenges of USDA inspected processing and refrigerated logistics.
So what's next?
My Utopian vision of the farmer-restaurateur relationship is this:
* Restaurateur/grocer develops small box concepts, flexible enough to change ingredients daily/weekly/monthly.
* Restaurateur/grocer pledges not to purchase commodity foods. If it's not available within a days drive and naturally grown, it shouldn't be served or sold.
* Restaurateur/grocer agrees to buy "whole product". I.e, whole animal (at least what's left after processing), whole veg or fruit as is.
* Restaurateur/grocer agrees to buy frozen products, so long as they are frozen fresh (shortly after processing). This is important, it allows products to maintain their quality as they move from farm to table without using artifical stabilizers or preservatives.
* Farmer works with other likeminded farmers in his area and elects a "manager" to handle relationships with buyers and organize logistics.
* Farmers agree to grow and raise all livestock, produce, dairy, etc., naturally and seasonally. If they can't supply it, they should not have to fear losing a customer...because the customer will simply remove that item from the menu until it's available. Hopefully by forming a group, one farmer will make up for the other's shortage.
* Farmer agrees to sell product at a reasonable price that accounts for actual costs and a reasonable profit. Not based on market conditions or prices.
* Foodservice distributor agrees to manage the logistics, including pickup and delivery of the product, and accounts recievable...for a reasonable fee.
* Legislators provide an even playing field with agri-business. This includes more stringent labeling requirements, disclosures, and producers must be willing to open their operations up to public inspection.
* Consumer education would be at the forefront of the programs, in order to help the consumer understand the benefits of natural, wholesome foods for their families health and wellbeing.
In many ways, Farm to Table DC accomplished most of these objectives at one point or another during it's existence.
In order to accomplish these goals I realize that the proper incubator needs to be in place, and the goal of this organization must be to develop the farm to foodservice to consumer relationship. So 501c3 meets Capitalist entity in one organization, with the underlying mission to never grow to big for it's britches. My friends at Grayson Natural Foods have it right...they've committed to bring in neighboring producers once they each reach a very modest income level. In this way the entire community benefits from their endeavors as opposed to a small group of owners. The community benefits in so many ways, primarily in converting both agricultural and industrial land into pasture based, natural farmland. This preserves the agrarian principles and financial security that allows agricultural communities to remain so on a relatively small scale; improving the environment and soil as opposed to damaging it. In this same way small farmers can cooperate to improve their ability to bring their collective products to market; and restaurateurs and grocers can more easily access these products. The final point, that consumers would be educated to "vote with their dollars", therefore using a Capitalist approach to encourage agri-business to play the game right...or get out of town. This would be of course supported by the level playing field that local legislators could provide.
So what is the incubator? My initial goal is to open a QSR (quick service restaurant), that's underlying mission is to connect the consumer to local, natural agricultural products. This provides a small, low-overhead outlet to begin developing the pipeline between the agricultural community and the consumer. This QSR concept would have a small retail outlet, showcasing the products in their whole form. Education would be as much a part of the business strategy as great food and service. Phase 2 would be an extension of this business into a small grocery store. Phase 3 would be to bring the farms to the "burbs", by encouraging permaculture and conversion of backyards to organic gardens, local residents could participate in the process as both consumer and producer. Much in the way that energy efficient homes can produce energy for the grid.
Phase 1 is not so far away, but I realize that in order to do it right, I need to do it myself. I need control, and then I can make sure that the integrity of the venture goes hand in hand with the financial success of the venture.
For now I am content to be preparing our 3.5 acre farm in Chandler, AZ for our first planting of organically grown fruits and vegetables. I guess I'm putting Phase 3 ahead of Phase 1 for now...
