LETTER FROM THE EDITORS
Hi! First off, we’d like to thank you for reading our magazine. Despite all of the time-crunching deadlines, we had a fun time collaborating with each other and creating this gorgeous magazine. Our magazine theme is food today, or the relevance of food in society. We decided on this theme because we know that the food industry has grown so much in the last decade, and we wanted to highlight the food trends of today. The inspiration for our magazine comes from the influence of pop culture, social media, and socio-economics. We figured that with such a wide variety of topics, lots of foodies, like ourselves, would be interested in our magazine. We hope you enjoy flipping through the pages of our magazine and reading each amazing story. Thanks for reading!
Megan Panzer is writing about food trucks that have turned into restaurants, but she is also interested in food photography and trends on social media for her infographic. She wants to go to college after graduating from LASA. For hobbies, she likes reading, tennis, and hanging out with her friends.
Xitlaly Martinez Perez is planning on writing her story about small businesses and how they advertise their restaurant in a growing city like Austin. She hoped that her story will inspire more people to support small businesses. One interesting fact about her is that she despises avocados and tomatoes. If she were to plan her perfect day, it would be to stay home with her family, watch T.V., and not have any school work!
Alyssa Joiner is writing her feature story about how social media is used by the food business in unique ways to advertise their restaurants. Alyssa loves baking, and she deeply cares about hygiene. After high school, she would like to go to Denver University and possibly major in hospitality or ethnic studies.
Lucas Steffensen is going to write about grocery store inflation and how to make cooking easier in regards to money and complexity in his ezine article. After he graduates, he plans to go to college. He loves to play video games because it allows him to bond with his friends, and his perfect day would be a day without homework.
Beatrice Klein’s feature story will entail how fresh produce in season and out of season affects climate change. She will also write about how the in-season produce affects recipes for each season. In her free time, she enjoys running on the LASA cross country and playing soccer because she is competitive and both the sports get her energy out. She wants to go to college after graduating and play a sport. An interesting fact about her is that she has lived in Boston most of her life. Her dream vacation includes traveling across the country. and visiting the National Parks.
Meals on Wheels to Sticks and Bricks
By: Megan PanzerThe sesame seedcoated bun is warm and buttery. The savory smell of the thin, charred crust on the outside of the patty creates an inviting aroma in the air. Tart tomato and crispy lettuce complement the rich American cheese, creating a balanced flavor combination. You wipe your fingers off and reach for the crunchy, golden fries that are perfectly seasoned with a pinch of salt. Nothing beats a good burger and fries.
From selling food on construction sites, to having a space that anyone can access, food trucks have popped up everywhere. The industry started growing slowly in 2007, but quickly picked up via word of mouth. The dream of turning a kitchen on wheels into a physical restaurant is a huge step for food truck owners to make. It takes consistency, dedication, and passion to accomplish a successful transition.
Mo Pittle is the owner of
JewBoy Burgers in Austin, TX, a unique burger joint that has transformed from a food truck to a successful, physical restaurant, also known as a brick and mortar. Pittle grew up in El Paso, dreaming of becoming an astronaut. As he grew older, he found himself in the role of creative director and was passionate about culturallybased marketing concepts. He eventually wanted to start something that he could call his own.
That dream led him to Google
“How to start a food truck in Austin” and eventually open a business in 2016. He serves a mixture of what he calls “U.S./ Mexico Border Culture” burgers, latkes, and burritos which also honor his Jewish upbringing. With the help of friends and family, he was able to evolve his business into a brick and mortar in 2020.
During COVID, Pittle got the opportunity to open a second restaurant - a sub shop on Burnet Road - also in Austin, which was initially a low-key idea, but has generated a devoted clientele.
“The thing I liked about burgers is that there’s a whole spectrum of burgers from fast food to craft,” said Pittle. “You can get a burger for 99 cents. You can get a burger here in Austin for $25. That leaves you with a lot of space to find your niche.”
Creatting divine sandwiches were a stepping stone to Pittle’s goal of owning a a successful, popular business.
“I was looking for a case
study that I could build up that would highlight the fact that it’s okay to be unique, to be different, to look into who you are and share that with people,” Pittle said. “I make the argument that it’s just more of an interesting narrative.”
Heidi Garbo, owner of Garbo’s in Austin, has also successfully transitioned her initial food truck business to a brick and mortar. Garbo grew up in Connecticut and eventually moved to Key West where she started her first food truck, Garbo’s Grill. In 2012, Garbo moved to Austin where she began taking culinary classes at Central Market and was persuaded by her peers to start up another food truck business.
