Boxerbrand's Recipe for Success

It was at the fish docks, not the classroom, that multi-restaurant owner Jack Morrison learned the skills that would eventually make his concept the toast of Princeton, N.J. In the busy college town where academics, tourists, locals and professionals all mingle within a short distance from the fabled academic institution, Morrison created Princeton concepts: Witherspoon Grill, Blue Point Grill and Nassau Street Seafood. Morrison told blogger Callaway Henderson that in the early going of his first concept, Nassau Street Seafood…

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Downtown Grapevine, Texas recently sprouted new growth entangling the fruit of the grape gods with great wine knowledge. “At Hotel Vin our niche focus is about wine and wine education,” says Nicole Haarklau, corporate director of food and beverage for Coury Hospitality, the top franchise operator of the Marriott’s niche Autograph collection of hotels. “Our restaurant Bacchus Kitchen and Bar is named for the Roman god of wine. And throughout the hotel the art and objects reflect this inspiration.” The…

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Cool nights and lengthy warm days work their magic on the Napa Valley vineyards that are the backbone of the Levendi Winery. The Greek toast “Levendi,” states the winery’s website, “Acknowledges a hard day’s labor and achievement. “It celebrates the fields, the rain and the sun that nurture the special grapes. Essentially, it’s a toast to celebrate life.” And no matter the fickle whims of Mother Nature or the challenges of the past years, Levendi Winery has sprouted new business…

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The ink was barely dry on their lease when husband-wife partners Jason and Melissa Scrymgeour were sent back to the drawing board. “We signed the lease for Clean Slate Wine Bar in downtown Solvang on the central coast of California in February 2020, and immediately, the world shut down, Jason says. “Our original concept was to be a wine-focused, wine-driven concept, which happened to serve really good small plates.” The idea was flipped on its back, however, when terms of…

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Despite escalating food costs hovering between 100 to 400 percent, Chef Derrin Davis of WaterFire Restaurant in Washington reports that sales at his Pacific rim concept have never been stronger. Restaurant revenues are up 115 percent over pre-covid sales, says the chef/owner, who attributes strong numbers to a growing and supportive customer base. “I think with Covid we may have gained support, and also drew in first-time customers,” Davis says. “We’re in a unique position in that we’re in a…

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Foraging for the perfect heirloom melon when you’re sitting in New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood may once have seemed farfetched. But then an idea emerged like a new leaf in springtime.  And that blossomed into a farm-to-table concept, located in an old book-printer space, and serving ingredients cultivated by New York, Vermont and Pennsylvania farmers so tightly knit to the restaurant it was like having a farm behind the kitchen. “Because we have, and our forager has, a great…

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West coast businessman and restauranteur Willie Rhine isn’t a gambler, and not likely to throw the dice on a frivolous concept. So when the hospitality industry was contracting nationwide during the pandemic lockdowns, Willie and his business partner Chad Gardner of Gardner Hospitality Group were thoughtfully opening a new concept in the affluent community of Rancho Mirage, Calif.; often called the “Camp David of the West.” In a community that has hosted past presidents, from Eisenhower to Obama, as well…

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In military aviation, the term “wingman” refers to a strategic flying partner situated just off the wing of another aviator. The idea is to protect and defend the flying group of two or more jets. The idea so resonated with restauranteur Brendon Mendoza of Walla Walla, WA that he named his eight-year-old family dining concept Wingman Birdz + Brewz. “A wingman will take one for the team, and always has your back,” Mendoza says. “I’ve drilled this concept into my…

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On California’s Monterey Peninsula, wildflowers growing along the coast have found their way inside. Just past the bright pink door that opens onto natural hardwood the sounds of the 1960’s float and painted flowers bedeck the walls. It’s a sensory bomb experience at Julia’s Vegetarian Restaurant. Chef/owner Anthony Gerbino, a self-taught cook and artisan of beautifully plated vegetarian and vegan cuisine, is a chef of few words. But his patrons aren’t.  And in social media review sites, they speak of…

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When oceanographer Christina Carollo decided to take the plunge into the hospitality business, even her business school education did not prepare her for the choppy waters that lay ahead.  The year 2020 was, to put it mildly, not kind. Government-imposed lockdowns shuttered her Italian concept Ambrogia Caffé & Enoteca, and most tragically, her chef was killed in an automobile accident. “After my chef passed away, there was a point where I considered giving the keys back to my landlord,” Carollo…

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