Then a little over a year ago we had the opportunity to open another restaurant in a classic downtown steak restaurant. We knew we didn’t want to bring it back as a hardcore steakhouse. Instead the Riverside Clubhouse features straight up American fare: neighborhood favorites, some steaks, bacon-lettuce-tomato sandwiches, iceberg wedge salads. The Clubhouse has only been open about 10 months, and already we’re starting to get local recognition.

Now Matt and I are working on seafood, planning to open the Blue Point Oyster Bar in the nearby Cache Creek Casino by April. This will be a totally different operation for us, since it’s located within an upscale food court. The Blue Point will have a sushi counter and serve po’boy sandwiches, steamed shellfish from a counter format.

This summer, we’ll open Bistro 33, a variation of the 33rd Street Bistro, which will be in Davis, home of the University of California. I’m really excited about the building, which is in an old police station and city hall area.

I pretty much stay involved with kitchen activities, where I’m in charge of all that hiring and purchasing, as well as menu development. Our relationship works so well because this allows us to both focus on our strengths and avoid conflicts.

See, we serve food at 33rd Street all day long. We go straight from the breakfast menu to lunch and then dinner. From two o’clock through five, the dining room is a nice place for business meetings. So it doesn’t matter what time you come in the restaurant, there’s always a table and there are always people enjoying a meal or just lounging around.

We also cultivate a loyal following of single diners. I don’t believe anyone should ever feel awkward eating alone. Wine by the glass, comfortable counters, the chance to interact with our staff – it’s all part of creating the right environment.

It’s kind of a love-hate situation. You either love working for us or you could hate in. We’re strict about what we want. We don’t let people change our recipes, for one thing. Consistency is just too important. We also push people to always reach for a higher level. But at the same time, we favor direct communication and try to maintain an open-door policy. If you have a better way to do something, or want to make a suggestion, we’re eager to discuss it. Our cooks are responsible for different specials every day, and that always gives them a chance to explore new ideas, too. I try to teach my kitchen staff about good utilization and balancing inventory to maximize cash flow. And I have high expectations about them assuming responsibility for their own work.

After lunch, I head back over to the bistro to follow up with Pam and we all put the evening specials together. Then I go work dinner at the Riverside Clubhouse with Jeremy.

But if I have to tell the truth, we are looking for a part time “mom.” You know, someone to help organize the central office, field press calls, help keep our schedules up-to date, and free up some of that administrative time.