That food truck was inspired by East Coast cuisine and served lobster rolls along with a variety of other types of seafood. Eventually, Garbo’s business took off and led her to launching a sit-down restaurant.
“Me being from, you know, Connecticut, my dad said, ‘Well,
you can’t do fish tacos,’” Garbo recounted while reminiscing on her early days in the food business. “Everybody does tacos in Texas; you should do lobster rolls, that’s what you grew up with. And I thought, ‘Man, nobody’s gonna buy lobster in Texas.’ And dad said, ‘If you show them and you educate them on the product, they will.’”
Both Pittle and Garbo had a drive to create good, quality food for anyone to enjoy. With their food trucks thriving in Austin, both of them were looking for a way to expand their business to hungry Austinites. With this transition came some challenges for both of them.
“You can’t run a brick and mortar restaurant like you run a food truck, and you can’t run a food truck like you run brick and mortar,” added Pittle. “You could be cheaper on a food truck because you don’t have so much overhead. Now, at the same time, if it rains, you’re
done for that day. If it’s cold, you’re done…so the food truck has different variables. It may affect my business here, but I don’t have as many of those variables here [at the brick and mortar].”
While Pittle acknowledged the economic differences between running a restaurant and a food truck, he also recognized that not having the right employees can impact a business’s success.
Melanie Haupt, food editor for the Austin Chronicle, has tried many different food trucks around the city, such as LOTE (serving Mexican food), and noted a few important factors that are essential for making a successful venture into the food truck or brick and mortar business.
“I think that having a good business plan, like you’ve done your market research and you’ve picked the right spot and you have adequate funding and adequate staffing [is important],” said Haupt.
Haupt also added that consistency of operating hours is important. She found that inconsistency could negatively impact a brick and mortar or a food truck if they are not open when they say they are going to be open. Making sure that one stays committed to their hours will show that an owner is reliable.
Garbo reiterated the importance of consistency as one of four main factors that have contributed to her success, and which she also thinks can help guide others when making the leap from a food truck to a
stand-alone eatery.
“Consistency, quality, cleanliness, and customer service,” she shared. “If you
who are going to come out and check out your place,” she stated. “So, I do think that strong social media presence, good public relations and marketing, just getting yourself known [can boost the popularity of one’s brick and mortar],” concluded Haupt.
As an example, Haupt mentioned Franklin Barbecue, another food truck start-up, turned brick and mortar, that has built up a media presence and, with that, a large customer base.
Cheese drips down the patty of the classic JewBoy Burger at Airport Blvd. Two slices of cheese top a 1/3 pound juicy patty. Photo by Mo Pittle.
Pittle has also built up his business on social media. When asked if he would do anything differently in the process of transitioning from a food truck to a sit-down restaurant, Pittle said he wouldn’t change anything and “was very fortunate to have a lot of input from friends and the guy that helped [him] get into this [brick and mortar] owned several businesses for many, many years…[he] was truly blessed to get a nice, perfect storm. And so it doesn’t mean that we’re successful without effort. We constantly work on it, constantly change things.”
have those four things, you’re golden.”
Garbo also admitted that those four things take time, effort, and the help of friends and family.
Haupt added some other critical factors to achieving success in the transition from a food truck to a restaurant. “If you’ve got a strong social media presence, then you’re going to get noticed by food influencers
Pittle also admitted that the open-mindedness of Austinites and having an understanding spouse motivated him.
Garbo noted that, “In order to be a great business owner, you have to have your head up, not down. I was so focused on the day to day cooking of it that I didn’t see what else was happening.”
Of equal importance, according to Garbo and Haupt, is making sure opening a brick and mortar makes economic
“In order to be a great business owner, you have to have your head up, not down.”
Heidi Garbo
sense because running a brick and mortar is a big financial responsibility.
“Do your market research for sure. Make sure that you’re not biting off more than you can chew financially and logistically,” added Haupt.
Haupt went on to say that maintaining financial stability comes with choosing the correct location that will help draw in customers. An owner should make sure that they are located will not be too expensive and will still foster a strong customer base.
Garbo is planning to open a new restaurant in downtown Austin, She likes how downtown has a fair amount of pedestrian activity that will help increase customers for her new location.
lot of walking traffic and
“There’s
food is very expensive for me to even get,” Garbo mentioned when discussing her new restaurant. “And so the way
In addition to serving up fresh lobster rolls, the original Garbo’s Food truck, located on Lamar, is available for events, pop ups, and catering! Photo by Dori Korn.
