Opening A restaurant is a dreamer’s fancy, a risky business. It’s brutal work, it ruins relationships, it rarely leads to riches.
So why, through boom, bust and a relentless recession, are so many willing to take a chance?
For some, it’s the ambition of becoming the next Tom Douglas, crowned this year with the James Beard Award as America’s Outstanding Restaurateur. Others just want to be their own boss after years spent under the tutelage — or thumb — of mentors and meanies.
Then there’s the passion.
“Opening a restaurant is such an emotional experience. It’s so raw,” says chef Maria Hines. “There are so many factors beyond our control that you have to deal with, navigate and survive through.”