1 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to Money Making Conversations. It's the show that she 2 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:10,039 Speaker 1: has the secrets of success experience firsthand by marketing and 3 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:13,039 Speaker 1: Brandon expert Rashan McDonald. I will know he's giving me 4 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:16,640 Speaker 1: advice on many occasions. In occasion didn't notice, I'm not broke. 5 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: You know. He'll be interviewing celebrity CEOs, entrepreneurs and industry 6 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:22,959 Speaker 1: decision makers. It's what he likes to do, It's what 7 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 1: he likes to share. Now it's time to hear from 8 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 1: my man, Rashan McDonald. Money Making Conversations Here we come. 9 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: Welcome to Money Making Conversations. I'm your host with Sean McDonald. 10 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:36,040 Speaker 1: It is important to understand that everybody travels a different 11 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 1: path to success. That's because your brand is different, the 12 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:41,480 Speaker 1: challenges you're facing your life are different. So stop reading 13 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:44,479 Speaker 1: other people's success stories and start writing your own. Now. 14 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:47,160 Speaker 1: You can be motivated by their success because their stories 15 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:49,600 Speaker 1: can offer direction and if you reach your goals through 16 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 1: your planning and committed effort. My next guest is Eduardo Jordan's. 17 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 1: He was born and raised in St. Petersburg, Florida, attended 18 00:00:56,840 --> 00:00:58,960 Speaker 1: college at the University of Florida. I know he'd happy 19 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 1: right now because at football team, you know, make it 20 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:06,039 Speaker 1: into college football playoffs. After graduating with dual degrees in 21 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:09,800 Speaker 1: business administration and sports management, Jordan decided to enroll in 22 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 1: culinary school that they looked look Look Carton, Carton Blue 23 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:16,760 Speaker 1: and on Lando Farida, and his life shifted from business 24 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:20,759 Speaker 1: to food. She have Georgiana's twenty seventeen James Beard Award 25 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 1: finalists and received the prestigious teen James Beard a War 26 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:28,119 Speaker 1: for Best Chef Northwest and Best New Restaurant for June 27 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:31,840 Speaker 1: Baby Restaurant. Currently, his per Mental cheese is in Whole Foods, 28 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: mat Market, Kent Market and more. To comp please work 29 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:37,559 Speaker 1: with the money making conversations. I'm called a good friend 30 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 1: because I've shared the meal at June Babies. I know 31 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 1: how good it is. Edward Jordan's all right, thanks for 32 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 1: having me. And well, you know it was funny, man. 33 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 1: I was, you know, my wife, our anniversaries. It's in 34 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 1: December last year, and and so we're just trying to 35 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 1: figure out the place to go. And uh and I said, 36 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 1: we know, share read reviews on your restaurant, you know, 37 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 1: and uh, and your restaurant is really the reason I 38 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:05,400 Speaker 1: love your restural because it's in the northwest part of 39 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 1: the country and it has a Southern menu. Okay, that 40 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 1: corn bread, that biscuits and all that. So tell us 41 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:16,679 Speaker 1: about bringing a Southern menu to the northwest part of 42 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:19,640 Speaker 1: the country. And I want to tell everybody the place. 43 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 1: I had a line out to do it. So I 44 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:24,080 Speaker 1: felt fortunate to get in. When I got in, and 45 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:26,520 Speaker 1: this was in the month of December of last year, 46 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 1: so talked about that menu coming northwest like that at water. Well. 47 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:34,959 Speaker 1: You know, I'm a classically trained chef. I always dreamed 48 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:39,280 Speaker 1: of opening my own restaurant. Uh and I have three restaurants, 49 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:42,600 Speaker 1: but my first restaurant, it was all about my culinary journey. 50 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:46,360 Speaker 1: It was about expressing my whole journey as a professional chef. 51 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 1: And you know, as I built my platform and had 52 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 1: a microphone to start speaking, I realized that I needed 53 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:56,800 Speaker 1: to do more and share my story as an African 54 00:02:56,800 --> 00:02:59,679 Speaker 1: American chef. UM and I opened up the doors to 55 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 1: Junie Baby, and yes, we're about away from the South, 56 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:07,440 Speaker 1: but I'm here. I'm here in Seattle, and I wanted 57 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 1: to express myself my ancestors, my mom, my grandmother, all 58 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:13,640 Speaker 1: the foods that made me who I am and so 59 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:15,799 Speaker 1: um that was the birth of jim Baby pretty much. 60 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 1: I know I mentioned something a couple of things on 61 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:21,800 Speaker 1: the menu. Can you break down some of the Southern 62 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:24,200 Speaker 1: items that are on that mevenue from your standpoint and 63 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: why you decided to You know, I would say take 64 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:30,519 Speaker 1: a risk, but then that food, that culinary experience or 65 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 1: experience food experience wasn't up there, so I have to 66 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 1: say it was a risk. But you you put you, 67 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 1: but you did, You did your sampling and you did it. 68 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 1: Talk about adding different things and why you did, why 69 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 1: I did it? Yeah, I mean there there's so much 70 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 1: to it. You know. When when I opened up Jim Baby, 71 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 1: southern food was a cool thing again, and all the 72 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 1: cool restaurants that were Southern were rambo white male chefs. 