But what of the successes? DC Central Kitchen, which graciously provided transportation for the initial program, continues to be the largest purchaser at the Shenandoah Valley Produce Auction in Virginia (a market for local farmers, mostly Mennonite to sell their products), and is pursuing plans to develop it's local-only commissary. Not surprisingly, former Mie N Yu chef and whole animal guru Tim Miller, is heading up that mission. Grayson Natural, a group of family farmers in SW Virginia has developed a tremendous relationship with Virginia and North Carolina universities, ensuring that students are enjoying wholesome, nutritious, grass fed beef year round. These links were developed between farmer and buyer due to the cash flow generated by being involved in the Farm to Table DC program. For this I am very proud, and feel that the fledgling program was able to create real opportunity and a basic model for how these types of relationships could work around the country. It was never easy, and we all learned a lot about the life of farmers, the life of restaurateurs, and the challenges of USDA inspected processing and refrigerated logistics.
So what's next?
My Utopian vision of the farmer-restaurateur relationship is this:
* Restaurateur/grocer develops small box concepts, flexible enough to change ingredients daily/weekly/monthly.
* Restaurateur/grocer pledges not to purchase commodity foods. If it's not available within a days drive and naturally grown, it shouldn't be served or sold.
* Restaurateur/grocer agrees to buy "whole product". I.e, whole animal (at least what's left after processing), whole veg or fruit as is.
* Restaurateur/grocer agrees to buy frozen products, so long as they are frozen fresh (shortly after processing). This is important, it allows products to maintain their quality as they move from farm to table without using artifical stabilizers or preservatives.
* Farmer works with other likeminded farmers in his area and elects a "manager" to handle relationships with buyers and organize logistics.
* Farmers agree to grow and raise all livestock, produce, dairy, etc., naturally and seasonally. If they can't supply it, they should not have to fear losing a customer...because the customer will simply remove that item from the menu until it's available. Hopefully by forming a group, one farmer will make up for the other's shortage.
* Farmer agrees to sell product at a reasonable price that accounts for actual costs and a reasonable profit. Not based on market conditions or prices.
* Foodservice distributor agrees to manage the logistics, including pickup and delivery of the product, and accounts recievable...for a reasonable fee.
* Legislators provide an even playing field with agri-business. This includes more stringent labeling requirements, disclosures, and producers must be willing to open their operations up to public inspection.
* Consumer education would be at the forefront of the programs, in order to help the consumer understand the benefits of natural, wholesome foods for their families health and wellbeing.
In many ways, Farm to Table DC accomplished most of these objectives at one point or another during it's existence.
In order to accomplish these goals I realize that the proper incubator needs to be in place, and the goal of this organization must be to develop the farm to foodservice to consumer relationship. So 501c3 meets Capitalist entity in one organization, with the underlying mission to never grow to big for it's britches. My friends at Grayson Natural Foods have it right...they've committed to bring in neighboring producers once they each reach a very modest income level. In this way the entire community benefits from their endeavors as opposed to a small group of owners. The community benefits in so many ways, primarily in converting both agricultural and industrial land into pasture based, natural farmland. This preserves the agrarian principles and financial security that allows agricultural communities to remain so on a relatively small scale; improving the environment and soil as opposed to damaging it. In this same way small farmers can cooperate to improve their ability to bring their collective products to market; and restaurateurs and grocers can more easily access these products. The final point, that consumers would be educated to "vote with their dollars", therefore using a Capitalist approach to encourage agri-business to play the game right...or get out of town. This would be of course supported by the level playing field that local legislators could provide.
So what is the incubator? My initial goal is to open a QSR (quick service restaurant), that's underlying mission is to connect the consumer to local, natural agricultural products. This provides a small, low-overhead outlet to begin developing the pipeline between the agricultural community and the consumer. This QSR concept would have a small retail outlet, showcasing the products in their whole form. Education would be as much a part of the business strategy as great food and service. Phase 2 would be an extension of this business into a small grocery store. Phase 3 would be to bring the farms to the "burbs", by encouraging permaculture and conversion of backyards to organic gardens, local residents could participate in the process as both consumer and producer. Much in the way that energy efficient homes can produce energy for the grid.
Phase 1 is not so far away, but I realize that in order to do it right, I need to do it myself. I need control, and then I can make sure that the integrity of the venture goes hand in hand with the financial success of the venture.
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| The Mitchell Family of Grayson Natural Foods |
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