Previous Jobs for L.A. Chefs, Restaurateurs + Food Truckers
Johneric Concordia (The Park’s Finest)
I used to be a grunt for US Airways. I used to work on the tarmac, bringing planes in, and then I became a shop steward because of my background as a community organizer and activist. Before that, I was doing film, teaching youth how to do media arts projects, the skill set of using the technology to tell your story. So I did a lot of non-profit work for a long time. I guess the skill set, interacting and interfacing with people, came from that, and putting it with something I’ve always done anyway. We’ve always fed people and would stress out if you weren’t having a good time. It carried over.
Playing Favorites with 13 Los Angeles Chefs and Restaurateurs
By Joshua Lurie | August 1, 2012
Johneric Concordia (The Park’s Finest)
Making people feel good. When it comes down to it, that not only includes our customers, but it includes the people that work there. It includes our suppliers. There’s a long chain of restaurants that are built with a restaurant or anyone who produces food. It’s funny. I’ve been analyzing what we do, and on its most basic level, we’re giving people sustenance, calories, energy. It can be really satisfying, or it can’t, but the fact that it is, that you really take the time and effort to try and do that, and it works, and they get it, that’s the draw.
Getting Started with 10 Los Angeles Chefs and Restaurateurs
Johneric Concordia (The Park’s Finest)
I don’t know what it is about my own personality and my family’s attitude, you work really hard, you work long, you work fast, in making moves for the next challenge. Part of it is not knowing if this would work, trying your best, and not being sure how folks are going to find out about us. Yelp has been great. Social media has been great. Writers have been great. Every week, somebody’s been coming in, and we’re thinking, “What are we going to do? Are people going to show up?” People are coming through, and I guess the most agonizing thing is doubt. There’s a lot of doubt about, “Am I pushing myself too hard? Am I pushing my family too hard?” In hindsight, I pushed as hard as I could. There are things we could have improved on to make it a little bit more efficient, but to be here, amongst our peers, oh man, this is inspiring. We’re having an interview right now, in the Rose Bowl!
Read the rest of the article here
Biggest Challenges for 13 Los Angeles Chefs and Restaurateurs
We recently spoke with 13 Los Angeles chefs and restaurateurs at An Evening on the Beach, LA Street Food Fest, and out in the field, and they answered several questions, including: What is the biggest challenge in operating restaurants? Here are their responses:
Johneric Concordia (The Park’s Finest)
My food experience was originally at the Denny’s on Vermont and the 101 as a server during the time of the first Laker championship [in 2001], just wylin’ out…Every time I’d see a manager post up safety or try to talk to us about procedures, as a punk kid, “Oh, man, that’s common sense. He’s not talking to me.” Now, as an administrator, as a manager, being able to create procedures and mechanisms so 1) no one gets hurt, 2) we’re better, and 3) we’re not so tired. There’s a lot of growth and maturity. I’m accountable to so many people, from my suppliers to my clients to my family, to the people who support us, to the people who write about us.
Getting Selective with 12 Los Angeles Chefs and Restaurateurs
Johneric Concordia (The Park’s Finest)
It depends. If they want something sweet, Ann’s cornbread. It’s familiar but different, something you could really enjoy. If you want to taste solid barbecue, do you like pork? The pork ribs. Do you like beef? The short rib. Or try something you’ve never tried before, the coco beef.
