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The pandemic threw a lot of curveballs at the restaurant industry. It forced chefs to get creative with their offerings and shift their business models to pick-up and to-go while focusing on new revenue streams.
On this episode of Run The Pass, Host Andre Natera talked with Chef Uno Immanivong about her career and how she’s pivoted to make money during the pandemic. Chef Uno is a first-generation Asian American of Laotian descent. She was born in a Thai refugee camp where her parents dreamed of giving her a better life.
“I never thought I’d go down this route, but we sell a ton of pouch drinks because we’re across from SMU, and it’s easy to pop in the freezer or go to the pool,” Immanivong said.
She auditioned for a reality cooking show with Anthony Bourdain and, when he chose to mentor her, it massively altered the course of her life. In 2013, Uno left banking to pursue her passion for cooking, and the journey created the hugely popular Chino Chinatown in Trinity Groves, Red Stix Asian Street Food, and Chef Uno Brands.
Making money in this day and age is no easy task, and Chef Uno Immanivong takes stock to ensure she has multiple income streams. She does off-site catering, pre-packaged catering, pre-planned meals, and to-go drinks, such as pouches.
“I never thought I’d go down this route, but we sell a ton of pouch drinks because we’re across from SMU, and it’s easy to pop in the freezer or go to the pool,” Immanivong said. She focuses on her pick-up and to-go business because she doesn’t want folks in her restaurant at the moment. She also doesn’t use third-party delivery apps because they take too much of a percentage.
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Workforce management has always been a challenge in hospitality. A year-plus into the pandemic, and the problems are both new and the same. For a look inside recruiting and staffing, Run the Pass host Andre Natera spoke with Eropa Stein, CEO of Hyre.
Hyre is a workforce management software that Stein launched after realizing the considerable complexities of hospitality staffing. “It really started when I was consulting for a hospitality staffing agency, and they were using Excel spreadsheets.”
The app started as just a way to fill the need of temp workers for events. Now, it’s a product that solves all staffing problems. “At first, it was getting rid of the middleman of using a staffing agency. A venue could go on the platform and put in who they needed, when, and the rate,” Stein explained.
“A lot of people left hospitality, so now the new people don’t have the experience, so upskilling is important.” - Eropa Stein
Once workers complete a shift, they also get ratings, which helps them be more appealing to those hiring.
In describing the company’s success, Stein said, “Opportunities like special day or moments were big selling points. We also got lots of referrals, and many workers found it exciting to perhaps work an event where someone famous would be.”
Post-pandemic recruiting in hospitality is harder than ever, and the workforce looks different. “A lot of people left hospitality, so now the new people don’t have the experience, so upskilling is important. Finding people from different areas like retail, where they have similarities in skills can be an opportunity,” Stein noted.
Others have changed their entire model with a skeleton crew that they supplement with temp staff. Overall, Stein commented, “For those returning after the pandemic, the landscape has changed, and they’ll need to adapt.”
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On this episode of Run The Pass, Host Andre Natera talked with Michael Mohammed, the Chief Executive Officer and President at Chronic Tacos Enterprises, Inc., where he oversees the strategic vision of the fast-casual Mexican restaurant brand. The duo talked about Mohammed’s career, Chronic Tacos, and creating a vibe.
Mohammed and his three brothers first became affiliated with Chronic Tacos back in 2010, when they helped finance the chain’s expansion into Canada. They noticed the potential for the brand and, in 2012, took it over. While they do have one store in Montgomery, Texas, most of their locations are in California. For him and the brand, it’s all about “living the taco life.”
Founded in 2004 by two friends in Orange County, California, they set out to create taqueria-style food with a Southern California vibe. The taco life.
“They wanted something fun, with an atmosphere,” Mohammed said. “The recipes they got from family friends are third-generation recipes, really authentic, and they wanted to kind of meld that into a vibe with music playing, a real, local feel and somewhere fun...It’s that southern California vibe.”