73 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 1: And what I knew I needed to do is open 74 00:03:56,800 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 1: up a restaurant that represented my perspective as a black man, 75 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 1: as a black chef, um from my perspective, from my lens, 76 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 1: and so the foods that I ate as a youth 77 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:08,880 Speaker 1: is the ones that I wanted to have on the 78 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 1: menu and done from a chef perspective. Still like elevated. 79 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: Grandma went to culinary school kind of feel. So you'll 80 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 1: see things on my menu like neckbones, Well tell about 81 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 1: pork neckbones, you know with rice um. You gotta see 82 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 1: chileans on my menu. You're gonna see hogma on my menu. 83 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 1: And we've got some of the Southern classic staples like 84 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 1: pimento cheese, and we got like boiled peanuts and fried 85 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 1: okra that Sunday fried chicken. Things of that nature are there. 86 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:38,280 Speaker 1: But I'm also opening people eyes to like, you know, 87 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:41,960 Speaker 1: other ingredients that made up the South before the South 88 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:46,719 Speaker 1: became commercialized by these franchise restaurants like ben A Seds, 89 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 1: and you know, the birth of various color greens, not 90 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:52,799 Speaker 1: just one particular color greens. You've got like blue blue 91 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 1: vein color greens. You got your Georgia colar greens. You know, 92 00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 1: You've got you know, soft skin color greens. You got 93 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 1: your mustard greens. You got to turn green. So I'm 94 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 1: bringing that all to light in this restaurant. And what 95 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 1: I tell people is that like I pretty much put 96 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:08,920 Speaker 1: on horse blinders and didn't let anyone distrike me, and 97 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:12,239 Speaker 1: I actually made the food that I wanted to cook, 98 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 1: the food that like my I grew up on the 99 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 1: food that, like I knew, it was my heart and 100 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 1: my soul and more importantly good food though good. Yeah. Man, Now, 101 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 1: like I told everybody when I went up there at 102 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 1: last December, the restaurant was packed. The service was outstanding. 103 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:31,200 Speaker 1: Uh No one out now say that because he knows. 104 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 1: I just went in as a customer. You know. I 105 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: didn't want to like going into an experience where you know, 106 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 1: people put extra shine on you because they know who 107 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 1: you are and things like that. And the service, the 108 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 1: food was outstanding, you know. And uh and he also 109 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 1: they also know I pay for my food. I don't 110 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 1: go in there looking for a hook up or discount 111 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:51,559 Speaker 1: because you're a small business. And with that being said, 112 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:55,279 Speaker 1: with the COVID nteen hidden small bit black or white, 113 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 1: the restaurant basiness has been confusing as to how to 114 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 1: operate on the COVID at talk about what's going on 115 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 1: with your business right now? Yeah, I mean it has 116 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:06,479 Speaker 1: been up and down, your blessing and a curse to 117 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:09,159 Speaker 1: a certain degree. Um you know, sadly, we did have 118 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:13,040 Speaker 1: to close the restaurant down and pivot into the takeout program. 119 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:15,599 Speaker 1: Um My, I got three restaurants, Like I said earlier, 120 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:18,120 Speaker 1: one of the small little grain bar, which was kind 121 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:21,040 Speaker 1: of like the overflow to June Baby right next door, 122 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 1: serve cocktails and little bites and everything. We had to 123 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 1: close that down. It was a small location, so we 124 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 1: can't even fit anyone in there technically under the restrictions. 125 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 1: So UM, all the restaurants pivoted into take out. My 126 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 1: first restaurant salary, we did UM a community kitchen for 127 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:40,280 Speaker 1: the first seven or eight months, beating uh, families with 128 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 1: food insecurities, restaurant workers and those who are displaced out 129 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 1: of jobs for free. We served over twenty six thousand 130 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 1: meals for free and we're still doing UM small takes 131 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 1: on that along. We're doing takeout. UM. You know, it 132 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 1: sucks because like I lost a lot of staff. I 133 00:06:56,400 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 1: had to lay off a lot of people to actually 134 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 1: keep the business alive. You know, those are adjustments and 135 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 1: the and the pivots that we had to make. Um, 136 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:08,080 Speaker 1: but we're surviving. We're doing okay, just because we had 137 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:11,360 Speaker 1: to change our business plan to a certain degree. UM. 138 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:13,800 Speaker 1: I say that too, because like there has been so 139 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 1: many blessings this year in disguise, um, you know, from 140 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 1: from me being able to create my clothing line, my 141 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:24,480 Speaker 1: chipling clothing line, to getting Climento cheese into grocery stores, 142 00:07:24,520 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 1: to opening up other outlets to bring in revenue to 143 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: one sustained me personally as a business person, um, and 144 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:34,920 Speaker 1: then to to sustain the business so that I do 145 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 1: have the opportunity to grow when this pandemic pandemic is 146 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:42,680 Speaker 1: over retherland um you know, shrink, you know, I'm I'm 147 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 1: still having a growth um process in my head when 148 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:48,160 Speaker 1: I'm thinking about what's next for me and not trying 149 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:50,440 Speaker 1: to like you know, cuttle up and and and sit 150 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: back and like I'm I'm thinking, you know, I want 151 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:56,040 Speaker 1: to be able to succeed after this year. Well, you know, 152 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 1: the thing about it that I love about talking to 153 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:01,440 Speaker 1: a small business person who had to pivot is that 154 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:04,520 Speaker 1: you learned some things about your business model, some things 155 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:07,200 Speaker 1: that you would not have made these adjustments. So what 156 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 1: are the adjustments that you will maintain once we get 157 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:13,840 Speaker 1: to a sense of normalcy, once the vaccines out there 158 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 1: and people we retrafficking your restaurants, they're are in white neighborhoods. 