I make money is with volume. I have to sell a lot of lobster rolls to make money and so this is another outlet for me to do that.”
When thinking about making the leap from a food truck to a brick and mortar restaurant, it is crucial for prospective owners and chefs to make sure that the food they are going to offer is unqiue and reflects their passions. Of equal importance is ensuring that the quality of food served at the brick and mortar restaunt is consistent with what people were accustomed to eating at the food truck. Finally, a food truck owner should make sure that they are financially stable, maintain a social media prescesense and choose a location with a good deal of pedestrian traffic before taking the next culinary step. These factors will ensure a smooth transtion from a mobile to sit-down restaurant.
a
myThe Cobb salad from Garbo’s has a variety of different textures and flavors such as the crispy lettuce paired with soft egg for the perfect bite. Photo by Dori Korn.
Snap a Sweet Shot
Five Tips for Taking a Glamour Food Shot
By: Megan PanzerPlace your food next to a window for a soft, natural lighting. It will add sutle highlites to your dish. No windows are near you? No problem! A candle is a great, efficent replacement.
1Bold with Brightness
Up down Side to Side
An angle attratcs the audience to the photo. Try having the camera hover over plated food, on the side for stacked foof, or even at a 45 degree angle can aslo tell a story.
Create a pop of color throw on a different bright colorred garnish to draw the eye to uour food photograph.
Gather all the useful tips and tricks to create a perfect glamour food shot. This infographic will go over only five easy steps that anyone can apply to enhance their own photography! Each step even includes a picture to sum up the main points of each step.
Pop of Color
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4Placing a unqiue, patterned piece of dinnerware next to your subject to complement the photo. You could even add an embroidered napkin.
5SilverEveryWare Drip,Splatter,Dab
Get a little messy with garnishes, herbs, or sauces. Try sprinkling crumbs or add a splatter of sauce to create a unique and abstract photo.
Sources: foodnetwork.com, CookieandKate.com, digital-photography-school.com
Restaurants get Creative with Social Media
By: Alyssa JoinerIf you look at social media platforms, you can scroll through and find a lot of ads and posts for restaurants all over the globe. While swiping your finger across the screen you can explore fast food chains, local restaurants, and even small food businesses started by entrepreneurs. The reason why restaurants are so prevalent on social media is that it’s an effective way to reach a large audience and potential customers.
The bottom line is that social media is a powerful marketing tool that can be used by restaurants to reach a wider audience, promote their brand, and connect with
potential customers.
The bottom line is that social media is a powerful marketing tool that can be used by restaurants to reach a wider audience, promote their brand, and connect with potential customers.
Some businesses, such as grocery stores, were deemed essential and were able to stay open during the COVID shutdowns. However, many other businesses, like restaurants, were forced to close their doors. Some restaurants were able to stay afloat by offering curbside pickup or delivery, but many others were not so lucky. The cre-
ative, however, found ways to keep their business going.
In addition, many restaurants turned to social media to promote their business. Some did this by offering discounts, while others simply posted mouth-watering photos of their food. TV ads were also popular, as they allowed businesses to reach a wider audience. Additionally, social media platforms provide restaurants with an easy way to share photos, videos, and information about their business.
Curbside pickup and delivery became essential for many restaurants where customers could call
The restaurant industry is booming on social media and this is how Austin restaurants are doing itOutdoor patio at new restaurant, Rosie’s. Photo by Ava McBath.
or order online, and then pick up their food without having to step inside the restaurant. This was a great way for businesses to keep their doors open, while still following the social distancing guidelines.
MML Hospitality, a hospitality and tourism company based in Austin, owns multiple restaurants and hotels that are fun, beautiful, and overall fantastic. Each restaurant has its own vibe and aesthetic, and the environments in the restaurants give you a surreal feeling.
For a large company such as MML, it’s important for them to have a prominent media presence. Ava McBath, the social media marketer for MML, told me the company mainly uses Instagram and sometimes Facebook to reach their customers and followers. She has been with the company for just over a year and a half, and loves experimenting with new dishes and exploring new restaurants. She decided to pursue a career in the food industry because she wanted to get involved in the hospitality industry firsthand.
“I feel like the people who work in the hospitality industry are salt of the earth, awesome people, and I wanted to be a part of that,” said McBath.
