Chaos in the Top Tier of Twin Cities Restaurants
Part of why we eat where we eat is because we like and trust the people running those restaurants. I look at eating out as an investment, a way of voting with my money. So the news rocking the restaurant community right now is really making me think.
Andrew Zimmern’s been killing it with his reporting on the drama involving Josh Thoma, Tim McKee, Issac Becker (Bar La Grassa), and the owners of Barrio (including Ryan Burnet). Rick Nelson covered it in this morning’s Strib.
Short version: Thoma & McKee own La Belle Vie, Solera, and had a small piece of Barrio. Thoma had a piece of Bar La Grassa. Thoma was shifting money from Bar La Grassa “to LBV, from Barrio to LBV, and then from LBV to Solera,” according to Zimmern.
He did this without the consent or knowledge of the other owners. His long-time business partner Tim McKee (the acclaimed chef behind LBV) told Zimmern he didn’t know about it either.
It’s not unusual in the food world to have a money guy running things, and a food guy running the kitchen. But when you’re the boss, and your reputation is on the line, that’s not good enough.
While I believe that Tim is telling the truth, he had to know that Solera was in financial trouble and apparently La Belle Vie also had money worries. Those restaurants have been on the delinquient liquor tax list published by the state.
If Tim and Josh were the only people involved in all these restaurants, it would be fine. You can shift money wherever you want. But because of all the confusing combinations of people, you can’t rob Peter to keep Paul in business. It’s immoral, and seems like it should be illegal.
I just toasted my tasting menu dinner at La Belle Vie in my Minnesota Monthly food blog last week, and knowing about the financial mismanagement doesn’t change how wonderful that meal was.
But I’m disappointed. I want my favorite restaurants to treat more than just their customers well. I want them to treat their employees well, their vendors well, and their investors well. Just as I expect better in the kitchen at the top tier of restaurants, I expect better in the back office.
