Restaurant Legends

In the movie “City Slickers”, Billy Crystal asks Curly, the trail boss, for the meaning of life. Curly lifts the index finger of his tobacco stained glove and says, “Just one thing”… but that’s it, that’s all he says with his weather beaten smile. We never really get from him exactly what he meant. But, when it comes to finding the meaning of life in the competitive world of pizza, Nick Bogacz has realized three things, and a lot more, that he eagerly shares with us here and in his recently released book, The Pizza Equation.

Does the restaurant review have as much importance as we think it does? Do we, as restauranteurs, sub-consciously create experiences to gain the approval of the press or our guests? I wanted to try and answer these and other question by bringing the outlook of the restaurant critic/food writer to our conversation on Legend & Liars. As you listen to my conversation with James Norton it becomes evident that food writers are not all the same in how they approach the role for restaurant critic. Though they would as a group agree that they try to walk into a restaurant with no preconceptions or prejudices, they would all be inherently wrong. They’re human after-all. They may not think they’re walking in ready to bash or elevate their upcoming experience, but they do bring with them all the previous meals that lined up before it. Each shaping the lens they see through.

However, it doesn’t take long to understand that even though James will always have an opinion about the experience, sometimes the opinion he winds up with is that he doesn’t have an opinion. Talking with him you can hear the unabashed interest he has in food and the restaurants that serve us. He is more interested in telling the stories of the lesser known than following the cult of personality fashioned and realized by other food writers.

His descriptions of the sights, sound, taste and flavor are clear that he is trying to look at the experience of eating or dining without a prejudice, a ruling preconception or specific relationship with the restaurant creator or Chef. A very important quality that many food writers seem to lack. Hence his feeling of loneliness at times in the forest of food writing.

The restaurant business can and does get under our skin. It can push us out of the way like a rude relative or capture our imagination and energy in a way that drives us to create, investigate and perceive the business in many new and different ways.

The story he tells us is the journey that led him to a long association with the whole BBQ world. The roadhouse joints, the fierce competition circuit and a long association with Famous Dave’s BBQ as both a franchise owner and corporate culinary leader.

Pest control is an issue everyone has, but no one really likes to talk about. Just by the nature of what we do, we invite more than paying guests into our establishments. Then, even though we do what we can to get these guests to leave, we often need the help of a professional to mitigate the problem. That’s where Todd Leyse and his company Adams Pest Control come into the picture.

This is not a story about a passion for Chili, it’s about the passion of the chili. A fervor that encompasses more than a desire for just a hearty bowl of meat stewed in spices. And it doesn’t matter whether there are beans involved or if there’s a specific condiment to dress the potion. Because in the world of chili created by Brian Walusis and his partner Mason Downey in the small river town of Miamisburg, Ohio chili is elevated and celebrated as a locally inspired craft no less involved or honored than any other culinary artisan craft.

So, when you grow up in Chicago or have lived there for a while, there’s going to be a hot dog somewhere in your life’s tale of adventure. For Alan Katz, the hot dog has come to mean a path to success in an industry he loves and has been devoted to for over 40 years.

The hot dog, once relegated to small storefront shops, was a way for late 19th century East European immigrants to get that first leg up the chain to money and assimilation in Chicago. Through good times, depressions, world wars and culturally shifting neighborhoods, it’s been a strong piece of the culinary landscape. You could always count on having a decent hot dog within a few blocks of where you were no matter where you stood. The hot dog stand may not be as prolific as they once were, but the passion for eating and making a great hot dog has not waned. Hot dogs are now showing up on restaurant menus from sports bars to casual fine dining.

Alan’s route to success in the hot dog world is an interesting tale of an early passion for food that took him to the CIA, hotel kitchens, a small seafood chain and a first try at his own restaurant that didn’t quite make it. Working through these ups and downs prepared him for the leap of faith he took in a small (less than 400 square foot) hot dog stand called Devil Dawgs. His menu innovations and dedication to good service has helped him and his partners parlay this concept into a chain they hope will be swept up by a larger company.

When I started to edit the conversation, I had with peter back in June of this year, I realized there was a chunk of information about his brother Spiros Zakas who founded the design firm Zakaspace, that didn’t quite fit into the 30 minutes or so I had allotted for the podcast. Now I realize the first rule of podcasting is that there are no rules, but be that as it may, I wanted to keep some sort of structure.

Spiros was a very large influence in restaurant designs starting in the mid 70’s not only in Chicago with the work he did lettuce entertain you and others, but around the country as well. He had a sense of place and purpose in his restaurant designs that not only created a great experience for the guest, but also provided a practical approach to operations as well. Elements that all too often in a lot of restaurants I’ve seen and worked with don’t co-exist as well as they should. Too many designers today are more focused on form than function which may create a beautiful environment for the guest but presents inherent operating difficulties that get in the way of good service.

Well anyway, I’m not sure I want to call Spiros a pioneer or a visionary, but he was a designer who listened to the needs of the operator and was able to provide beautiful and workable environments. A true rare commodity that his brother peter, Silvia Milic and now peter’s son P.J. are keeping alive in their firm, Z-Space design

The prospect of being your own boss and owning your own business is a dream many people from all sort of backgrounds have. It’s one that can frighten you and those close to you, or it can empower you to succeed and those around you to pitch in where they can to first show their love and second to do what they can to help that dream become a reality. When the latter exists, nothing is impossible, or so it seems. Heather Bray and her longtime partner now spouse Jody Ayers had their dream and did whatever they could to keep it alive for nearly a decade before they were able open their door and serve their first guests. From saving every penny that came within reach to using that time wisely to develop a sound concept and business plan, they kept moving forward.

When your young and need cash and you’re not disposed with a criminal mind, you get a job. And the easy job to get has always been in a restaurant. That’s what set Scott Foster off on a career path that’s taken him on a journey from the dish pit through an encounter with Oprah Winfrey’s only foray into the restaurant business to leading the Nova Group of 7 restaurants. Ambition, passion and no fear of hard work have been his guides along this track of success. That and letting every encounter with those who hired him to be a mentoring lesson of what to do, or not to do, to build restaurants with stamina and fervent guest appeal.

Even though I’ve known Scott from his early days in the biz, and he does hand me some credit for his success, it’s easy to hear how many great people he’s been able to work with over the years that have all contributed to the restaurateur he is today. There were so many points we covered it’s hard to summarize but I hoped you were able to follow the structure he’s developed for the Nova Group that allows them to succeed and grow. To build an organization, it must have a foundation, much like a building. Without it, the walls may rise, but won’t stay up for long. The foundation is made up of training materials, production guidelines with routines to open run and close every position in the restaurant coupled with a culture of hospitality and service to the guest. Without these the restaurant is left to the whims and ability of the staff. In some very few cases with luck and constant attention by the owner, that can work. But why dance down that path when doing the other will work a whole lot better.

Nova Restaurant Group

Pier 500

Redstone Grill

The Eccentric - Chicago Tribune Article 1989

Shea Design

Boelter Premier Restaurant Equipment