159 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:19,080 Speaker 1: By the way, I want to let you know his 160 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 1: restaurants aren't bury. He's African America. They're not buried in 161 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 1: the black neighborhood. They're in white neighborhoods, which we're talking 162 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 1: about in a minute. But let's talk about the changes 163 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:33,959 Speaker 1: that you had to make and why, right huh um. 164 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:36,000 Speaker 1: You know, there were a few changes that I had 165 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:37,520 Speaker 1: to make and the things that I will keep in 166 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:40,560 Speaker 1: the long run. The restaurant industry, we we survived on 167 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:45,840 Speaker 1: very thin razor thin margins and so our biggest costs 168 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:49,079 Speaker 1: to date is always our labor. So you know, one 169 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:51,640 Speaker 1: thing I had to look at is either lowering the 170 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: labor in the long run or increasing the revenue um. 171 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 1: And so means to be able to balance that out. 172 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:01,640 Speaker 1: Like we didn't. We weren't take out restaurant before, but 173 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 1: we're gonna have to implement take out into our normal 174 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:08,200 Speaker 1: business plan in general moving forward, UM, so that we 175 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:10,240 Speaker 1: can at least if we're gonna keep the same staff, 176 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:12,960 Speaker 1: that we have the revenue to maintain that staff and 177 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:15,600 Speaker 1: also build a better profit in the long run. So 178 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 1: there's those are those are some of the auxiliary things 179 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 1: that we are incorporating into our business plan. Also like 180 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:26,880 Speaker 1: the retail aspect um adding it in more catering projects. 181 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 1: So it's all about, you know, bringing in more revenue. 182 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:32,440 Speaker 1: At this stage, now we're trying to maintain that same 183 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 1: business costs um you know, other than that, like yeah, 184 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:38,440 Speaker 1: we're analyzing like what our costs were before, and like 185 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:41,280 Speaker 1: how we can shrink those costs down, Like how can 186 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:44,439 Speaker 1: we run a restaurant less full service but still offer 187 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:47,559 Speaker 1: the same type of service? Is that better training, better 188 00:09:47,679 --> 00:09:50,280 Speaker 1: education for our staff so that can be more efficient. 189 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:54,079 Speaker 1: Are we bringing in more technology into our restaurant now 190 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:57,199 Speaker 1: so that we can make um ordering and and reordering 191 00:09:57,280 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 1: and in service and a little bit more streamline. Those 192 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:02,079 Speaker 1: are all the things that we're thinking about and implementing 193 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:05,640 Speaker 1: right now and to the restaurants to make it sustainable. 194 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 1: Right You know. It's really interesting because you know a 195 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:10,680 Speaker 1: lot of small businesses you see that that take out 196 00:10:10,679 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 1: of that to go principle and to change, you know, 197 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 1: because they understand they understand that model. When you're a 198 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:18,440 Speaker 1: small business, sometimes you don't want to, like, you know, 199 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:20,560 Speaker 1: you want to fight the whole that that that that 200 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 1: flavor that tastes the authenticity of the experience, and sometimes 201 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:27,079 Speaker 1: you're afraid they're like, you know what, my chicken tastes 202 00:10:27,080 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 1: good at their house and I could potential to lose 203 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 1: them as a customer, or if there were a customer, 204 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 1: they may not come back. Is that is that some 205 00:10:33,040 --> 00:10:34,959 Speaker 1: of the stuff they played into your mind, pride or 206 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:38,480 Speaker 1: making these change before COVID forced you. Yeah, you totally 207 00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 1: hit it. You know, as small business owners, we are 208 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:43,680 Speaker 1: super stubborn. A lot of times we're so stubborn because 209 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 1: like we came in with a certain mindset and direction 210 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:49,480 Speaker 1: and we did not know how to pivot. We have 211 00:10:49,679 --> 00:10:54,560 Speaker 1: been forced to pivot and get creative again, and that 212 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:57,320 Speaker 1: allows us to open the doors to new opportunities and 213 00:10:57,440 --> 00:10:59,880 Speaker 1: understand that like our way may not have been the 214 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:02,160 Speaker 1: only way, it may have been the best way at 215 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 1: that point in time, but our new pivot, our new direction, 216 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 1: is gonna probably be the best direction now. And so yeah, 217 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 1: like we I was super starving before. There are certain 218 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 1: things that I didn't want to do because, like I'm chef, 219 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:15,959 Speaker 1: I didn't want to compromise anything. I didn't want to 220 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 1: see my fried chicken go out cold. You know, it 221 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:22,280 Speaker 1: needed to be piping hot and need to be extreme. 