She says that since she started working at MML they have primarily used Instagram for marketing. MML occasionally uses Facebook but Instagram is by far their most utilized platform. They find that it is the most efficient way to reach a wide audience quickly. MML posts about new dishes, events, and programs that are running, and pushes that information heavily on Instagram. COVID-19 has impacted the use of social media for MML in that people are
increasingly using social media to get information about restaurants, including hours, menu items, and events. MML Hospitality is a prime example of the effective use of Instagram for business.
ber 2016, and The Flats opened in July 2019. Similar to MML Hospitality, all three businesses use Facebook and Instagram as their primary social media platforms.
Prior to COVID-19, Michelle, and her team used a mix of professional and amateur photography for their online pictures.
Michelle says, “It’s hard right now because we’ve had to cut back on expenses. And that is one of the expenses we cut on. So we don’t have any updated professional photographers. So they are using mostly amateur photography at the moment.”
Michelle Ly has been working in the hospitality and food industry for over 20 years. She started her first job in 1997 and has worked her way up to being the owner of three businesses. Ly attributes her success to her team and her dedication to her work. She is the owner of three different restaurants in Texas. The Rock Sports Bar, Alcove Cantina, and The Flats are all located in Round Rock, Texas. The Rock Sports Bar is the oldest of the three, opening in December 2014. Alcove Cantina opened in Septem
Also, Michelle says the posts that draw the most customers are not only special events, notices, or menu items, but her team members simply being goofy.
Raf Robinson has worked in the hospitality industry for over 26 years. He started working in restaurants in high school and has loved meeting people and helping them have a good time. Most of his family has worked in the hospitality business at some point. He grew up around large meals, family owned a music venue when he
BBQ sandwiches from SLAB BBQ. Photo by Raf Robinson.McBath says, “I think it’s a very effective way of reaching a very wide audience very quickly. So I feel like a lot of companies are using it just because it’s one post and you’re reaching 1000s of followers just by clicking a button.”
mie’s
owned a music venue when he was in high school and he passed down all the information on how to be an entrepreneur to him.
Raf Robinson has worked in the hospitality industry for over 26 years. He started working in restaurants in high school and has loved meeting people and helping them have a good time. Most of his family has worked in the hospitality business at some point. He grew up around large meals, family bonding, and good times. His dad owned a music venue when he
Robinson has been working at SLAB BBQ as one of the managing partners at SLAB BBQ and oversees marketing and finance. He recently opened its 4th location in the Austin area. He started with a small food trailer and has grown into a multi-unit restaurant. Lots of people love SLAB for its amazing energy
Robinson says, “I love making people happy. We do that by making great food and creating a fun vibe for our customers. I love that we get to share an authentic experience in our own creative way.”
When it comes to marketing, the team at SLAB BBQ is professional and organized. From email marketing and community engagement to print advertising and search engine optimization, they’ve got all the bases covered. And it’s paid off – SLAB BBQ has seen success in both driving traffic and sales, as well as building its brand. A major part of their success is due to their social media presence.
“Social media is a huge part of driving traffic & sales, but it is also a big part of building our brand,” Our brand identity stems from our love of bbq, hip-hop, and good vibes. People get a chance to get an idea of what SLAB is like and set expectations before they come,” adds Robinson.
Austin restaurants have successfully used social media to promote their businesses and reach a wider audience. From specials to creative photos, videos, and stories, these businesses have utilized the power of social media to thrive in the Austin restaurant scene. It’s clear that the restaurant industry is continuing to embrace the digital age, and will continue to find creative ways to use social media to engage their customers and promote their businesses just like these awesome guys.
FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIAS
By; Alyssa JoinerB
@Beatrice_Klein
Tiktok is easy to watch and not boring
D
@Daniel_Bomba
It's had a large part in a lot of people's lives and has been rightfully claimed by a younger generation. Idk I don't personally have the app but I think it's better than the others.
I
@Izna_Ladhani
Instagram lets me keep up with friends that I don't see everyday.
L@Lexi_Chavarria
Twitter is just so entertaining. Every time you get on the app, you never know what to expect.
I@Iris_Hernandez
In my phone, it shows that I use Tiktok for a daily average of 3 hours and 2 minutes.
TIKTOK vs INSTAGRAM
The rivalry still goes on!