His background isn’t in restaurants, though he has grown into the role. After earning an MBA at Saint Martin’s University in Washington State, he eventually landed at Boeing as a Financial Analyst. Then he stumbled into sales at his family’s business, Cattermole Group, where he worked his way up to President in 2004. In this role, he focused the company on investment and real estate projects.
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The art of butchery was Cara Nicoletti’s birthright in many ways, growing up working in her grandfather’s Boston shop. She comes from generations of it but changed course after considering the sustainability of meat. She recently joined Andre Natera on Run the Pass to share her story.
Nicoletti has a diverse background, working as a butcher, writing a cookbook, and hosting shows on VICE Munchies. In February 2020, she launched Seemore Meats & Veggies, which makes humanely raised, veggie stuffed sausages. “I started making sausages 11 years ago to help people eat less meat and stretch the meat further with fillers that were good like vegetables,” Nicoletti said.
“We can’t keep up the demand for meat and do it in a way that’s good for the Earth. So we need to eat good meat but less of it.” - Cara Nicoletti
Growing up around butchers, Nicoletti noted she was “more sensitive about where meat comes from,” and then working in restaurants saw all the waste. Although she hadn’t initially intended on becoming a butcher, she found an apprenticeship and stayed in the industry for several years.
Sustainability became a big focus for Nicoletti—one which became even more true during the pandemic. “Our supply chain is flimsy, especially with meat, as we depend on four giant companies that control the meet supply in the U.S. It’s a deeply unsustainable market,” she said.
Nicoletti spoke about the concept of regenerative agriculture and its critical role in the meat industry. “It’s when grazing animals diversify the soil. If they in stalls all day eating grain, it’s stripping the soil and creating monocultures. There’s no way we can keep up with demand and do it in a way that’s good for the Earth,” she explained.
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Over the past year, workers in the restaurant industry faced a slew of challenges. From layoffs due to COVID, then often long hours working in a hot kitchen with a mask, all the while worried about keeping themselves healthy during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
On this episode of Run The Pass, Host Andre Natera talked with Hemalee Patel, an internal medicine physician with a nutrition and lifestyle medicine background, for a unique episode about burnout, health, and wellness in the restaurant industry.
One of the most important things Patel notes is that health and wellness are tied to your environment. Not just your surroundings, but the people you are around, as well. Healthcare is trending toward a more integrative approach to medicine, and it includes emotional well-being, as well as physical.
“There’s so much evidence that when you take care of yourself, it not only increases your well-being, it also increases productivity, efficiency and improves a company’s ROI." -Hemalee Patel
“I have a lot of family who work in the hospitality industry,” Patel said. “I think healthcare and hospitality are very similar in that you provide a service, and the outcome of that service is dependent on the experience.”
She noticed that during COVID, her family had a ton of stressors. The industry had to shift constantly, from being close to having to reopen for business suddenly. This meant employees had to ramp themselves up to show up for work. According to Patel, this emphasized the stress of burnout in a profound way, who noted that taking care of oneself became more critical than ever.
“There’s so much evidence that when you take care of yourself, it not only increases your well-being, it also increases productivity, efficiency and improves a company’s ROI,” Patel said. “You really get the best outcomes from people and maximize outcomes.”
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On this episode of Run The Pass, Host Andre Natera talked with Byron Gomez about his career, Top Chef, his love of travel, and a super-secret project.
Lately, he has been taking some time off, traveling, and networking, but mostly trying to get out after staying inside for a year during the COVID-19 Pandemic. He talked about some of the food in the nine cities he’s traveled to in the last month and a half. He’s currently working in Aspen at the 7908, which operates on a seasonal schedule, so they are off roughly a month between summer and winter and then between spring and summer.
"I worked for Daniel Boulud for five years, I would say Cafe Boulud was my culinary school" - Byron Gomez
While traveling, he enjoyed his time at the Garrison, one of Chef Natera’s restaurants in Austin, Texas. Next, he traveled to New Orleans and had some excellent Turtle Soup at Commander’s Palace.
His love for food, though, started long before the spotlights of Top Chef. He landed his first job when he was 15 years old. A family friend approached his family and asked if he wanted to work. It was a very famous restaurant known for its flame-grilled burgers: Burger King.
