Henry Rich is the managing partner of the Oberon Group, a hospitality group based in Brooklyn and the Catskills that includes Rucola, June, Anaïs, and Rhodora, a carbon-neutral zero-waste natural wine bar, among other projects. In this episode, he breaks down why most “green” work happens behind the scenes, how to build team buy-in when sustainability adds friction, and what it really takes to run a mission-driven business without burning out or going broke. He also shares why their most successful differentiators were not the sustainability claims at all, but what happened once the team was empowered to lead.

Takeaways

• If the food and experience aren’t great, marketing won’t save you
• Most sustainability work isn’t “legible” to guests, so don’t rely on it as the hook
• Start with the biggest lever: composting and separating organics from landfill
• Zero-waste adds steps to an already hard job, so buy-in is the real work
• Don’t impose a mission top-down; recruit people who opt in
• Removing layers of hierarchy can reduce resentment and increase ownership
• You can pay people more by widening roles and running lean per cover
• Low waste choices can force menu constraints, so balance ideals with viability
• Push vendors to change small things (packaging, tape), and they will often adapt
• Focus spend on getting the room, service, pricing, and execution right
• A clear mission can invite other missions in: pop-ups, mutual aid, and community support

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