Results for articles with tag 'sanfrancisco' (5 total)
08/09/2024 02:05:17 PM 
1. Tell us a brief history of how Mission Street Food came into being?
The current incarnation of MSF came about in a rather piecemeal and organic way. I was happy working at Bar Tartine, but had been there for a long time and had learned each station and seen the chef's repertoire for more than one cycle through the seasons. I started to think about ways I could still work at BT, but keep learning. I sublet a taco truck which, historically, parked near my house on Friday and Saturday, on Thursday--my day off. Some friends wrote food blogs publicizing the endeavor and, much to my surprise, there was a line before I had even set foot in the truck. After a few weeks of increasing popularity a real estate mogul complained and basically harassed us and continually called the police. We decided not to get into a fight about it, and went door to door in the neighborhood looking for space to continue. After the Chinese restaurant operation was successful we decided to invite guest chefs to join us--as both a way to keep things interesting and also to make things manageable for me (in terms of sheer volume of food preparation--I was working full-time during this whole process). Eventually I left BT amicably to pursue MSF full time and opened for a second day. We also introduced the charitable element, which I'll address later.
2. Do you see Mission Street Food as part of a new movement for eating out and do you see it being replicated in other parts of the country/world?
SF has already seen the emergence of gourmet street food or occasional restaurants, which is not surprising, given both the current economic climate and that it is a natural niche. I have a received a few emails from people interested in starting similar things, and asking for advice, so maybe. In terms of what we have called "an indie chef movement" though, I don't know because we are not even overwhelmed with interest by cooks.
3. If you had more resources available to you, what would you do?
I originally wanted fine dining experience to make good (technical) but affordable food in a chain setting with the profits going to charity. MSF was never intended as a realization of that goal--just a thing on my day off. As it grew in popularity we just added that charitable element. That said, I would love to expand, and in doing so, possibly start a movement in which charity is the next "green"--that is, a viable marketing strategy.
4. How do you select the non-profits you work with and why do you feel this is a vital part of what you do?
The specific non-profits are hunger related because it seems like a good resonance with a food business. Also, I don't know if we try to reinforce this line of thinking, but if it were like cancer research, a customer's donation might account for like 0.0000000001% of an eventual cure or progress, whereas with hunger it's like your meal just bought a family groceries for a week or something. Like I said though, we don't really talk about it because it seems maybe a little preachy.
5. Who and what inspires you?
I don't really know. I think being disappointed in a lot of things (like say sandwich shops in SF), or just seeing a lot of overrated things (like MSF has become) motivates me to try and do some of those things better. Maybe also the desire to do some kind of good, even if only an arbitrary one--you know ease the ol' conscience for living a cushy middle class American life while half the world suffers.
Posted by Ed Cotton
10/13/2008 07:49:04 PM
It took some time, but it's worth it.
1. What's the inspiration behind Monk's Kettle?
The inspiration was really the brainchild of Christian Albertson, my business partner. He was first introduced to the world of beer while working at a brewpub in Boulder, CO, called The Mountain Sun. Then, while managing the Parish Café in Boston, MA, he discovered the city’s beer-focused places and learned about the industry as a whole. When he moved out to San Francisco about 5 years ago, and noticed virtually no beer focused bars and restaurants (save Toronado of course) he saw a market waiting to be filled. When we started talking about the concept, I was on board right away. Being from Seattle, WA, a city with a huge beer culture, I knew exactly what he was talking about. We soon began our work on the business plan and opened our doors a mere two or three years later.
2. Why do you think that beer has become elevated into more of a
gourmet product?
Well, for hundreds of years beer has actually been just as complex, flavorful, unique and sophisticated as wine: in essence, gourmet. It’s just that for the majority of the population, especially here in the U.S., there was no knowledge of that fact. The only beer really available here was mass-produced by the brewing giants of Anheuser Busch, Coors and Miller. Only over the last 20 years or so did the art of craft brewing make it into this country. Slowly, over that time, it gained popularity and recognition with the help of some great educators on the subject. A few breweries elevated their products, showing consumers the depth of the beer world (Sam Adams and Anchor are two domestics that come to mind), as well as expanded distribution which brought many previously unavailable brews to our shores. There have also been a few beer writers who have done much in the way of education: Garrett Oliver, the head brewer of Brooklyn Brewery has written on beer and food pairings, but by far the most significant writer is the late Michael Jackson whose writings are essential for learning about the world of beer. All of these forces together have brought beer recently onto a scene that was once dominated by wine alone.
3. What do you feel about a Belgian brewer buying Bud?
I think it’s a shame. Not so much because a ‘foreigner’ now owns the beer probably most associated with America, but because the brewing of beer is becoming so dominated by so few large corporations. I think that any time, in any instance, you take a process that requires creativity and a more hands-on approach, and make it more stream-lined and capable of being mass-produced, you lose something. Not to say that Bud is the most hands-on, creative and unique beer, but the principle is still the same. You’re seeing that happening all over Europe with many of their best brew-houses, and its happening here in the U.S. too. The more it happens, I think, the more the artisan beers will lose their character.