Gomez was destined for greater things. Before heading to Colorado, Gomez spent the last 13 years working at some of the top restaurants in New York. A self-taught chef, he worked his way up through some Michelin star restaurants, such as Café Boulud, the classical French One Star Michelin restaurant. After moving on, he worked at a two-star Michelin restaurant, Atera, which featured a Nordic cuisine tasting menu.
Listen to hear more about Gomez’s career, his time on Top Chef, and a secret project he’s working on.
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On this episode of MarketScale’s Run the Pass, host and Executive Chef Andre Natera brought in Patrick Mitchell to talk about the American Culinary Federation, the mindset that goes into competitions, how to get into food challenges, and the certifications for chefs.
Mitchell is an “Executive Chef/Culinary Advisor for Ben E. Keith Foods based in Ft. Worth, Texas. He is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America with 41 years experience in the industry. Patrick is an American Culinary Federation Certified Culinary Judge and a member of the American Academy of Chefs since 2005; in 2004, he was awarded the ACF’s Chef Professionalism award.”
“Usually, these judges and chairs at the competitions are more than willing to help someone understand what’s going so someone can get into it." - Patrick Mitchell
He started competing in 1979 while he was transitioning to culinary school. He got the bug, so to speak. Thirty-eight years ago, he ended up in Dallas with a team competing in the Culinary Olympics. Then it went international. In 2016, he competed for U.S. Chef of the Year and won. This qualified him for the international level, where he competed in the Global Chef’s Challenge in Kuala Lumpur in 2018.
After competing for all these years, he pivoted into coaching. Now, when he talks to chefs that want to compete, he asks them what they want to do. Then find a competition, go and observe and talk to the folks running the show.
“Usually, these judges and chairs at the competitions are more than willing to help someone understand what’s going so someone can get into it,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell believes that certification under the ACF is important for chefs. The certifications allow chefs to be able to show that they have met specific standards when it comes to cooking. Everything from how to make specific cuts to sanitation is included in the certification process, so when a chef moves and wants a new job, the hiring manager will know they can fulfill specific skills.
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Launching a new food concept is never easy. The pandemic and going to the route of a food truck make it an even more unique journey. Run the Pass host Andre Natera spoke with Chef Kevin Truong about doing just that and marrying two cultures in the kitchen with Fil N’ Viet.
“I’m Vietnamese, and my wife is Filipino. There are similarities, and we wanted to combine them in fun ways. Filipino food is underrated, and our offering merges the familiar and unfamiliar.”
“You have to think about space wisely. When you write a menu, you have to think of the whole operation and storage" -Chef Kevin Truong
Getting the concept off the ground wasn’t easy, and Chef Truong urged that it requires “flexibility and adaptability.”
While a food truck cuts down on overhead, it has limitations. “You have to think about space wisely. When you write a menu, you have to think of the whole operation and storage,” Chef Truong explained.
Truong’s menu uses ingredients in multiple dishes to simplify and turn out great food in close quarters. But they also have something new each week. “We do a weekly feature to give returning guests something new to try, and it’s a creative output for me.”
Running a food truck also requires daily grocery runs, unlike traditional restaurants. Other costs include propane tanks and the removal of wastewater.
Chef Truong and his wife opened the food truck just a few months ago. It’s currently in a temporary location and will move to a food garden once it’s open. However, he noted they want to transition to brick and mortar. “A food truck forces you to be creative, but brick and mortar will allow us to do so much more with the food.”
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Without flavor, every bite would be much less enjoyable. Discussing this world and unique cuisines, Run the Pass host Andre Natera welcomed a fellow podcaster and flavor expert, Emmanuel Laroche. Laroche is the host of Flavors Unknown and serves as the VP of Marketing for Symrise, a producer of flavors and fragrances.
Since Laroche interviews so many chefs and often has the chance to dine across the world, Chef Natera asked about commonalities among the most successful. “They have passion for food and drive. They are always pushing themselves to succeed,” Laroche answered.
