Page 26 - Cityview_May_June_2014

From the

Publisher

I

have watched
a typical commercial operation suitable for the task at hand.

When he had finished showing me around, I asked how
with interest as
much all of this had cost to put in place. his answer of

$150,000 was not surprising. Was the business profitable?
my friend John “Yes,” came the reply, accompanied by the appearance of a

neat set of books outlining all income and expenses. Every-
gabriel has worked
thing looked really good—so I asked the big question: “how

much?” I was sure the cost would be high, I could decline
out the kinks of his new graciously, and I could get back to work. But his reply com-

pletely astonished me—the restaurant could all be mine for
restaurant on wheels.
a mere $5,000.

That just didn’t make sense. The business was easily
worth over $200,000—if not much more! Despite my over-

his food truck concept, forks on the Road, is clever—and whelming curiosity, I’ve never found out why the owners
his tenacity in revving up the engine and serving food to wanted to sell this lovely little restaurant so urgently.

customers in Knoxville left me reminiscing about my own Days later, along with my partner Kim Melkowski, I was
days in the restaurant business.
in the restaurant business. I called upon my good friend

In 1981, while working as a small general contractor, I re- and master chef Jerri fifer to come to Bristol and help
ceived a call from a client requesting a bid to renovate a small design my menu and teach me to cook—all in the space of

restaurant in Bristol, Virginia. The operation was part of the just two weeks. She told me repeatedly that was impos-
Soup Kitchen chain, familiar to Knoxvillians for its locations sible—but all the same, she agreed to come and teach me

in Knoxville and oak Ridge. My brother Rick had worked some basic techniques. Then I was on my own. over the
there during high school, so I was acquainted with the own- next couple of years, I become somewhat of a self-taught

ers. When I arrived, the operating partner was on site to assist chef—and began to understand just how intense managing
me—but not quite in the way I would have expected.
a restaurant can be.

he immediately began to pitch me on buying the res- That experience left me with the upmost respect for all of
taurant. It made me laugh—but he wouldn’t take no for an the folks who undertake to serve our dining needs. Kudos to

answer! In an effort to silence his pleas, I consented to the all of the chefs who competed in our Top Chefs event [see
grand tour. It was a nice little business with room to seat page 72] and to all of the Knoxville chefs who work so hard

about 100 guests in the quaint dining room. The kitchen was
to please our palates every day.

Nathan Sparks

Publisher

24 cityviewmag.com may june 2014