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I’M KASSATA BOLLMAN. 

TODAY MY GUESTS ARE JEFF MILLER AND YONI LANG…..CHEFS AND CO-OWNERS OF ROSELLA…..A SUSHI RESTAURANT IN THE EAST VILLAGE.

THEY JOIN US FROM NEW YORK. 

JEFF & YONI OPENED ROSELLA LAST FALL.

THEIR TEAM IS FOCUSED ON: 

USING LOCAL PRODUCTS….. AND UTILIZING EVERY OUNCE OF AN INGREDIENT….. FROM START TO FINISH…...ALL WITH THE INTENTION…. OF MINIMIZING FOOD WASTE.

WE’RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT, OPENING A RESTAURANT DURING A PANDEMIC, & WHAT NEW YORK CITY IS LIKE THESE DAYS……

SO I’LL START BY ASKING…..AS WE ALWAYS DO…STARTING WITH JEFF….THEN GOING TO YONI…..

 “HAVE YOU EATEN YET?” AND IF YOU HAVE….WHAT DID YOU EAT TODAY?

[[JEFF DISCUSSES]]

[[YONI DISCUSSES]]

ROSELLA

SO LET’S TURN TO YOUR RESTAURANT ROSELLA…..

OFTEN TIMES WE HEAR THE WORD SUSTAINABILITY…. IN THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY….. AND A CUSTOMER MIGHT THINK...OK, THEY’RE DOING SOMETHING GOOD….AND PERHAPS THAT CUSTOMER…. DOESN’T EVEN FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE RESTAURANT IS ACTUALLY DOING…..BECAUSE THE TERM IS USED A LOT.

SO I WANT TO BREAK DOWN THIS CONCEPT TO ITS SIMPLEST FORM TODAY…. TO EDUCATE OUR LISTENERS…. WHILE ALSO INTRODUCING THEM TO ROSELLA.

MY RESTAURANT & HOME IS ON THE NORTH FORK OF LONG ISLAND….WE’RE SURROUNDED BY WATER….VIA THE PECONIC BAY….. & THE LONG ISLAND SOUND…..

MY HUSBAND, A CHEF…...ALSO DOES A LOT OF SALTWATER FLY FISHING….FOR HIM IT’S NOT ABOUT KEEPING FISH ANYMORE….IT’S ABOUT SUSTAINING THE STRIPED BASS FISHERY…..BY USING CATCH & RELEASE METHODS….

HE’S TRYING TO DO HIS PART….. IN THE CONSERVATION  OF STRIPED BASS.

IN THE PAST DECADE HE’S SEEN THE STOCK OF BREEDING FISH DECLINE.

SO I APPRECIATE HOW YOU’RE SOURING FISH…. FOR YOUR MENU. 

WHEN I THINK OF SUSTAINABILITY IN TERMS OF A RESTAURANT….I THINK…. IF THERE’S A SPECIES THAT IS BEING DEPLETED….IT’S NOT GOING ON THE MENU.

FISH OFTEN DISCARDED….. OR FISH THAT THERE’S AN ABUNDANCE OF…. IS BEING USED ON THAT MENU…..

FOR EXAMPLE:  OUT HERE….IF I’M FISHING WITH MY HUSBAND …...I’M USUALLY CATCHING…. A LOT OF SEA ROBIN & PORGY…….

ALSO…..SUSTAINABILITY FOR ME...MEANS….MINIMIZING WASTE….. SO USING EVERY SINGLE PART OF THAT FISH…..

I’D LOVE FOR YOU TO EDUCATE LISTENERS EVEN FURTHER…. ABOUT WHAT SUSTAINABILITY MEANS TO YOU BOTH……& HOW THAT TRANSLATES TO EACH PLATE AT ROSELLA………….. WE’LL START WITH YONI…..

[[YONI DISCUSSES]]

[[JEFF DISCUSSES]]

OPENING A RESTAURANT DURING A PANDEMIC

CURRENTLY THE POSITIVE TEST RATE FOR COVID IN NEW YORK CITY….. IS OVER 10 PERCENT….A FAR CRY FROM WHERE IT WAS LAST SPRING….. WHEN YOU ORIGINALLY PLANNED ON OPENING…..

YOU OPENED ROSELLA LAST FALL….BEFORE LIMITED INDOOR DINING WAS SHUT DOWN…..& WHILE THE WEATHER WAS STILL MILD…. FOR OUTDOOR DINING……

ROSELLA WAS A FEW YEARS IN THE MAKING….YOU BOTH HAD A VISION…... & FOLLOWED YOUR PASSION…... WHILE PLANNING….

TAKE US BACK ON THAT JOURNEY….& SHARE WHAT IT WAS LIKE….. TO OPEN A RESTAURANT…... DURING A PANDEMIC….. WE’LL START WITH JEFF...

[[JEFF DISCUSSES]]

[[YONI DISCUSSES]]

WHAT IS NEW YORK CITY LIKE THESE DAYS

THE AMOUNT OF TOURISTS & FOOT TRAFFIC IS OBVIOUSLY DOWN….IN NEW YORK CITY….COMPARED TO PRE PANDEMIC LIFE…..

BUT….NOW THE VACCINE IS SLOWLY ROLLING OUT…... 

FOR SOME, YOU CAN ONLY COOK SO MUCH….. BEFORE YOU WANT TO LEAVE YOUR APARTMENT….. FOR A CHANGE OF SCENERY….OF COURSE….BEING SOCIAL & CAUTIOUS…. AT THE SAME TIME…..

IT’S NICE TO SIT DOWN…. & BE SERVED A MEAL….& EXPERIENCE THAT SENSE OF NORMALCY…...& ALSO KNOW….. THAT YOU’RE HELPING TO KEEP A BUSINESS AFLOAT….DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME….

THIS IS A TWO PART QUESTION:

PERSONALLY, HOW DO YOU FEEL NEW YORK CITY HAS CHANGED….WHEN YOU’RE WALKING DOWN THE STREET THESE DAYS ?

AND

TELL US WHAT YOU’RE SEEING AT ROSELLA….ANY TRENDS…. WHEN IT COMES TO OUTDOOR DINING VS. TAKEOUT & DELIVERY…….

FOR EXAMPLE…...

ARE CUSTOMERS ACTUALLY DINING OUTSIDE WHEN TEMPERATURES DIP BELOW FREEZING?

ARE THEY BRINGING HAND WARMERS & HOT WATER BOTTLES WITH THEM?….

WE’LL START WITH YONI…..

[[YONI DISCUSSES]]

[[JEFF DISCUSSES]]

TAKEAWAY:

YONI & JEFF, THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY WITH US …....

I LIKE ENDING…. BY ASKING…. IF THERE’S ANY TAKEAWAY THAT YOU’D LIKE TO LEAVE WITH LISTENERS…... THAT CAN POSITIVELY INFLUENCE THEIR LIVES….. 

IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE JUST DISCUSSED, A PRO TIP…. OR GENERAL LIFE ADVICE THAT YOU LIVE BY ….……..WE’LL START WITH JEFF…..

[[JEFF DISCUSSES]]

[[YONI DISCUSSES]]

……& YONI WHERE CAN PEOPLE FOLLOW YOUR RESTAURANT ?

[[YONI DISCUSSES]]

THANKS FOR LISTENING….AND IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY….... SUBSCRIBE TO “HAVE YOU EATEN YET?” ….WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS….

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