222 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:27,240 Speaker 1: So all of that went into play. And then when 223 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 1: I had to put chicken into a box, take out 224 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:33,560 Speaker 1: a whole different mindset, like wow, like this can happen, 225 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:36,120 Speaker 1: we can do this right right now? You're not You're 226 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:38,280 Speaker 1: really it's it's really because you know you don't want it. 227 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 1: There's nothing negative, but you didn't get into business to 228 00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:42,640 Speaker 1: be Kentucky Fried Chicken. You didn't get in the business 229 00:11:42,679 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 1: to be Popeye's. And that mentality plays into I don't 230 00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:49,520 Speaker 1: want to be that. But unfortunately the times call for 231 00:11:49,559 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 1: you to think like that, to think about mass marketing, 232 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:55,160 Speaker 1: thinking about if your restaurants packed and you can still 233 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:59,280 Speaker 1: do additional income from people doing to go our curb 234 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:01,840 Speaker 1: to pick up you go, wow, I didn't have to 235 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 1: pay anybody extra for this, and that correct do the math. 236 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:07,360 Speaker 1: At the end of the year, I guarantee you'll start 237 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:09,720 Speaker 1: changing your mind right right, And that's what you got 238 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:11,920 Speaker 1: that I needed to start thinking outside the ball. And 239 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:13,960 Speaker 1: that's that's the beautiful thing about it and show. But 240 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 1: then then again, it's all about who you are. You're 241 00:12:16,800 --> 00:12:19,880 Speaker 1: successful African American chef, you know in the business. I 242 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:22,920 Speaker 1: always talk about hbc US. There's so many that so 243 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:25,439 Speaker 1: many people graduate from hbc US, and I would tell 244 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:27,480 Speaker 1: people White college to get credit for because people don't 245 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:31,080 Speaker 1: know about of education that comes out of HBCUs. Because 246 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 1: of the Food Network and Cookie Channel, you start to 247 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:35,440 Speaker 1: see more through competitions. You're starting to see more black 248 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:38,160 Speaker 1: bakers or black chefs. But there's still he is a 249 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 1: hidden secret about who you guys are. Talk about that 250 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:45,200 Speaker 1: experience of being a successful owner, not only a chef, 251 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 1: but an entrepreneur and an owner uh in Seattle and 252 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 1: the rest of the country. Because I've had Samuels under 253 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:54,280 Speaker 1: my show has become like a sounding board for for 254 00:12:54,360 --> 00:12:57,600 Speaker 1: high profile chefs and start chefs. And I like that. 255 00:12:57,640 --> 00:12:59,720 Speaker 1: I really do love that. And so but talk about 256 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 1: your spears being a uh, young man coming from the 257 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:06,079 Speaker 1: South going north and being being dominated and also winning 258 00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:09,240 Speaker 1: James Beards, which is the which is the Oscar of 259 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:13,640 Speaker 1: the restaurant business. Talk about that. Yeah, I'll tell you 260 00:13:13,679 --> 00:13:16,640 Speaker 1: what I mean. Everyone's like, you're so young. I'm like, 261 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 1: I don't feel young anymore because I've been through the hoops. 262 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:22,000 Speaker 1: I've ran through the fire. I stepped on the stones 263 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:25,200 Speaker 1: and cut my feet and bruised my knees and you know, 264 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:28,240 Speaker 1: rust the old Ashley elbows because like they've been working. 265 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 1: I've been working hard, you know, And I think people 266 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:33,920 Speaker 1: come into this restaurant industry thinking that it's easy, it's 267 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:36,000 Speaker 1: a novelty. It's like, this is like what I want 268 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 1: to do is a side gig. Um, this is a career. 269 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 1: And when I set myself to go into the restaurant world, 270 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 1: I made it my career and was career minded. But 271 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:48,120 Speaker 1: priorly to get into the restaurant industry, I went to 272 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:50,319 Speaker 1: the University of Florida. I got a degree in business. 273 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:54,000 Speaker 1: I understood that like it's it's hard work's dedication is 274 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:57,640 Speaker 1: understanding the numbers. Um, it's more than just like cooking 275 00:13:57,640 --> 00:14:01,080 Speaker 1: behind the stove. It's pr and marketing. Um, there's there's 276 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:03,960 Speaker 1: relationships that you have to build. There's networking. That's a 277 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:07,360 Speaker 1: friendly face that you have to to have also that 278 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:09,800 Speaker 1: will open up these doors. You know, a lot of 279 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:12,440 Speaker 1: chefs came in his mentality came came with this mentality. 280 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:15,440 Speaker 1: I'm cooking behind the soul. That's all I do. I'm 281 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:18,560 Speaker 1: making good food. Don't talk to me and I come. 282 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:21,720 Speaker 1: I come with a smiling face and ready to conversate 283 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:25,480 Speaker 1: and ready to share my story. And more than anything, 284 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:28,320 Speaker 1: like there is a story behind what I do. There's 285 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:31,320 Speaker 1: heart and soul. There's not me just cooking care free 286 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:34,600 Speaker 1: food um, and so like there's a whole business like 287 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:38,440 Speaker 1: build into that whole, whole whole like bubble that I 288 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:42,760 Speaker 1: just created. That Like it's easily um supportive because people 289 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 1: believe in it. They see it, they understand it. They 290 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:48,560 Speaker 1: see a minority, a young black chef like in this industry, 291 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:51,560 Speaker 1: like hustling his butt off. So it's a combination of 292 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:56,840 Speaker 1: all of that. You know, it's a little bit of dedication, passion, love, um, grit, 293 00:14:57,320 --> 00:14:59,400 Speaker 1: like all of that is like and we can go 294 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:01,160 Speaker 1: through and define and all of that, but like all 295 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:04,000 Speaker 1: of that is packaged into like what I do. It's 296 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:07,800 Speaker 1: finally here the season of celebration. And no matter how 297 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:10,960 Speaker 1: you celebrate with family and friends, whether you're preparing for 298 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:14,600 Speaker 1: Reis Magos or Karamu lighting the Manura, are going to 299 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:17,640 Speaker 1: midnight mass, Coals has just what you need to make 300 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:21,400 Speaker 1: those traditions special. Plus you'll find gifts for all your 301 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:25,920 Speaker 1: loved ones. 