WEEKLY UPDATE: PLEASE READ ME!
Brandon Byrd
Hey everyone,
Welcome to the first Parker Red/Ted and Honey weekly update. Now that I've been on board for a few months and have had the chance to get my feet underneath me, I want to make sure that I keep all of you up to speed with the happenings of the company outside of your day to day. I know some things have changed since I've come on board, ranging from minor to 'wtf', and I want everyone to be on the same page, and to see that we are making changes that will set us all up for short and long term success. I promise these will get much shorter, but I encourage you all to read through this thoroughly, and please follow up with me on anything you would like to discuss.
First of all, I want to thank all of you for making this transition as smooth as it has been for me. Stepping onto a moving train is not easy, but I have had a solid foundation of support here since day one. The most daunting part of taking this job was filling Chef Chris's shoes, as he had a hand in creating just about everything Parker Red/Ted and Honey. With that said, you have all done a very nice job of rolling with the punches, making the adjustments as needed, and continuing to dish out great food and service to our guests.
264
After playing chess with just about every kitchen employee on staff, and making some service adjustments in the front, I know that we are set up to have 2015 be a great year at 264. Nazario, with the help of his fantastic crew, have the kitchen and prep area looking like a different restaurant than the one I first saw in September. Besides being cleaner and tighter, it is also set up for maximum efficiency on the line now, and I know that going into our busy season this spring we are all going to feel the difference.
Eli, you and your crew have also done a wonderful job in the front. Sometimes I forget to appreciate how visually pleasing Ted and Honey is, from the decor to the general layout. Even since I have started, you guys have tightened things up a bit more each day, from electric work to decorating to general aesthetic maintenance (like hiding those crazy wires that were near the register). Beyond that, making the switch back to counter service, and working the kinks out on the move was no easy feat, but you and your team do a great job of creating the atmosphere there every day.
As we have made some menu changes, we have also changed the preparation methods of some of our classics. I want to make sure that you all have a better understanding of the food, and the effort that is going into the product these days. Here are some high points on the culinary side of things; things that you should all know for yourselves, and for our guests:
We are now curing and smoking our own ham and bacon, which we are getting from Heritage Foods USA (everyone should look them up if you are not already; besides being responsible meat providers, they also run a food and beverage based radio station out of Brooklyn). This has been a learning process for all of us, as some of you probably noticed the coloring of the ham/availability of the bacon. Long story short, we have worked out the kinks, and moving forward you guys will be getting nothing but beautiful product.
Though the huevos rancheros have never left, we did alter them slightly, as I’m sure you all noticed. Our tortillas are now delivered by Tortilleria Nixtamal, out of Queens. They are the real deal; you don’t find tortillas better unless you have a Mexican Grandma.
We are utilizing the wide range of products that Fingerlakes Farms offers, from dairy to produce to local grains. Even the grits that we are serving are from NY State.
Our new brisket is supplied by Fossil Farms, who sources this grass-fed beef right out of Jersey. On top of the brisket, Fossil also supplies the pork and beef for our meatloaf, pork for our breakfast sausage (currently on the biscuits and gravy; soon to be an everyday offering), along with our heritage breed turkey, and shoulder for the pulled pork
We are finalizing a Ted and Honey take-home dinner menu this week, and will be offering guests the option to pick up prepared dinners. More details to come very soon
On top of everything listed above, as we continue to improve upon serving our standard menu we are going to start having fun with specials again in the coming weeks and months, giving everyone things that are fresh and new.
PARKER RED
Definitely saw some changes to our catering business as well. The CK was always in great shape, but anyone who has seen it lately knows how much we have able to tighten up/utilize old inventory, and to really start streamlining some of our fundamental systems.
Bringing Ralston on board full-time at the CK has really given me the opportunity and freedom to take care of the things I need to do to grow the business, not so much in sales yet, but in the way we operate. He and all the guys over here were able to keep me sane by keeping the train on the tracks everyday. And I have to call out Alan; when I started he was doing everything at the CK for 2 weeks with no chef (and probably another 3 after I started), running the show, and doing a nice job of it.
We have also hired Pamela, as I’m sure many of you have met already. She is working alongside Joanne, helping to grow our catering business, focusing on marketing/branding, and working everyday to create systems that make us operate at a higher level. We are all excited over here to see what Pam and Joanne will bring in 2015, and what kind of long term relationships Parker Red can build.
We have rolled out new catering menus from 2015 in every aspect, from the bar to entrees to desserts. These are seasonally driven, and unfortunately way too extensive to go into details here. These are available for anybody who is interested to view.
We have some cool partnerships going on over here that we are looking forward to continuing in 2015, including working with Saveur Magazine, Slow Food, and Kings County Distillery.
We are currently focusing on starting a wholesale baked goods business, focusing first on brooklyn coffee shops. Not only will this be a great way to bring in steady income, it also means the 264 is going to reap the benefits as well, as our selection will only become fresher, and with a larger variety of options.
I would like to wrap up this first update by saying that I am really looking forward to 2015. This is a great year for us all to challenge ourselves to be better, and to push those around us to do the same. The better we all become in our roles, whatever they may be, the smoother and easier every day is for the operation as a whole. I want everyone to know that I am here to support, and my door is always open. Looking forward to working with you all this year.