I made a survey for all LASA students to fill out asking about their favorite social medias. Which they think are the best, wich are the worst, and all of the reasons why they think that. Here’s the statistics
SPRING
FALL
apples guava persimmons tangerines pears mushrooms squash cauliflower swiss chard turnips
apricots cherries jackfruit mango rhubarb artichokes asparagus broccli chives collard greens
corn green beans snow peas carrots kiwi
brussel sprouts artichoke broccli pumpkin
Source: Texas Farmer’s Market
SEASONAL PRODUCE
How seasonal produce can positively affect you and the world around us
By: Beatrice KleinIt’s a lovely autumn day. It’s chilly. You can see your breath in the crisp air. You’re sitting in a pumpkin patch munching on a delightful caramel apple that’s flavor is perfectly balanced. A few months later, it’s a frigid winter day, you’re cuddled up in your warm sweatpants and all you want is a warm bowl of chicken noodle soup. The flawless umami flavor of the broth and the subtle sweetness of the carrots and the slight bitterness of the celery. A few months later, it’s humid and warm. You walk into your favorite grocery store to find that there is a plethora of mouthwatering, perfectly ripe mangos that you can’t wait to eat. A couple of months after, it’s a scorching hot day and you find yourself in a swimsuit laying next to a swimming pool with a sweet, juicy bowl of watermelon sitting next to you.
Produce that is in season is grown throughout that month or time of the year. When produce is considered in season, it tends to be fresher and more flavorful. Eating produce that is out of season can contribute to climate change and can cause the produce to lack nutrients and have fewer essential vitamins.
Eating foods that are in season can be beneficial to anyone because it allows one to eat produce when it is at its peak, so it tends to be more piquant and healthy. When one eats seasonally, they have the ability to source their produce from places that are more local.
In contrast, when you eat produce that is out of season, you’re getting produce from somewhere far away, where the weather permits it to be grown. The transportation of the produce not only causes it to lose nutritional value, but it affects climate change due to the lengthy transit.
Both the production and transportation of these foods emit fossil fuels and greenhouse gasses.
Tracey Greyer is the Director of Operations at Boggy Creek Farms, a farm that has been in her family for 181 years. She said that the planting and harvesting schedule is planned around the seasons.
“We plan our planting calendar over the seasons, the temperatures, and the weather,” Greyer stated. Plants need to be grown in a certain temperature range, with the right amount of precipitation. When a plant is planted in the wrong season, it won’t thrive.
In the United States, you can get any produce at any time of the year at
grocery stores. Corporate farms grow massive amounts of fruits and vegetables and ship them out to large grocery stores.
When produce is out of season, the grocery stores get their supply from these corporate farms,
rather than local farms. As a community farmer, Greyer acknowledged the negative effects of this large-scale farming.
“A plant starts to die immediately after you pick it. When a plant travels a long distance, it takes a lot of time.” The considerable time between when the plant is picked and when you eat it, causes the plant to be
Feild of growing produce at Boggy Creek Farms in Austin, Texas Photo by Dan MeyersL ess nutrient dense and less flavorful .When one gets their produce from local farms at farmers’ markets, they can be sure that what they’re getting is fresh and in season.
Local farms tend to take more sustainability measures com-
Farming contributes to climate change.
Corporate farms tend to use tillers to save time. A tiller is a farming to save time. A tiller is a farming tool that breaks up the soil which makes it easier to plant and
harvest produce. And Greyer noted, “When you turn soil with a tiller, you’re downright killing the microbes in the soil,” Tracey said, “you’re basically making a death scenario which is very harsh on the climate and soil environment.” It increases global warming because you’re releasing carbon in a synthetic one with harsh chemicals.
Trader Joe’s produce manager, Anna has been working there for nineteen years. She is knowledgeable about the trends in produce and the notorious Trader Joe’s limited edition seasonal items.
“Local farms tend to take more sustainability measures compared to large corporate farms.”
limited edition seasonal items.
She brought up a fascinating point about how holidays have a huge impact on what the limited edition items are. “The most popular items are in October for pumpkin and maple and then fresh entrees and sides in November kind of prepping for Thanksgiving, and then once December hits anything and everything is peppermint in store.”
Whether we notice it or not, we associate different seasons with different foods. For example, we associate summer with fresh fruits and vegetables like berries,
corn on the cob, and watermelon- foods you would eat at a Fourth of July barbeque. In the fall, it’s everything pumpkin spice and apple spice - foods you would see at a pump- kin patch for Halloween. In winter, anything cozy - foods you would eat around a fire- place during the holiday season. Ryan Dunn, a pro- duce manager at a local grocery store called Fresh Plus. He has worked at Fresh Plus for three years. He was informative on the season- al changes in the produce section. Dunn pointed out that produce out of season tends to cost more.