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With 323 00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:40,800 Speaker 1: auto dot ai, you can search the meeting notes, insert 324 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:43,480 Speaker 1: images playback the audio and share them with your friends 325 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:47,080 Speaker 1: or coworkers. You can capture action items, remember meeting details, 326 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:50,280 Speaker 1: and keep everyone informed. Auto dot ai works for in 327 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:53,880 Speaker 1: person or virtual meetings like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet. 328 00:16:54,080 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 1: Sign up for free at auto dit ai or download 329 00:16:56,760 --> 00:16:59,240 Speaker 1: the app for free auto dot ai. That's O. T 330 00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:02,240 Speaker 1: T E r AI. Well, two things I want to 331 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:05,560 Speaker 1: bring up. The Chidling clothing line, which I knew nothing about. 332 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:07,399 Speaker 1: Okay was it? Was it out when I came up 333 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 1: there and to visit your restaurant. It was. It was 334 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:13,440 Speaker 1: right in the beginning stages. We were we were looking 335 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:17,560 Speaker 1: for some taylors, some some designers. So we were, we were. 336 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:21,120 Speaker 1: I was scrambling hard, like I always got multiple things 337 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:24,159 Speaker 1: going on because I do nothing about that. Tell us 338 00:17:24,160 --> 00:17:26,400 Speaker 1: about that line with the T shirt cap? What is it? 339 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:28,560 Speaker 1: What is it? Yeah? So um, I should have wore 340 00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:31,760 Speaker 1: one today. But I have a lot of crew neck 341 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:34,919 Speaker 1: shirts or sweatshirts, some hoodies, and I'll be bringing on 342 00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:39,280 Speaker 1: some other items. But chiplings have been a very intimate 343 00:17:39,359 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 1: part of my whole story, from from day one as 344 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:45,320 Speaker 1: a youth to me opening up June Baby, where I 345 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:47,600 Speaker 1: ate chillings all my life, like it was part of 346 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:50,439 Speaker 1: like my my food. That's what my grandmother cooked for 347 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:52,920 Speaker 1: us on you know, these special days. Is what I don't. 348 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:55,760 Speaker 1: Don't act like a boy yourself. I've been eating them too. Now. 349 00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 1: My dad used to bring the hall to the house 350 00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:02,359 Speaker 1: and we cutting up, so we we gotta we're gonna 351 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:06,920 Speaker 1: in test us into the bathtub. O, my god, come 352 00:18:06,920 --> 00:18:11,840 Speaker 1: on now, like that whole process, Like I mean, this 353 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 1: is a whole long the story. I don't know how 354 00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:14,920 Speaker 1: much time we have, but like if you think about 355 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:18,719 Speaker 1: the techniques and and and ingenuity that went into like 356 00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:22,640 Speaker 1: making chiplands into something edible, like it blows your mind. 357 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:24,720 Speaker 1: First of all, for those who like don't know what 358 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:27,840 Speaker 1: chiplings are they pig intestines. You know, these are awful 359 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:30,560 Speaker 1: the things that the white man got rid of and 360 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:33,240 Speaker 1: said the slaves need to eat. You can have that 361 00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:36,399 Speaker 1: to feed your family. And so that story is like 362 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:38,280 Speaker 1: a lineage of like who I am. And when I 363 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:41,000 Speaker 1: talked about chiplands as a kid, I got rid of 364 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:43,560 Speaker 1: cute that I ate chiplings, so I kind of turned 365 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:46,560 Speaker 1: my back onto talking about my food. And so you know, 366 00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 1: some thirty years later, when I decided to open up 367 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:52,720 Speaker 1: my own southern restaurant. I decided to put ship lands 368 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:56,600 Speaker 1: on the menu and be proud and loud about chiplings 369 00:18:56,640 --> 00:18:59,159 Speaker 1: because that is part of my heritage. So chip has 370 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:00,679 Speaker 1: been on my menus and it is day one of 371 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:03,600 Speaker 1: opening June Baby, and I realized, like, they're the bigger 372 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 1: story that need to be told, and so I probably 373 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:09,440 Speaker 1: start putting Chiplands on the shirt. And then people said, 374 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:12,320 Speaker 1: I want that shirt, I want that shirt, and so 375 00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:15,879 Speaker 1: I literally went through a whole trademarking process, got a trademark, 376 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:19,800 Speaker 1: and now I have a Chiplands line of clothing. Um, 377 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:23,320 Speaker 1: and we're we're probably talking about chilings because it's more 378 00:19:23,359 --> 00:19:26,200 Speaker 1: than just the food. Now, it's the stories. The history, 379 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:31,879 Speaker 1: is the perseverance, is the the ingenuity, it's all of 380 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:35,480 Speaker 1: that that people are people. Many people eat chiplands and 381 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:38,320 Speaker 1: you know, across this world in some fashion. But you know, 382 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:40,520 Speaker 1: just talking about my history and my folks, it's just 383 00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:43,399 Speaker 1: like what they had to do to make chiplands into 384 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:46,960 Speaker 1: something out of nothing, to feed the family, to feed 385 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:51,200 Speaker 1: the country, growing cotton and rice and and and shucking 386 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:54,040 Speaker 1: okrah and selling it and getting nothing out of it, 387 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:56,639 Speaker 1: Like you know, this is this is like just paying 388 00:19:56,680 --> 00:19:59,920 Speaker 1: homage and paying respect and showing love. And it's more 389 