With such a sophisticated palette and decades of experience in the flavor industry, Laroche shared he’s most interested in choosing things from the menu that are “new combinations and combine global flavors and techniques.” He also noted that traditional dishes with a new spin or have multiple influences always interest him.
Raised in France but spending the last 20 years in the U.S., Chef Natera asked Laroche about the differences in food cultures. “Food is a very social thing in France. I was learning to make things at a young age with my mother. Also, lunch is the biggest meal there, unlike in the U.S.”
What’s new on the flavor scene? Laroche shared that Symrise launched a new line of vanilla extracts that use beans from Madagascar. “Lots of new vanilla blends for bakery and ice cream.”
He also spends his time studying food trends and performing customer research. Consumers drive what’s hot or cold in the world of taste.
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On this episode of Run the Pass, host and Executive Chef Andre Natera brought in Chef Omar Flores to talk about the Texas food scene, his impressive career, how to scale restaurants, and the changes that will stick after COVID-19.
Flores grew up in El Paso, and his family always had restaurants. His parents owned small Mexican restaurants with authentic vibes. Flores flew from the desert and headed east, where he attended the Culinary Institute Of America In New York.
When he got back to Texas, he worked in Dallas, he met Tre Wilcox and Chef Kent Rathbun, and worked at the iconic Abacus. The restaurant closed in 2019, but Flores noted the impact it had on his career. He left Abacus for Driftwood (also now closed), a seafood restaurant, where he earned some accolades and made a name for himself.
While he initially didn’t want to start a Mexican restaurant, his roots called him back. He opened up Whistle Britches, which is fried chicken with a Mexican twist. They are opening up a third in Southlake this spring. He also owns Muchacho, which is opening up a location in Southlake, as well.
He looked at a restaurant as a chef for a long time but now looks at it as a business. He talked about the challenges of being a young chef trying to turn a profit off a restaurant. His perspective certainly changed over the years, as he learned what it means to run successful restaurants.
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A chef's journey can take many twists and turns—such is the story of Alan Delgado, a native of El Paso and, until recently, a big name in the Austin food community. He worked at many notable Austin hotspots, including Comedor. Host Andre Natera welcomed his friend and fellow Texan to Run the Pass to talk about what he’s doing now after moving to New York. Delgado is currently the Director of Recipe and Development of Brooklyn’s Michelin-starred Oxomoco.
On the differences between Austin and New York food scenes, Delgado said, “It’s more diverse in New York.”
That variety is also pushing a new vegan concept. Although, Delgado uses the term “plant-forward” because “people are more willing to try it.”
Mexican food does lend itself to vegan options, but Delgado and Natera talked about the variations in the cuisine. “It’s a big country. Each area has different ingredients and different climates. People travel to one spot and think that’s what everyone eats.”
In addition to being plant-driven, his new restaurant focuses a lot on sustainability. “How much waste you produce impacts the planet, but it’s in its early stages of eliminating plastic and paper.”
That holistic approach to menus and food is also impacting kitchen culture. Delgado said the last year, there have been more conversations about mental health and creating a better balance. “We’re asking ourselves questions now, like ‘Am I being the best version of myself?’”
He took that sentiment to hiring new chefs, saying he cares more about getting to know the person than their resume. “I ask questions to get insight on who they are and how they react to stressful situations. I want the right people with the right mentality.”
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Being a traditional chef was a way of life for Run the Pass’ guest Allen Campbell. He started in the industry at 14 in Boston. He then attended culinary school and began life as a chef in posh restaurants. While working in Boston, he had an epiphany around the new type of chef he wanted to be, focusing on a plant-based, health-focused lifestyle for himself. Talking about his evolution, host Andre Natera gets Campbell’s full story.
“My lifestyle and eating changed, and I was projecting that into my food, which wasn’t idea working in a hotel,” Campbell explained.
He then got the chance to fill in for Tom Brady and Giselle Bundchen's personal chef, which turned into a permanent role. “It was a great fit. It wasn’t demanding and allowed me to consult on the side.” Chinese medicine began to influence him as he spun a modern application of it. “I wanted to make it more approachable. People could look at a recipe, and it makes sense.”