“So in the major apple seasons, the price comes down a little bit because the volume comes up [the local farmers all harvest at the same time, causing an influx of apples],” added Dunn.
Due to the cost of transportation when produce is out of season, it costs more. The produce less nutritious and negatively affects the climate, but it costs more for you. go to a grocery store, try to be mindful of what fruits and vegetables are in season, and choose your produce wisely.
Austin’s Local Businesses
The stories of Austin’s Growing Food Businesses
By: Xitlaly Martinez Sandwich made by Food Heads Shop (Photo courtesy of Candace Wendt)It’s 7 AM and you’re off to work. You walk to your usual shop for a fresh, steamy and a buttery, sugared crust muffin. The aromatic, sweet smell of freshly baked bread and a cheerful “Good morning!” from the shop owner, greets you as you open the door. It’s not hard to feel that the energy in the shop is full of positivity, and it helps you get through an early Monday morning. The other regular in the shop greets you and strikes up a conversation with you about your day so far. Just like that, you start the morning off on the right foot.
Before anything, it’s important to fully explain what a local small business is. Simply put, a local business is a company that is targeted towards a local group of people and might not have a large customer base. This is why a lot of local food businesses put such an emphasis on the importance of their community. With Austin being a growing city, small local businesses have found new positives and new negatives. While it’s a great place to find a large unique audience, the growing food industry has posed a great challenge for food business owners.
Owner of Bird Bird Biscuit, Brian Batch, is an example of a successful local business owner. He started off his Biscuit shop with one of his best friends, Ryan, in June of 2018. They didn’t have a set idea of what they wanted their restaurant to be prior to
researching restaurants around the country, that is what makes them very distinctive.
After a lot of research and dedication, they found a
As previously stated, being a small business in Austin is becoming more difficult by the day as the food industry grows and becomes more competitive, but Batch managed to do what
restaurant that made breakfast sandwiches, one of them being a biscuit. This was one of their biggest motivators towards their star menu item.
Married couple, Chip Wendt and Candace Wendt laughing (Photo courtesy of Candace Wendt)I would tell my 2018 self, it's going to be really hard. These next couple of years opening a business. I know, you think you know how hard it's going to be, but it's harder than you think it's going to be. So just know to keep on keepin on - Brian Batch
many companies struggle to do; stand out
“We're trying to serve every sandwich to the standard to where when someone has that sandwich, they almost have to go tell somebody about it. And that's been our strongest form of advertising.” In addition, Batch described what he hoped his customers would feel when trying his dishes. “I want them to just be in a moment and be happy that they took the time to come…They can tell by how good it is the person who made it, loved what they did. And not only that, but because of that they feel a little bit about love as they're eating the sandwich.”
Candace Wendt, co-owner of Food Heads, agrees with Batch with the fact that “word of mouth” is one of the most effective ways to grow a local business.
“Every time that I have invested in any kind of marketing, it seemed like it did not work,” said Candace Food Heads, a local sandwich
shop, has now been run successfully for over twenty years by married couple Candance Wendt and Chip Wendt, high school sweethearts. The idea to start a sandwich business was created thanks to Mr. Wendt’s sandwich
first good sandwich I really ever had.”
The Wendt’s experienced many difficulties, even before they opened their business. One of the first challenges they faced was getting started on opening a physical store. Not only did they struggle with getting the right permits to begin the necessary constructions, they also had trouble making the necessary remodelings to make the place an appropriate place for a shop. The location they bought for their business was previously a gaming place, therefore, making a kitchen and other basics for restaurants was even more difficult.
and a cookie in a shop (Photo courtesy of open verse)
making skills.
“We'd always stay in my house, make sandwiches with bologna, white bread, and mustard. So, he taught me how to make the
Mrs. Wendt explained their difficulties, “It took two years just to get out here. So we were really cash poor at that point.”
Something else that both Mr. Wendt and Mrs. Wendt still
But I work with people as opposed to that working for me. I make sure that people actually feel valued for what they value. - Josh Brown
struggle with is maintaining a respectful and balanced relationship with their coworkers, and post COVID, this became even more difficult as many workers were taking leaves.
“It's really more difficult now to hold on to the very, very skilled workers.”added Wendt
With that being said, the success of restaurants, including small businesses, can be directly impacted by its atmosphere. Ranging from the kitchen to the customers, it's important to maintain a neutral and comfortable atmosphere within the building.