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:02,199 Speaker 1: in the food now. So it's a story. It's a 390 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:04,040 Speaker 1: great story. And now are you a white rice and 391 00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:07,399 Speaker 1: hot toss chiplans eater? How are you? That is a 392 00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:09,960 Speaker 1: straight classic for me. I heard like everything else like 393 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:14,320 Speaker 1: potatoes and things like like I'm straight right sauce putting 394 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:18,600 Speaker 1: pepper on that. I tell I love chidlings and so 395 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:20,359 Speaker 1: and like I said, I grew up in a grew 396 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:22,800 Speaker 1: up in the hood. Man my dad would go, Uh, 397 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:25,639 Speaker 1: he was a truck driver. He going the country because 398 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:28,080 Speaker 1: we lived in Houston, Texas, live in the wood. He 399 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:30,280 Speaker 1: going to get get a get a hog, and they 400 00:20:30,359 --> 00:20:33,520 Speaker 1: bring that hog home. We made hog, that cheese. You know, 401 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:35,159 Speaker 1: I had to all the ham, all that stuff. We 402 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:37,959 Speaker 1: made that pig feet wait the pig fee pig is 403 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:40,520 Speaker 1: we are we? Of course we did the chidling so 404 00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:43,000 Speaker 1: that hog. I don't think that hog left that house. 405 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:47,040 Speaker 1: I think he s in as water and uh and left. 406 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:48,879 Speaker 1: But you knew when we got to the to the 407 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:52,480 Speaker 1: chipling part. Everybody in the neighborhood knew what was going. 408 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:56,640 Speaker 1: Everybody knew because you have to really and also when 409 00:20:56,680 --> 00:20:58,359 Speaker 1: you talk about that you really do have to clean 410 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:00,480 Speaker 1: it out. You have to clean that because you know 411 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:03,600 Speaker 1: it can get you. You can get sick if you read. 412 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 1: If you as they say, you eat chipland they have 413 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:09,119 Speaker 1: been cleaned properly, and stuff like that, bar properly and 414 00:21:09,119 --> 00:21:11,399 Speaker 1: things like that. So it really is a science to 415 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:13,440 Speaker 1: all of this. And that's why I wanted to make sure. 416 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:14,760 Speaker 1: And I'm kind of man at you because now I 417 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:16,840 Speaker 1: gotta go online and again when I could have been 418 00:21:16,880 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 1: up there and took a photo with you, we took 419 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:21,040 Speaker 1: a photo together, because the hell of chipland T shirt up, 420 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:25,480 Speaker 1: shirt up, a hoodie on. But I'm definitely gonna order 421 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:27,639 Speaker 1: one online because that's exciting to me because I'm a 422 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:30,200 Speaker 1: big fan. And I tell my staff I eat chidling, 423 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 1: they go, that's that's what I got as a kid. 424 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:38,320 Speaker 1: It don't face me, brother, don't et face me. I 425 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:42,119 Speaker 1: forgot cracking. Now it doesn't FaZe me. Now, it doesn't 426 00:21:42,119 --> 00:21:44,359 Speaker 1: face me. I think, like as a kid and not 427 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:46,640 Speaker 1: like even teaching my little boy now, it's just like, 428 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:49,280 Speaker 1: don't be afraid of your history and your story because 429 00:21:49,359 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 1: like as a kid, I didn't know how to defend 430 00:21:51,359 --> 00:21:54,480 Speaker 1: myself at that right right now we give our we 431 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:57,240 Speaker 1: give some fire, we give some weapons now to be 432 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:02,760 Speaker 1: able to professionally hum defend ourselves now in our history. 433 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:05,800 Speaker 1: Let's talk about the pimento cheese which I did sample 434 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: at your restaurant, which was fantastic, Like Sava, just tell 435 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:11,160 Speaker 1: when I when we sat down, we ate, we went 436 00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:13,040 Speaker 1: through this like we we went through the menu, just 437 00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:15,159 Speaker 1: enjoying everything. I don't think you don't think children's I 438 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:17,080 Speaker 1: wasn't seasonal. I don't think they were on the menu 439 00:22:17,119 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 1: at the time. But but other than that, we tried 440 00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 1: everything and enjoyed everything, and and and and the whole 441 00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:26,359 Speaker 1: experience was the service. But now the perimento cheese, tell 442 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:29,240 Speaker 1: us how they got started out became a secreature dish, 443 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:31,320 Speaker 1: and how did you get it into Whole Foods and 444 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:34,800 Speaker 1: met Market and Kim Market totally? Um wow. That the 445 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:37,159 Speaker 1: secondary part was the whole process of getting to the 446 00:22:37,560 --> 00:22:41,320 Speaker 1: retail store. But but pimento cheese for me was just 447 00:22:41,359 --> 00:22:44,520 Speaker 1: like you know, it was the iconic Southern spread. You know, 448 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 1: you got like your your hawkhead cheese preads that you 449 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:50,240 Speaker 1: can have sometimes and you got your pimento cheese. Um, 450 00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:53,439 Speaker 1: and pimento cheese is like everyone knows pimento cheese. Everyone 451 00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 1: had it. Everyone goes to that corner store, even the 452 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:57,760 Speaker 1: grocery store in the South and there's like five different 453 00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:01,520 Speaker 1: cremental cheese and her um, and I've had a ton 454 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:06,080 Speaker 1: of pimento cheese in my lifetime, but nothing really impressed me. 455 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:09,360 Speaker 1: So my mission was like, I'm gonna put the pimento 456 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:12,000 Speaker 1: cheese on the menu. It's gonna be the best pimento 457 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 1: cheese out there. And um, when I developed the recipe, 458 00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:17,840 Speaker 1: I knew it was a winner. And you know, we've 459 00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:20,400 Speaker 1: had them me and you again from day one, like chiplings, 460 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:23,280 Speaker 1: and people requested it. They like asking I get tubs 461 00:23:23,280 --> 00:23:24,919 Speaker 1: of it? Can I when are you gonna get this 462 00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:28,520 Speaker 1: in the hood the grocery