He worked with Brady on the TB12 Method and TB12 Nutrition Manual to promote plant-based, clean eating.
Now, he’s running AC Kitchen. “It’s a meal service that services Boston to New York for those with medical conditions or special dietary needs. We give them food they need to follow their doctor’s protocol.”
The business has been private, but he’s opening it up to more people, as he refines the recipes. The food focuses on gut health and digestion, seasonal eating, and eliminating foods that cause inflammation. “The three things that cause the most inflammation are white sugar, gluten, and dairy. We don’t use any of those,” Campbell explained.
The cultivated meal service seeks to bridge the gap between healthcare and eating to support and empower the body.
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Run the Pass looks at the world of seafood as host Andre Natera welcomed Chef Barton Seaver. Seaver has an illustrious career as a chef and expert on seafood sustainability and diversity. His early career included working for Jose Andres and making DC’s best burger. He then stepped out of the kitchen with a focus on seafood literacy. He was a National Geographic explorer and taught classes on the subject at Harvard. He’s also a best-selling author of books on seafood.
Seaver’s love of food goes back to his childhood, growing up in a multi-ethnic neighborhood in DC. “I learned food was a vehicle for understanding people around us and making us better,” he said.
His career began in a grease trap and led him to culinary school. After some globe-hopping that included ending up in Africa by accident, he returned to DC to work for Jose.
“I learned a lot there but needed more self-learning, so he left and worked at a small bistro, where he cultivated the best burger. “The best ingredient on the plate wasn’t me; it’s never the chef. I’m proud of that burger because of the detail of every piece,” Seaver added.
He then opened Hook, a sustainable seafood restaurant. “We did it through diversity, serving 150 different species in the first two years.”
Then he walked about from the kitchen on a mission to educate chefs about seafood, sustainability, and diversity, as a host and professor. “Seafood isn’t being taught to a fine degree. It’s a category of ingredient that should be aspirational, and we should be serving more of it.”
Seaver’s answer is to categorize seafood by its similarities so that chefs aren’t scared of experimenting and offering less-known species to diners.
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Dishing about the topic today, Run the Pass host Andre Natera welcomed colleague Chef Atticus Garant to the show. Garant and Natera worked together on opening the Fairmont Austin. Garant opened the Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver and serves his current location, the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles, as Executive Chef.
Before the opening of the Austin property, Natera and Garant worked to develop the ideal kitchen workplace. “It was really a collection of a lot of different experiences. We listened to everyone, and the sum of that was greater than just the two of us,” Garant said.
One way Garant developed the culture in Austin was to rent a test kitchen in a house for R&D. “We assembled a talented team with different personalities and skillsets. It was learning where they excelled and ensuring that we could continue to progress.”
A thriving kitchen culture is unique versus the corporate world. But they both require actions, not just words. Garant added, “It’s easy to say you want to have a great culture. It requires time, energy and structure.”
Those strong fundamentals and foundations are now the building block for Garant’s culture at the L.A. restaurant, tailored to that market and circumstances.
Garant and Natera also discussed the future of dining, his Michelin star restaurant experiences, and why not all food isn't meant for takeout.
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Run the Pass host Andre Natera welcomed Chef Mathew Peters to the show. Peters is the only U.S. winner of the famed Bocuse d'Or, a biennial world chef championship.
Ironically, Peters said he never wanted to do competitions. “My goal was to work at a top restaurant then run and operate my own.”
However, the opportunity to compete in Bocuse d'Or was too intriguing to pass up. The training regiment to compete is not unlike an Olympic athlete. There were long days, challenges at every turn, and stressful happenings at every step.
In this new situation, Peters came out of it with a different way of working with food and communication. His team also created a pressure-filled environment in training so that the competition would be easier.
During the competition, there were missteps. “Nothing ever goes smoothly,” Peters remarked.
While it wasn’t perfect, it was gold medal-worthy. To date, it’s his only competition, but he figured why not shoot for the crown jewel.
