The sale and acquisition of a fine dining restaurant, especially an eponymous one, is an interesting transition because fine dining is predicated in innovation and evolution; yet, one must remain true to the brand. A good analogy would be Picasso’s assistant painting a Picasso without anyone actually realizing it was not done by Picasso. This transition can be made easier when the Executive Chef, who has already been tasked with running restaurant operations and menu development (under the advisory of the founding chef), takes over. However, for a culinary artist, cooking in the style of the founder can be limiting as changes can be detrimental to the brand. Each chef who takes on the challenge of continuing a legacy program has their own rationale. Often times, it comes down to a combination of pre-existing business structure, patronage, and pre-existing branding. When asked about why he took over Chef Mavro Restaurant, instead of doing his own project, Shigekane’s response was rooted in cultural development: “In France, they try to make restaurants stay for life and even beyond. I think it's important to keep a brand like [Mavro’s] because everybody is trying to build Hawaii into a reputable dining place. Though it's easier to open a more casual spot, every metropolitan area has high-end places and I think we're (Hawaii restaurant scene) working to be taken more seriously. By holding onto the original Hawaii Regional Cuisine brands, as more fine dining restaurants open, we become more serious. This draws people to visit Hawaii as a culinary destination spot.” As a brand, Chef Mavro Restaurant has established itself as a world class, fine dining, special occasion establishment that is part of the original Hawaii Regional Cuisine movement. Setting itself apart from other HRC restaurants was its emphasis on French dishes, and not just French technique. This perspective of cooking your heritage, within the context of Hawaii Regional cuisine, has laid the groundwork for Andrew Le (A former Mavro Sous Chef) who opened Pig and the Lady, which does Hawaii Regional Cuisine from a Vietnamese perspective, and Sheldon Simeon’s Lineage, which does Hawaii Regional Cuisine from a Filipino perspective. However, brands evolve to remain relevant. When asked about his approach to the evolution of Chef Mavro Restaurant, Shigekane gave the following insight: “I don't look at it as a restaurant; I look at it as a brand. It's different. What I've done is slowly change the brand. That transition didn't just happen six months ago when I acquired the business; it happened three years ago when I started as Executive Chef. People tell me all the time, "We should tell your story. What dishes are yours?" I tell them, "All of it." It's all subtle because I understand the brand.” In any industry, a brand's future success relies on continuous development and improvement. In the restaurant industry, this is predicated on keeping up with changing tastes. In particular, we live in the Food Network world where the consumer is better educated. The average palate has also become more refined to enjoy foods that were once considered exotic, like sushi, which is now commonplace across the United States. Aloha Poke is based in . . . Chicago? However, what defines development and improvement varies from program to program. Furthermore, as a fine dining restaurant, the challenge is to be a thought leader. Shigekane has approached the evolution by slowly modifying the menu overtime. He explained, “Instead of making the food completely in my style, I try to make the food in the style of the brand. It was really difficult at first and it took me a little while, but slowly I noticed that the food was taking on its own style. If you were to look at the menu and even the feel of the restaurant four years ago compared to now, it's completely different. However, if you have been coming to the restaurant every year, it feels the same.” To further explain how the food at Chef Mavro Restaurant has changed, Shigekane provided the following insight: “Under Chef Mavrothalassitis, the focus was refined flavor. Our style of making sauces is classic nouvelle cuisine like in the 70’s and 80’s with lighter jus and an infusion of different flavors. It’s a little cleaner than in cuisine classique from the 1900’s. I'm building on the brand’s sauce style by enhancing those flavors and making them a little bit more in-depth, and a little bit more complex. For example, I add a little bit more liquor, like pastis, and a little bit more acid to a caramelized fennel in a lobster sauce to create a little bit more depth. With our classic fish soup, bourride, we adjusted it by adding kombu to the base. Then, to make flavors brighter, we add tomato water, Pernod, and a little lemon. The soup should taste different, but at its core, it is still the same fish soup that has been on the menu 100 times before.” As the food’s visual design in fine dining is also important, the plating at Mavro’s has also evolved. Shigekane explained, “The plating was originally done in the French style, which has intricate details and would sometimes appear to be all over the place. Now, our plating looks simpler, a little bit more Japanese, and a little bit more minimalist, but it is still complex in technique.” Changes in a menu are due to changes in thought process, and the chef’s personal influences. Shigekane has found himself gravitating towards vegetable work and focusing the story on his Hawaii farm partners. When asked about his approach to creating a dish, Shigekane replied, “We try to create a dish from a local farm by using what the farms have in season. The product is so much better when it was picked the day before. We also get asked by our farm partners, “What do you want us to grow?” Based on what works well in their soil, I can figure out something to do with the product. For example, a few months ago, we visited a farm and the farmer had celtuce. I had never seen it grown here and not a lot of people in Hawai’i use it, but I think it's interesting. With it, we made a dish with Keahole lobster and a roasted, garlic-cauliflower emulsion. It's nice (not to be cliché) to develop that relationship with the farmer where you buy their product without them having to sweat it out and say, What am I going to do with this? Also, I think farming is valuable. It’s a lot of work involved in growing, picking, and cleaning produce for not a lot of money. However, it's not like we buy from any farm. Farmers should not just grow something to grow something. They take pride in cultivating a good product. Finally, if you have a good product, it should be appreciated as such.” After selecting the produce for the dish, Shigekane then develops the dish based upon the style of the restaurant, adding the protein component. While Shigekae appreciates the protein components and is not vegetarian, he philosophically wrestles with the idea of incorporating protein into all dishes. He started his culinary career as a fish cutter for Zippy’s commissary kitchen and appreciates fresh fish. However, from a business perspective, he understands that people are willing to pay more for protein than vegetables, yet finds the story of Hawaii’s farms a worthy one to tell. He noted, “I don't see why we have to eat so much protein per meal, and I would like to wean [diners off consuming] so much protein. Our price point is high because a dish like our “meli-melo” comes from six to eight different farms and we treat each of the vegetables differently. They are charred, pickled, slow roasted, steamed, fried, brined, blanched and raw-- a showcase of what Hawaii has to offer at the beginning of your dining experience.” To learn more about Chef Mavro Restaurant Website: chefmavro.com/ Facebook: @chefmavro Instagram: @chefmavrorestaurant |
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