Brian shares his opinion on the importance of the relationships between his co-workers “One of the biggest challenges of Bird Bird is making all of the right efforts to keep everyone's relationship in a good place, because that's the thing that
Josh Brown, owner of Genuine Joe coffee house, agrees that keeping multiple personalities in harmony in such a stressful environment like customer service is difficult. He added that being the owner adds even more stress.
“You have the responsibility to make sure everything works well… and it's a lot of stress that can be very lonely. But it also gets better” noted Brown.
As Brown mentions, being the owner of a business is truly a challenge, especially as someone who didn’t always have the top authority. Although it’s difficult, he states that being involved in the business first hand is the best thing an owner could do.
Brian has a similar philosophy and said “If you're a business owner, I think it's really important that the people that work with you know that
people that are there working with you.”
Bird Bird Biscuit is in great shape and plans to expand in the next couple of years. Batch explains that he wants to expand, but not too much.
“We want to grow the business to have more locations. Now, some of that depends on making sure we cultivate the right team to do it, because I don't want to grow so fast that we lose the ability to manage what it is.” adds Batch
Food heads also have plans of expanding just enough.
“I wouldn't think that we would expand to more than one other place.” said Wendt
Genuine Joe Coffee shop is currently planning on finding a new location that can match the cozy environment that their current location has. He describes the atmosphere he hopes to create in his new location.
determines, for me, what Bird Bird really is, is how people feel when they come there. That’s all determined by the way that people treat each other inside the shop. It’s really tough, with 50 different personalities, to keep that energy in the right place.”
you're willing to get in there and help them out and do the job yourself. I never want to be the kind of owner that just sits on the sidelines and reaps the rewards and watches everybody else do it. I don't think that's healthy, and I don't think you grow a healthy business that way. You lose the respect of the
“I want people to be able to walk in the door and feel welcome. I want them to feel warm. I want them to feel like this is a place that fits into my life in a way that this can be another home for many different things.” concluded Brown.
It’s difficult to run a local small business in a growing city like Austin, however, these businesses have thrived despite difficulty and been able to do this through their uniqueness and positive attitudes.
think of our staff as our family and we want to provide for them it.
Teen Food Favorites
LASA Students thoughts on food
By Xitlaly MartinezIt’s clear that food constantly changes no matter what the focus category is. Whether it be the popularity of a fast food restaurant or the preferences that people have regarding the traits shown in their favorite restaurants, It’s difficult to say that one specific thing will always be popular. For this reason, I’ve surveyed 79 LASA high school students to see what the overall teenage opinion is regarding dine in restaurants, fast food restaurants, cooking food, and buying food.
Why? Why?
Make- I like home cooked meals, they taste better and I like cooking.
Do teens prefer to buy or to make their food? Buy
Make
Make- Its very fun to hang with family and make food.
Both- I don’t really have a preference. My mom makes very delicious food, but there is a lot of clean up after the cooking.
Buy- I’m not bad at making food I just don’t have much time to actually make it so I would rather buy.
Incessant Inflation
By Lucas SteffensenIf you could only see the world in 2022 through stock prices, you would have thought we went through a second pandemic. The price of everything rose drastically, from groceries to gasoline. While it could have been caused by a worldwide disaster, today’s inflation is a separate issue entirely. Some common grocery items have increased tremendously in cost, and it can make the process of making or buying food much more expensive. These increases have to come from somewhere, and they can force restaurants to make tough decisions. Many larger chain restaurants and grocery stores aren’t affected as much by times of financial difficulties like this one, and the large amount of resources they have access to allows them to keep prices low. Sometimes, for small businesses, this is not the case. David Ansel is the owner and creator of the local Austin restaurant, The Soup Peddler. He started his restaurant
during the pandemic as a bikedelivery only restaurant, but it has expanded to now include multiple brick and mortar locations.
“Inflation is just something that nobody can resist. I really wanted to resist and not raise my prices, but people pass things down along the supply chain, and at a certain point you just have no choice.”
Inflation goes beyond just increased prices of store items. Everything from leasing
only a few years ago.
“A lot of things we’ve had to raise the price, but one of the biggest areas that has really affected us is shipping costs. For some reason, shipping costs have just gone crazy,” says Steele.
“There’s a vendor [I have]… in the Pacific Northwest, and I think I may need to stop carrying their stuff because the invoice might be, for example, 300, and just shipping would be 150,” she says. “It is literally
costs, property tax, insurance, to employment costs have increased. This effect of being pushed in on from all sides forces small businesses to adapt.
Steph Steele is the owner of Tiny Grocer, and is also its creator. She has been working in the grocery industry for all of her life, and started Tiny Grocer
pricing us out of being able to carry things from further away,” adds Steele.
