By Maria Valdez Haubrich on Friday, January 6th, 2012
Lena and Gabe Gordon have made Seal Beach a BBQ destination--Long Beach is next.
Editor’s Note: Forget about caucuses and primaries and sweater vests. It’s more fun to talk about a rising star chef putting BBQ on the map just south of the Orange Curtain. We check in with SmallBiz Trendcast‘s Maria Valdez Haubrich, who recently visited Beachwood BBQ, where chef/owners Gabe and Lena Gordon serve up “uncomfortable” American comfort food to appreciative locals.
When Gabe Gordon and his wife, Lena, decided to open a restaurant in Seal Beach, CA, the residents were less than excited about yet another restaurant. They had seen so many come and go, and they didn’t like change on their very laid-back Main Street, which has a “local hangout” vibe.
Five years later, Beachwood BBQ has not only won over the locals with its high-quality comfort food and craft beers, the business has also thrived well enough to warrant opening a second (bigger) location in nearby downtown Long Beach. As a big fan of Gabe’s concept (and a frequent patron), I talked to him about his startup experience.
By Laurie Wiegler on Tuesday, December 13th, 2011
“It all began on New Year’s Day…in my thirty-second year of being single.
Once again, I found myself on my own…
and going to my mother’s annual turkey curry buffet…” (“Bridget Jones”)
Photo © Aisha Yusaf
I am no longer in my thirty-second year of life or even my forty-second. And I’ve interviewed enough chefs to sauté my way around a kitchen with ease. I also got an A+ on my Home Ec omelet in high school. A-plus.
Yet year after year, my home remains a no-fly zone for family flocking to the aforementioned turkey curry buffet (or more aptly, a Jello mold). Not only that, annually I am relegated to the metaphorical “kids’ table” and it’s all about shuffling off to either my mom’s, my dad’s or my married stepsister’s.
Don’t get me wrong. I love these people. But this year, as I approached the dreaded 50, fondled my AARP membership application and jowl beneath my chin, I had a thought: ‘Hey! I really am a grown up!’
Year after year, my home remains a no-fly zone for family flocking to the aforementioned turkey curry buffet.
That was when I reckoned that the family should come here for Christmas or Hanukkah dinner. Although, identifying more with my Southern Baptist side — even though I’m agnostic this time of year — I would probably feed lox strictly to my cat Wally. This is why I sought inspiration from some single–or at least singleton-savvy–chefs.
By Amy Kirk on Friday, November 4th, 2011
When a trained chef and a self-taught chef sauté unorthodox customer service ideals with comfort foods, you’re not going to taste an ordinary BLT or Reuben sandwich. Instead you’ll taste food that’s rocking restaurant competition in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Tony and Josh Kellar, with the help of Tony's niece, man the counter at Sioux Falls' historic Falls Café, aka Utopia.
In a historic building overlooking Falls Park is the city-owned Falls Café, now managed by Utopia, a restaurant and catering business owned by chef brothers Tony and Josh Kellar. These brothers are cranking out a business in a kitchen that, according to Tony would be unthinkable to most professional chefs. “Our kitchen is a two-burner hot plate, small pizza oven, high-mileage convection oven, and chest freezers. That’s it.”
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