When quarantine first began, businesses in the restaurant industry were quickly hit with closures, no in-house dining, and limited ways to interact with customers. With these new restrictions, San Francisco’s restaurants saw a 91% decrease in revenue.
For Ryan Cole, recently named one of the “Restaurateurs of the Year” by San Francisco Magazine after opening four successful restaurants in five years, failure was not an option:
With a focus on helping his community—both those he serves and those who work in his industry—Ryan quickly adopted a start-up ethos and led his team through a ten-day journey that resulted in the opening of one of the city’s first socially distanced, outdoor restaurants.
In this episode of Real Talk, Ryan provides an honest outlook on everything from creating ghost kitchens, chef incubators, and socially distanced events, to navigating PPP loans, employees’ unemployment, and the personal toll it’s taken to pivot to a mindset where he’s forced to think with his head, and not with his heart.
Watch the full episode! 👇
Originally published Oct 06, 2020, updated Jan 30, 2023