Although raising prices may seem like an obvious fix, it’s not a perfect one. Many restaurant owners expressed worries about customers seeing their stores as overly pricy.
“I am concerned about a perception of being expensive, so there are certain things that
How inflation disrupts small buisnesses at every level
“There are certain businesses that didn’t have to raise their prices, but once it’s in motion, it’s almost impossible to resist.” -David Ansel
even though the [vendor’s] price went up, we didn’t raise our price, [and] we thought that we could keep it as is,” says Steele. A common thread throughout all of the restaurants is that inflation was a fight to keep prices down and that affordability is a high priority. Even though all of the restaurants had to raise their menu costs, there are other alternatives that help, but not enough to keep prices the same forever.
“There’s a few things you can do, we can make things smaller, like offer less of that thing, or raise prices,” says Ansel. Although, he says, “We have raised our prices once, and I’m probably going to have to do it again in the next month or two.”
Jesus Rangel, general manager of the historic Austin restaurant El Patio, has been working in the service industry for almost a decade. He says that the main way he combats inflation is by reducing food waste wherever possible.
“For example, we remind our line cooks to use the correct amount of ingredients for each dish and not overfill the food with too much taco meat and or chicken. We have some line cooks that have a heavy hand when preparing certain dishes and overstuff some of the food so just a simple reminder is crucial,” stated Rangel. Another issue is the vendors themselves. According to Steele, some of the vendors will let their buyers know when they have raised their prices, but many vendors just silently increase the cost.
“It’s a lot of work to keep up
with it, to even catch the prices that have gone up,” mentioned Steele. The current inflation spike is hard to put into scale. For most of the business owners, the pandemic was a much larger problem.
“Our numbers are still not the same compared to pre pandemic El Patio,” says Rangel. He says that its just about getting back to normal, and that inflation is just another
obstacle in the way of that goal. Steele, on the other hand, says that the COVID pandemic was a different issue entirely, making it more difficult to compare them to one another.
“The pandemic was about responsibility around health, and keeping people healthy, both workers and customers, while still giving them what they needed to live their lives, creating a safe environment. And then inflation is the repercussion of the steps that were taken to battle the pandemic.”
“I think the difference with inflation is that I haven’t quite seen it yet,” adds Steele, “but everyone keeps talking about a recession, and I think that it just makes people nervous, right? And they just start to watch their spending in certain ways.”
David Ansel agrees, saying “the pandemic was more about trying to keep my people safe, and keep the business running, and in a way that I was comfortable with the risk level that we were at, trying to accommodate everybody in that. This is a different
The Soup peddler started as delivery, first from bikes, then trucks.El Patio is a Tex-Mex restaurant in central Austin. It is 68 years old.
challenge. It’s really just numbers.”
For a few restaurants during the pandemic, closing was their only option. But Steele says that for grocery stores, that’s not possible.
whole life, and I’ve always known that when there’s a natural disaster, like, let’s say, there’s a hurricane in New Orleans or something, the grocery store is the place that stays open. It’s the place that’s handing out water and helping people and helping the community.”
“I worked in the grocery business, almost my
Overall, inflation is a major obstacle as it threatens people and businesses, and is problematic for everyone. At the end of the day, the best thing one can do is shop local, to keep these hugely beneficial small businesses up and running.
“[Restaurants and hotels] were shutting down completely, but grocery stores can’t, and won’t. People need access to food.”
-Steph Steele
Coffee Vs. Tea:
By Lucas Steffensen4. Hot water drips through the coffee grounds, which makes coffee.
5. The coffee is kept warm by the same hot plate that boils the water.
3. Boiling water rises, while cold water stays behind to boil
1. Water flows from resevoir to hot plate. 2. Hot plate slowly boils the water
2. When the water boils, water vapor starts to expand through the steam tube
ELECTRIC KETTLE
1. When the switch is pushed down, it activates the hot plate which boils the water
3. Water vapor heats up bimetallic strip, causing it to complete the circuit that turns off the hot plate.
THE BIMETALLIC STRIP
separated
attached
Electric kettles automatically shut off through the use of a bimetallic strip. They are made of two metals that, when heated, expand at different rates. However, because the metals are attached, it is forced to curve. This curving allows it to be used as a heat sensor. In an electric kettle, the strip is heated by water vapor, and when it curves it connects two metal contacts which completes a circuit that disables the heating element.
room temperature heated (causes expansion)