stores, And when COVID hit 463 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:31,280 Speaker 1: us in the pandemic kind of slowed us down. Um, 464 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:33,760 Speaker 1: I was already in talked with Whole Foods by doing 465 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:37,080 Speaker 1: like we're gonna do the special event with the pimento cheese, 466 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:39,280 Speaker 1: and so they pretty much held my hand through the 467 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:43,840 Speaker 1: whole process of getting it into Whole Foods. And we're 468 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:46,800 Speaker 1: locally here in Washington and Oregon state right now and 469 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:48,639 Speaker 1: we're working hard to find a Copacker that we can 470 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:51,920 Speaker 1: get into California and then go nationwide. So um soon 471 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:54,359 Speaker 1: soon to be soon to being here back down South 472 00:23:54,640 --> 00:23:59,480 Speaker 1: Texas in Atlanta, the Georgia and South Carolina where long Hey. 473 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:02,840 Speaker 1: That's that's when I say that secondary process is so hard. 474 00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:06,720 Speaker 1: It's so hard to like jump to that retail retail 475 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:09,640 Speaker 1: aspect of consumer goods. There are so many loops and 476 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:12,920 Speaker 1: loops that you gotta go through. But we're working hard 477 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:16,080 Speaker 1: to get it nationwide within the next year. I'm talking 478 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:18,760 Speaker 1: to a chef Jordan and twenty seventeen James Berer And 479 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:22,920 Speaker 1: Award winning finalists and he received the prestigious eighteen James 480 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:25,760 Speaker 1: Beard Award for Best Chef off the West and Best 481 00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:28,720 Speaker 1: New Restaurant for June Baby Restaurant. That's where I dined 482 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:31,399 Speaker 1: with my lovely wife and had a great time. And 483 00:24:31,480 --> 00:24:33,280 Speaker 1: I love the baby to say that, you know, to 484 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:35,760 Speaker 1: be able to say, I went up to Seattle, Washington, 485 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:38,000 Speaker 1: and you know, it's been a weekend out there and 486 00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:41,000 Speaker 1: dine at your restaurant. That's one of my favorite travel stories. 487 00:24:41,040 --> 00:24:44,480 Speaker 1: And and and and and building your brand out, you know, 488 00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:46,920 Speaker 1: and we're talking about the perimental cheese. We talked about 489 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:49,800 Speaker 1: the child lin line. We're talking about pivoting and and 490 00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:52,000 Speaker 1: doing things that you were stuffing about doing From an 491 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:54,440 Speaker 1: entrepreneur standpoint, you said, Hey, this is how I want 492 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:58,600 Speaker 1: my brand to be being served. And now you realize, okay, 493 00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:01,159 Speaker 1: it's still would be served that way, but now with 494 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:04,720 Speaker 1: options and uh, and options allow you to be so. 495 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:06,840 Speaker 1: I like the fact I like about the perimental cheese 496 00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:08,679 Speaker 1: and I like about the T shirt. I call that 497 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:11,879 Speaker 1: mail box money. You know that aline by your T 498 00:25:12,040 --> 00:25:14,720 Speaker 1: shirt you get checking the mail. You know, that's the 499 00:25:14,760 --> 00:25:16,840 Speaker 1: beauty of what you're trying to do with your brain. 500 00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:18,720 Speaker 1: And that's why you're growing. That's why I can't wait 501 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:21,040 Speaker 1: till it, you know, you expand and come down into 502 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:24,680 Speaker 1: soft with that perimental cheese, because that's amazing mailbox money. 503 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:27,480 Speaker 1: But the old law man, uh, you know, we we 504 00:25:27,560 --> 00:25:30,040 Speaker 1: know what what as a black business owner and the 505 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:33,000 Speaker 1: p PP checks was supposed to be distributed out there 506 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:35,760 Speaker 1: to the small business owner. How did that affect your business? 507 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:38,000 Speaker 1: During the COVID NAT were you able to participate in 508 00:25:38,040 --> 00:25:40,800 Speaker 1: p P P or what? Yeah, I mean it was 509 00:25:40,840 --> 00:25:43,520 Speaker 1: a scramble at the beginning. We missed the first round. 510 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:45,680 Speaker 1: And I say I'd say that lightly because we did 511 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:50,560 Speaker 1: everything proper inappropriate to get that loan, and so like 512 00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:53,760 Speaker 1: we were literally pulling our head, our hair out, what 513 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:55,719 Speaker 1: I'm saying, like, what are we gonna do? Luckily they 514 00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:58,160 Speaker 1: had a second round. We got to prove we didn't 515 00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:00,919 Speaker 1: get approved from as much as like I thought, we 516 00:26:00,920 --> 00:26:04,000 Speaker 1: were going to get a proof for UM. And that 517 00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:05,480 Speaker 1: was a kind of a turning point for me. I 518 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:10,359 Speaker 1: realized that as a business owner, a small business owner, 519 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 1: as a minority business owner, I could not depend on 520 00:26:14,359 --> 00:26:17,919 Speaker 1: anyone else saving my businesses, and I needed to do 521 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:22,159 Speaker 1: whatever I needed to do to be creative enough to 522 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:24,560 Speaker 1: keep my businesses alive. And that's when we're like the 523 00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:27,440 Speaker 1: pivoting started happening hard for me and making the proper 524 00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:31,239 Speaker 1: adjustments to to to be a business person. UM, And 525 00:26:31,280 --> 00:26:34,080 Speaker 1: I didn't depend on the government to bail me out. 526 00:26:34,640 --> 00:26:37,480 Speaker 1: And and some people need that like that's it's it's 527 00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:39,560 Speaker 1: the curse of two thousand twenty, but like I didn't 528 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:41,199 Speaker 1: want to be part of that curse. I wanted to 529 00:26:41,320 --> 00:26:45,240 Speaker 1: actually capitalize on this opportunity to to be a really 530 00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:51,640 Speaker 1: good businessman. And we've done well despite this pandemic. UM. 531 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:54,919 Speaker 1: You know, I've I've had many opportunities. I've actually I 532 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:58,760 Speaker 1: now became owner of all my businesses. Congratulations in two 533 00:26:58,840 --> 00:27:03,320 Speaker 1: thousand twenty. You know, like I'm gonna go back years 534 00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:06,000 Speaker 1: from now and say, like doing a pandemic, I was 535 00:27:06,119 --> 00:27:09,320 Speaker 1: able to become a hundred percent owner of my businesses. Like, 536 00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:12,679 Speaker 1: that's mind blowing from me. But yes, we've had some hurdles, 537 00:27:12,720 --> 00:27:15,560 Speaker 1: we had some hiccups. Um And like I said, this 538 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:17,240 Speaker 1: gear has been a blessing and a curse. But it 539 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:19,920 Speaker 1: has taught me a lot. I've grown a lot, I've 540 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:22,800 Speaker 1: seen a lot. We'll cool well. I I did something 541 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:25,320 Speaker 1: during the pandemic. I bought me a building in Atlanta. 