Now Peters has made Austin his home. His wife is from here, so he experienced it over the years. He sees lots of opportunity for this growing city with a great food scene.
“Right now, we’re just looking for space to launch a new fine-dining concept but a fun fine dining that breaks the typical mode.” Austin residents will no doubt be in for a tasteful experience.
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Host Andre Natera spoke with two chefs in this episode, Rico Torres and Diego Galicia, two of San Antonio’s brightest voices. Together, they own Mixtli and Kumo. They shared details on their restaurants and what they’re doing to reimagine restaurant culture.
Torres talked about Kumo’s unique concept, which changes the menu daily. “It’s about being creative with the menu and doing something new. What else can I do with these products, so there’s nothing wasted.”
They named it such because it means cloud in Japan. Japanese culture has an impact on the eatery, more for the style of dining. Not a coincidence is their other spot, Mixtli, which also means cloud. So why the clouds?
“Clouds travel, so the menu can travel. Cloud became our spirit,” Torres shared. The idea of clouds is what drives menu ideation. They are focused on creating dishes rooted in stories of Mexican history.
Mixtli started in a train car, selling pre-paid tickets for dining. Now, they are reopening it in a larger space during the pandemic. Galicia noted, “It’s a huge gamble that forced us to keep pushing. We’re all in.”
What’s important to both chefs as they continue to build their empire is changing the restaurant culture. They want to bring education to their team on finances, health, and wellness.
Torres called the new mindset “embracing the chaos.” He explained, “When you face a problem, emotions take the wheel and force old conditioning. Instead, find the root of the problem and find a new route to the solution.”
He’s also a big proponent of being in tune with what you put in your body and the inner dialogue.
Galicia discussed providing financial literacy education to staff. “It’s hard to stay afloat in the industry. Conversations about finances need to happen.”
Bringing health and wellness into the conversation matters because neither wants to see people burnout. Galicia shared he heard something recently that stuck with him about the culture he and Torres are building. “You can’t be of service to others if you’re not fit for service. We want to set people up for success.”
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Having built a reputation as a premier chef in Dallas, Junior Borges set out to find and build his own restaurant concept, but discovered something greater — the opportunity to leave a legacy through an expansive culinary project that’s uniting a community.
The Village is an expansive neighborhood in Texas with over 10,000 residents, just minutes from Downtown Dallas. But the area has lacked the amenities and restaurants to truly make it an independent neighborhood. That is, until now.
Borges is overseeing the entire culinary operation for 12 restaurants, including a food hall and food mart, as a part of an elaborate upgrade to his neighborhood, and Executive Chef Andre Natera is taking a visit to the construction site of the largest culinary project in North Texas.
Roll in the crew. Break ground. It’s time to Run the Pass.
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The experience of dining out is just as much about the service as it is the food. Looking at the other side of the house, Chef Andre Natera sat down with accomplished hospitality veteran Alexander Gonzalez to discuss what is good service. Gonzalez currently serves as General Manager of Next Restaurant, part of the Alinea Group.
Gonzalez began his F&B career with culinary school. After military service, he started classes in San Diego but eventually transferred back to his home Chicago. His love for hospitality started with childhood. Many of his extended family were just a few blocks away, which meant entertaining on the weekend. “That was my spark of hospitality way back then,” he said.
Before graduating, he had the opportunity to complete an externship with the Alinea Group, starting in the kitchen but then moved to the front of the house, enjoying interactions and guest-facing moments.
He then took off to the West Coast and eventually worked with Natera, opening a restaurant. Gonzalez’s creativity began to expand into clever concepts that engaged guests.
One unique concept showcased his love for art. “I drew the desserts, folded them into an envelope, and said let’s see what happens,” Gonzalez explained.
The reaction was enthralling to guests, and the restaurant saw dessert orders rise. That same love for art has been a great creative outlet. “It’s been important for me with no guest-facing experiences,” he added.
In discussing the concept of what great service is, Gonzalez shared a story of dining with his wife at a restaurant in London. “It was seamless and attentive but anticipatory; that’s great service,” he said.
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