4. What do you think is one of the most overlooked beer producing nations-who has surprised you?
There have been a few surprises abroad; though in the way of individual breweries rather than countries as a whole. Most notable are Moa Brewing Co. from New Zealand, Hitachino from Japan, Cucapa Brewing Co. from Mexicali, Mexico, and Baladin from Italy. More surprising, however, has been the style of sour as the great frontier in beermaking today. They have been around for a very long time, developed in the Lambeek region of Belgium, but have begun to really emerge as of late. We at the Kettle have quite taken to this style, the reason we have been increasing our selections. We always have a sour on tap, and a growing selection by the bottle.
5. How do you think San Francisco compares to NYC, when it comes to setting trends in food and drink?
There have been a few areas where San Francisco has set the trend in food and drinks (most notably the Slow Food Movement led by Chez Panisse, as well as speakeasy-like bars like Bourbon and Branch). In general, however, it seems that New York often leads the way in this industry. We at the Monk’s Kettle has seen this specifically with the gastropub trend that is fairly established in NYC, while only getting started here in the San Francisco. When we arrived in San Francisco years ago, we were surprised to find that a place like the Monk’s Kettle did not yet exist. San Francisco is interesting in that there are an awful lot of restaurants and bars, but it seems that the percentage of places that are truly unique and/or providing an excellent product is too low to be considered a leader in the industry nationwide. But we could be wrong about that—we spend too much time at our own place to get out much elsewhere.
Posted by Ed Cotton
05/18/2008 08:35:47 PM
It reads a little like a field manual for a new potentially hostile territory.
Here's what they say about meeting etiquette.
"Meetings and greetings
• It is important to both start and end appointments on time. If you’re driving between San Francisco and Silicon Valley, add 20% to your travel time and always take highway 280 over highway 101 if you can—it is usually faster and always prettier. When possible, schedule your meetings between 10am and 3pm to avoid rush hours.
• Don’t be offended if people neglect to shake your hand or take your business card in large business meetings. Americans (and Californians) are more informal than you may be used to.
• Having said that, carry as many business cards as possible, after making room for all the newest high-tech gadgets.
• Be generous with your contacts. People here will remember and reward you if you give them the name of someone who may prove profitable and interesting for them to meet.
• Put your mobile phone on silent during meetings and only take a call if it is truly urgent. Best practice is to warn your interlocutor ahead of time that you may need to break for a call.
• If you are responsible for only part of a larger presentation it is not considered rude to leave after your part (including the question-and-answer session) is over.
• Resist your natural modesty. Promoting yourself and your company is expected. Just be gracious about it.
• For better or worse, Americans are an optimistic people. As the old song goes: “accentuate the positive.” Everyone else will."
The last two points are especially important for the Brits, who tend to spend a lot of time doing exactly the opposite.
Posted by Ed Cotton
08/31/2007 07:55:48 PM
Posted by Ed Cotton
06/13/2007 07:12:59 PM
1. What is Slow Food Nation about?
Slow Food Nation is a campaign to change the way America produces and eats food. It will demonstrate how everyday choices affect our well being, our culture, and the health of the planet. Slow Food Nation's goal combines pleasure with responsibility to inspire a new activism with food at its core.
2. Why now and why San Francisco?
America is ripe for an event like this - the last couple of years in particular have seen large growth in organic and local foods, and this event will galvanize the Slow Food movement to spread the message far and wide that food should be good, clean, and fair. Carlo Petrini, founder of the Slow Food movement, notes that globally we are at a crucial point in history. In his new book Slow Food Nation (coincidentally the same name as our campaign), he presents a case for why food should be delicious, nutritionally and environmentally sound, and wherein the food production systems are socially just.
The first Slow Food Nation will be in San Francisco, as it and the Bay Area are focal points for the Slow Food movement and for the organic food movement. Here in the Bay Area, there is a richness of agricultural bounty that goes back to the late 1800s, when immigrants came to the area and found that the climate was suitable for a myriad of products.
In the 1970s, Alice Waters, of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, was one of the first to promote organic and local produce, which has developed into a way of life for some in the Bay Area. Bringing people to the Bay Area to see this bounty can encourage folks to go back to their respective homes and push for changes in the way food is produced, grown, and eaten.
3. Does corporate America understand the movement, if so, which part?
One of the reasons for having the Slow Food Nation campaign is to make "corporate America" -- as well as everyone else in America -- aware of the impact that their food choices have. For example, the average piece of food travels 1500 miles from farm to fork. Those miles create a decrease in quality of the food, contribute to global warming, and use unnecessary energy to transport the food. Ecogastronomical education is essential to people in all sectors, as food is something that affects every one of us.
4. What cities do you believe would be next on your list for the event?
We're not sure yet...
5. Who did your branding, logo etc?
Albertson Design, a wonderful design firm here in San Francisco
Posted by Ed Cotton
Articles for tag sanfrancisco (5 total).