ICYMI: Clarity is the strategy every restaurateur keeps coming back to
Four quick reads on identity, sourcing and the decisions that define your restaurant
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The chefs we talked to this month didn't agree on everything—but they all said some version of the same thing: knowing exactly what you stand for makes every other decision easier. That's true whether you're opening your second location or rethinking your supplier list. The operators who scale without losing themselves aren't more talented. They're just clearer. These pieces are worth a few minutes of your time if you're thinking about growth right now.
—Bianca Prieto, editor
The thing that never changes across all 25 of Michael Mina's restaurants — and why that's the whole strategy
Michael Mina, chef and founder, The MINA Group
Mina's answer to scaling without losing identity is deceptively simple: pick one thing that never changes per concept, then let everything else flex around it. At Bourbon Steak, it's a trio of french fries—the seasonings and sauces shift by location, but that anchor stays. The lesson for independent operators isn't about fries; it's about deciding what your non-negotiable is before you add a second location, a new daypart or a hotel partnership.
How the experts say to grow without losing what makes you →
Forget sustainability labels — this chef tracks one number that actually tells him if his sourcing means anything
Spike Gjerde, chef and owner, Woodberry Kitchen and La Jetée
Gjerde's metric for meaningful local sourcing isn't a certification—it's total dollars sent directly to farms each year, with no middleman. Last year, between Woodberry Kitchen and La Jetée, that number crossed $1 million and is growing. His point isn't that you need that scale; it's that tracking real spend with human-scaled producers gives you something certifications can't: a relationship you can actually verify.
What the experts say to do right now →
Don't miss these
- A self-taught sushi chef in Omaha stopped trying to please everyone—and the restaurant got exponentially better. He turned regional ingredients into national acclaim.
- Nick Wong, a 2026 James Beard finalist, opened an Asian American diner in Houston where cheeseburger fried rice is on the menu and comfort is the real product. He brought fine dining precision to a casual concept.
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The Prep is written by Kelly Dobkin and edited by Bianca Prieto.