Your newest business, the Bedford Candy Bar has now been open a year. Has anything surprised you about owning the shop and what have been some of the challenges you’ve had to face running your three businesses over the past year? How have you worked to overcome them?
The biggest surprise for the Candy Bar is how many loyal customers visit each week, from Bedford but also other surrounding areas (and a few from MA and CA!)! I assumed the winter would drop for ice cream sales but turns out there are a lot of ice cream lovers out there!
I am lucky that we don’t face too many challenges. There is always that one customer in the service industry who is unhappy with everything but we generally try to turn that smile upside down with some amazing chocolate or a smile.
In addition to running your businesses you are a member of and volunteer for Bedford Village Chowder & Marching Club which has an upcoming community event Saturday February 4th. Can you share a little about the history of the organization, where did it get its name, and what does the organization do?
The Bedford Village Chowder & Marching Club was founded in 1956 with the mission to raise funds for local youth-related programs in the Village of Bedford, NY. The Club raises funds through two annual events, Spring Clean-up Weekend and the Fall Dinner Dance. The Club’s fund-raising efforts help provide support for arts programs, club and school sports, scouts, athletics, youth outreach, scholarship and community service. Our mission is to raise funds through community events and to donate all such funds to worthwhile youth-based activities for the children of the Village of Bedford. Particularly to those activities concerned with the educational, moral, mental, physical and civic betterment of the youth of our community.
It is thought that Chowder & Marching societies were originally organized during pre-Revolutionary times where groups of concerned citizens gathered together over chowder to discuss current affairs and then marched into town to air their grievances. Today, the Bedford Village C&M Club meets monthly to review requests for funds, plan fund-raisers and discuss issues relevant to its charter.
Membership is limited to twenty families. This is due to the original C&M Club members’ who thought that a maximum of twenty families could comfortably fit in a living room, where monthly meetings are conducted.
You and your husband James met as line cooks at Per Se in New York City, I’ve read that you had a bit of a competitive relationship - what would you say both of your professional goals were at that time?
Per Se was a very difficult and challenging place to work, it was the Harvard of restaurants and did not accept many cooks. Just to be able to get to that point was beyond an accomplishment. At that time our goal was to maintain, survive, and continue to learn. We were young, and sponges of all tastes and techniques. I think the kitchen naturally made the 6-8 of us on the line competitive, as we all vied for more attention so we could continue to hone our skills and move upward in the culinary field.
How did your work in the kitchen together help prepare you to open your three businesses?
We worked together for approximately 72 hours per week. Kitchens have no place for makeup, cologne, perfume, accessories. We saw each other (arguably) at our worst: tired, sweaty, anxious, stressed, nervous. When you meet someone in that way (vs. a typical NYC dating scene), you build a very strong foundation; you hold hands at night, you wipe tears and sweat away. We don’t really know how to work without each other. We’re elbow to elbow every day. Being a female Chef in high-end restaurants was also very helpful in creating strength and perseverance. That’s another story!
You opened G.E. Brown with an infant at home and decided to open the Bedford Candy Shop in the middle of the pandemic, I wouldn’t say those were the easiest circumstances to start a new business. Where did you find the energy and what kept you going?
Most chefs are used to organized chaos as a way of life. You never know what’s going to hit you–you just stand behind the line and wait for the orders to roll in. It’s not for everybody–you have to be able to handle and manage extreme stress; the rush that happens when the guests first sit. It’s a way of life, built into our personalities. I suppose I work better when in the middle of Chaos. I also needed coffee before 9am when I had an infant, a definite reason to open a coffee shop! When thinking about the Candy Bar, my kids kept me going. They were fully remote for almost a year and handled it with confidence and smiles. I thought, if they can crush this pandemic, so can I.
As a husband and wife team with young kids, how do you create boundaries between work and home life?
Ha! That is the never ending question. We are together a lot more than most couples due to the nature of our work, but it’s all we have ever known. We are avid travelers so try to book trips with our kids whenever possible. We love taking road-trips and booking hotels along the way from an app (unplanned on purpose). When we are away we make a pact to not talk about work, and phones are never allowed during meals or activities. We also watch movies with the kids every night (or play a board game), no electronics allowed. Currently on Harry Potter!
What have been the greatest challenges about keeping one shop going and opening a new one in the middle of a pandemic?
Making sure that we have valuable time with our kids where we are focused solely on them and their needs.
How have you managed staffing shortages for both your catering business and cafe?
For our catering company it was/is very difficult. Thankfully for G.E. Brown and the Bedford Candy Bar, we have very loyal and caring staff. You know when people say, “you can’t be nice as a boss”? That’s not true. Sure, there will be one person who takes advantage of you. But if you’re a kind, caring business owner and you take care of your employees, they become like family. We are truly blessed.
How have you maintained morale amongst your team?
We constantly remind our staff that we couldn’t do this without them. We celebrate their birthdays, have fun around the holidays and create a jovial environment at work. We have the most incredible staff, I think about this daily.
What advice would you give to others who are thinking about opening a brick and mortar in the food space?
If you are opening with a partner/investor, make sure that the foundation between you is sealed and dry before you build more bricks.
Lightning Round:
What’s the best selling item at the Candy Bar?
Hot Cocoa bar *winter
Anything new planned for the menu at GE Brown?
We just added the hot cocoa bar recently, more changes to come!
What’s the best meal you’ve had this year?
