Hi Square Sellers! This week's interview is with Minh Phan, Chef/Owner of Porridge + Puffs
in Los Angeles. She talks about launching their online store, her provisions shop model, and a creative, grass-roots approach to neighbor-powered delivery.
Tell us about your journey into ownership.
I’ve worked in a lot of restaurants in Los Angeles, all farm-to-table and fine dining. In July of 2014 I opened a restaurant called Field Trip at the Farmer’s Kitchen in partnership with the non-profit CLA. Within that space I started to do Porridge + Puffs dinner pop-ups. Part of the requirement of my lease was using all farmer’s market ingredients so I thought it would be a perfect concept to include all this great product including incredible rice from Koda Farms and Tsuru Mai.
Jonathan Gold came in on the first night and 8 times total. Within a month his review came out in the LA Times. I never intended for it to instantly take off but the project then had its own momentum. In terms of finding a permanent space for the concept, it actually took 5 years. We wanted the perfect footprint in a great neighborhood which is what we found in HiFi, Historic Filipinotown. We’ve been open a year and half. The numbers were great, the business kept growing but then Covid-19 arrived.
This is not a pivot, this is launching a new business.
Our mission is to serve our team and to serve our community. If we can do that, everything else will take care of itself. We are too small to fail. I worked so hard to cultivate the team I have and it’s essential I preserve our incredible talent. I’m going to fight to keep them. I also didn’t want to disrupt our distribution chain for our farmers and suppliers.
We closed on a Sunday and launched our Square Online Store in 36 hours. Someone on my team did the photography and we all dug in. That is how you have to approach it and when you start a new business. You work 3 times as hard and you have to invest more money and not expect a return right away. So my perspective is I’ve started a new business. This is not temporary. I have to completely dive-in to this new format, distribution methods, and products. Everything has to align with our ethos.
Provisions Shop
We are fortunate in that we have the perfect size team and space for the conversion. Our restaurant is only 1000 square feet total. It’s just big enough to hold all the products we need. We moved furniture around, built shelves. We’re all women so design is already in our blood.
I knew if I was to launch a take-out business, it had to be really sustainable. We don’t use any compostable or disposable containers. There is no plastic. Everything is in glass. We bring a real fine dining sensibility in everything we do and are applying that approach to our curbside pick-up business. We craft a really beautiful experience at home. We know our brand really well. We take extra care with our labels, with personalized thank you notes. We closely track customers’ order history, their allergens, what dishes they haven’t tried yet. That’s how we’ll know what little gifts to add. We apply the same guest experience approach as we would for dine-in service.
Neighbors helping Neighbors
We encourage people to buy meals for each other. In our emails we include a reminder for neighbors to consider who near them might need a meal but aren’t able to pick-up. We have some customers checking in advance with other neighbors for pre-order. The neighbors start a group email and they will facilitate the pick-up. We’ve had as many as 10 orders picked up by a customer and delivered around their neighborhood.
The neighbors placing the orders will leave a message in the notes section during check-out of the Square Online Store alerting the restaurant that the designated neighbor will be picking up the order. We supply the customer with gloves so they can safely deliver the food and place outside everyone’s door. We give a meal incentive to the neighbor doing the pick-up.
Reopening the Shop
Until there is a vaccine I don’t feel safe opening for sit-down dining. It could be fine during the summer, and in the fall we have a resurgence in the Corona Virus and we will have to go right back to this same model, so it’s not worth the risk. I rather wait. We can give people joy through our provisions shop and meal kits. We’ll find ways to amp up the summer offering. We’ll find ways to support customers having picnics and backyard parties.
The Gold
Named for the late Jonathan Gold we offer a set meal on our store that within the price includes the purchase of a meal for a first responder or front-liner in the city of LA. It’s a great way for us to positively contribute. It’s really important to us to find ways to support the community and all those that are risking their lives to take care of our city.
Final Thoughts
Everyone who is surviving is being very specific and very authentic. I think that is the key to the businesses that are thriving. Every single day is a new business. If you don’t have that kind of dedication, it’s just not going to work. My advice is don’t be fearful, be fearless. Focus on what you can contribute and not on what you hope to gain, you’ll feel a lot more optimistic.
Thank you Chef! Great to chat.