542 00:27:25,480 --> 00:27:28,400 Speaker 1: They're gonna office building, the one acre property stand alone, 543 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:30,879 Speaker 1: and then it has a full kitchen. That's why I 544 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:33,840 Speaker 1: love this Building's a full kitchen oven, it's everything, you know. 545 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:38,160 Speaker 1: And so I've been inviting favorite chelfs like you over 546 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:41,360 Speaker 1: the over the past few months, saying, hey, I love 547 00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:43,800 Speaker 1: to do a zoom zoom. You cook something, I cook 548 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:46,600 Speaker 1: something if you have times no pressure, But I love 549 00:27:46,680 --> 00:27:49,520 Speaker 1: the I love to cook some chitlings in my office 550 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:53,239 Speaker 1: and got all my staff out. You're gonna run them 551 00:27:53,240 --> 00:28:00,439 Speaker 1: out of the office and why going off And I 552 00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:02,720 Speaker 1: don't care. I don't. I don't care a running about 553 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:05,919 Speaker 1: my office. You could be in Seattle, Washington, you could up. 554 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:09,399 Speaker 1: They're waving me off, not the Childlers, not the Chidler. 555 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:12,959 Speaker 1: But I love to dothing else. I love for us 556 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:17,760 Speaker 1: to do something vias. Yeah that's awesome and yeah, yeah, 557 00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 1: because that's what I man. I'm not having fun with 558 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:21,880 Speaker 1: my life. Man, I'm having fun to be able to 559 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:23,720 Speaker 1: speak to people I would call a friend, to call 560 00:28:23,760 --> 00:28:27,639 Speaker 1: your friend because of your businessman, you're entrepreneur. You're understanding 561 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:30,000 Speaker 1: that they are some setbacks, but they don't beat you. 562 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:33,080 Speaker 1: They don't let the win. And again, like you said, 563 00:28:33,080 --> 00:28:35,760 Speaker 1: you've taken control of your voice, your business, your brand. 564 00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:37,480 Speaker 1: And I had to do the same thing. You know. 565 00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:41,080 Speaker 1: It's like, you know, I I bind this building and 566 00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:44,520 Speaker 1: allow me to finally stamp my resume of what I 567 00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:47,000 Speaker 1: can do and what when people are comfortable what I 568 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:49,440 Speaker 1: can comfortably people coming to my space and they walk 569 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:52,320 Speaker 1: in the door, they go wow, okay, so the resume. 570 00:28:52,360 --> 00:28:54,600 Speaker 1: They see the MS, they see the image awards, they 571 00:28:54,600 --> 00:28:57,440 Speaker 1: see these posters of autograph. Famous people are managed over 572 00:28:57,480 --> 00:28:59,959 Speaker 1: the years or been associated this year and that's all 573 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:02,760 Speaker 1: you doing with your brand and so so I want 574 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:04,320 Speaker 1: to thank you for coming back on the show that 575 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:07,800 Speaker 1: we missed last week. But you're one of my favorite man. 576 00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:10,280 Speaker 1: I love you, man, I like I support you. I 577 00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:13,920 Speaker 1: need to get a link for the Chidling t shirt. 578 00:29:14,760 --> 00:29:20,280 Speaker 1: Baby Seattle dot com are now not all the pimento cheese. 579 00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:23,160 Speaker 1: Is that being shipped? Cannot be. We're working on getting 580 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:25,880 Speaker 1: that ship so like in the meantime, you know, give 581 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:28,480 Speaker 1: us about a month, so we will. We're starting to 582 00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:31,800 Speaker 1: get a process to get that shipped out to nationwide. 583 00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:34,040 Speaker 1: But let us team know immediately and then we're scheduled 584 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:36,240 Speaker 1: time and figure out something really really easier to make. 585 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:38,600 Speaker 1: Just have fun talking and do you make it your 586 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:40,720 Speaker 1: wead whether it's car barette, I do my cor burette 587 00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:43,360 Speaker 1: down and you do have it. We'll do that and 588 00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:45,080 Speaker 1: get it hooked up. So thank you for coming on 589 00:29:45,120 --> 00:29:48,120 Speaker 1: the show. At Pleasure Brother, we talked to it. Okay, 590 00:29:48,360 --> 00:29:52,320 Speaker 1: that's my man. June Baby Restaurants to how to watch it. 591 00:29:52,320 --> 00:29:54,560 Speaker 1: He wants some chidlands. He gathered up there in the 592 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:56,760 Speaker 1: north week northwest part of the country because he's from 593 00:29:56,760 --> 00:29:59,720 Speaker 1: the south. Again, this is Rushan McDonald. I'm your host. 594 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:02,240 Speaker 1: You want to hear anything on money making conversations, Pretty 595 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:04,880 Speaker 1: good Money Making Conversation dot com or subscribe on my 596 00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:11,160 Speaker 1: YouTube channel. Thank you. In this season of giving, Coals 597 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:13,760 Speaker 1: has gifts for all your loved ones. For those who 598 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:17,560 Speaker 1: like to keep it cozy, find fleeces, sweaters, loungeware, blankets 599 00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:21,160 Speaker 1: and throws. Or support minority owned or founded brands by 600 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:24,840 Speaker 1: giving gifts from Human Nation and Shame Moisture. 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All right, We're at home with Claire, who 611 00:30:55,080 --> 00:30:57,760 Speaker 1: was warming up for a bit of boxer size. Yep, 612 00:30:57,880 --> 00:30:59,800 Speaker 1: She's welcomed in the new year with a fancy new 613 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:01,960 Speaker 1: work got set up look at that branded punchbag with 614 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:05,920 Speaker 1: matching gloves and the gorgeous coordinated at leisure. So coordinated. 615 00:31:05,960 --> 00:31:08,720 Speaker 1: She is working out and working it well with prices 616 00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:12,360 Speaker 1: this good on designer workout gear, how couldn't she? WHOA, 617 00:31:12,760 --> 00:31:14,840 Speaker 1: She's back on the sofa with her feet in an 618 00:31:14,840 --> 00:31:20,000 Speaker 1: excellently Brice footspot Iconic. Get those toes to Marshall's. Fabulous brands, 619 00:31:20,120 --> 00:31:22,600 Speaker 1: feel good prices at Marshall's