January 25, 2012

“The organization believes in the talent and capacity of the women it serves and facilitates a transition for low-income entrepreneurs into economic self-sufficiency and freedom,” says Des Jardins, who was on the board of the nonprofit for many years. Read more.

Jon is an integral part of making the Street Food Festival (and so much more) a fun and booze-filled reality! Read below to learn more about how he got involved with La Cocina, and some of his insight into the food industry.

1. How did you get started working with La Cocina?

I met Caleb Zigas several years ago while attending an event we were both involved with. I had read about La Cocina but wasn’t entirely clear on what an incubator kitchen even was.  He explained the program with his usual enthusiasm and, like most people, I was really impressed.

A year or so later Caleb and [local food writer] Jessica Battilana approached me to help out with the planning and execution of the cocktail service for the 2nd Annual San Francisco Street Food Festival. I jumped at the opportunity to work with such a talented group of people. The cocktail garden ended up serving a staggering amount of drinks.  We are now in the planning stages for the fourth annual event and it’s going to be even more exciting than previous years.

2. Why La Cocina? 

The challenges of opening any food-related business are daunting, even for the most experienced operators. For La Cocina to offer a facility, training and support to nurture the entrepreneurial spirit is really inspiring. It’s invaluable.

3. What do you think is important to support a vibrant, healthy community?

San Francisco has such a diverse collection of neighborhoods, each with its own distinct personality. Outreach and acting regionally is critical to maintaining their uniqueness. I know that sounds obvious, but understanding that the choices you make as both a business and a resident have a direct and real impact on the health of the community. Deciding how you’re going to contribute and make it better is a responsibility for everyone. Nice manners never hurt.

4. Bars and clubs are such an important part of this city’s cultural identity. When thinking of a concept for a new bar or club, are you designing it based on your understanding of a specific clientele or social trend, or is it more your own creative expression that presents patrons with a unique, new experience? In other words, do artists reflect culture or do they change culture? Or both?

My feeling has always been that the best clientele is the most diverse clientele. It’s a great feeling when you look around the room and see people of all ages and backgrounds. It’s infinitely more interesting than targeting a specific group of people. That focus on diversity informs our overall design approach for each bar. It doesn’t mean we play it safe and try to please everyone, it just means we try to be honest in our approach and not pander. Good design is layered and affects everyone. I believe people subconsciously pick up on craftsmanship and thoughtful decisions, even if they’re not expressly looking for it.

5. You’re the founding partner of 15 Romolo, Rye, Rye on the Road, and Rosewood. What are some of your other favorite bars in the Bay Area?

I really like the recently opened Prizefighter in Emeryville. The whole notion of expertly crafted drinks and cold beer in a warm and casual environment always gets my vote. And they have a patio! In San Francisco, Tosca on Columbus is timeless and just a beautiful room. There’s a patina of history, romance and poetry that no other space has.

6. What would you be doing if you hadn’t pursued a career in designing and operating bars and clubs? 

I was working as a graphic designer for five years before Greg [Lindgren, business partner] and I opened our first bar, 15 Romolo, in 1998. It was a heady time with the dot-com growth and I would spend countless hours a day in front of my Mac meeting deadlines. I decided early on that that kind of stress and fast pace did not suit me well. I knew I wanted to stay in the design field, but instead I gravitated toward furniture and interior design. I get a great deal of satisfaction from creating and building.

7. What is the life expectancy of a San Francisco bar?  How do you manage to keep your businesses “current”? 

The bar business tends to fall into two camps: bars that are more thematic and “current,” and bars that attempt to be more timeless. We fall into the latter group. It’s more important to be focused on quality and building relationships with your guests than being “current.” Truly appreciating your employees and guests will keep you in business long after your wallpaper and furniture are outdated.

However, I see many bars either changing ownership or concept roughly every five years. That’s usually about the time when your first wave of loyal customers start to move on and you better be prepared to absorb that loss.

8. We’ve all heard the discouraging statistics about new bars and restaurants that fail within the first 12 to 24 months. Do you have a favorite business that did not survive? Why did it fail?

I wouldn’t want to speak to any one particular bar or restaurant although there are many. The fact is the business climate in San Francisco can be onerous.  Rent, construction, and operating cost  are all pushing the outer limits of what any one business can handle. Often times it simply comes down to not enough volume. Most spaces need lots and lots of volume. All of my favorite spots have had to close for this reason alone. We tend to hedge our bets by opening smaller spaces that can scale with demand. There have been periods where we’ve had to operate very leanly, but it’s allowed us to keep the lights on.

Most business owners dream of being named the best of the best in their field. For Christine Doerr, a La Cocina graduate and the entrepreneur behind Neo Cocoa, that designation is now her reality. Christine was named one of the Top Ten Chocolatiers in North America by Dessert Professional magazine, a prominent trade industry publication. She joins an amazing group of masters, with past winners including household name Jacques Torres and the Bay Area’s acclaimed Michael Recchiuti.

The magazine’s editor, Matthew Stevens, had this to say: “We were inspired by Christine’s dedication to the craft and her product, which is elevating the chocolate industry. Christine’s ability to highlight the heart of the truffle is unlike any other in the business.” We pretty sure that anyone who’s tried one of her truffles can vouch for their inspired sublimity, available in flavors from Almond Butter & Smoked Sea Salt to Zested Lime. If you haven’t yet tasted one, you’ll want to make it one of your 2012 resolutions. Find the award-winning master’s chocolates online, at local retailers, and at the La Cocina kiosk in the Ferry Building.

If you weren’t able to attend this workshop. Please click here to access the guideline that we created with all the information to make your process application more easy and clear!

Do you want to know how many farmers markets are in the city?

Click here for a complete list of Farmers Markets, you will find application forms, dates and contact information for each farmers market.

La Cocina offers workshop in different areas such as marketing, product, operation and financial, all food-related. For a complete schedule of La Cocina workshops, click here.

  2012 La Cocina Workshop

Culinary Workshops

*Can pay $100 for all 4 Workshops (discount of $25)

Marketing Workshops

Food Business Operations Workshops

In addition, click here to see the schedule

for the FREE BUSINESS LAW WORKSHOPS

for SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS in 2012.

Join us for a hands-on workshop that will help you understand the social media tools that will benefit your business.

When: Feb from 6-8 p.m

Where: Valencia Gardens, computer lab.

What: Social Media for your food business

How much: Free for program participants and clients of partner organizations,$15 each session for commercial users and $25 each session for the general public. To RSVP please click here

You’ll learn the key social media tools for small business marketing and how to use them -  Facebook and Twitter

Participants are encouraged to bring their laptops or print outs of their current social media marketing efforts.

Did you miss the San Francisco Street Food Festival?

No worries, click here to see the San Francisco Street Food Festival album which captured all the best moment of the Festival. It was made possible by a generous group of volunteer photographers. If you want more info about any of the images, please email margarita@lacocinasf.org.

Can’t wait to see you next year!

La Cocina

Do you want to know more about Street Food?

La Cocina Presents Mission: Street Food from Amanda Huelse on Vimeo.