Chef Tanya grew up in a family passionate about cooking. It was that passion she experienced cooking for friends and family that led Tanya on her path to Chef and restaurateur and she has been blazing new trails ever since. Her goals when deciding to open her own restaurant circled around diversifying the industry and creating opportunities for people from her similar background.

Creating a new spin on modern soul food and comfort classics, she has created a brand that spans restaurants, cookbooks and television work.

After studying at La Varenne in Burgundy France, and the Institute of Culinary Education, her goals when starting out were to be a part of diversifying the industry and creating opportunities for others. With her restaurant Brown Sugar Kitchen, she has created a destination diner with a comforting atmosphere and menu that includes local and seasonal food with a soulful twist.

It is that focus on resourcing local and careful attention to food waste that is Chef Tanya’s philosophy around food, hiring, and sourcing. With a smaller kitchen, her staff needs to be even more efficient balancing limited storage with perishables. That is why she is a stickler about rotation and ‘first in, first out’, as well as portion control.

Food Waste is especially important to Chef Tanya. She has bins for composting where she works with community gardens while cultivating vendors who also value sustainability.

When ordering, being mindful to waste is ever present and being as efficient as possible is paramount. Brown Sugar Kitchen’s menu doesn’t change, so it is easier to monitor inventory and reduce waste. She continues that ethos in seeking to eliminate waste across her operation.

Brown Sugar Kitchen Stats

Oakland is a relatively new player on the culinary stage, but it has now proven that it has some pretty serious restaurant chops. Oakland recently scored the top spot on USA Today’s list of “Best Local Food Scenes” on the West Coast. Tanya Holland, Owner and Head Chef of Brown Sugar Kitchen, has been a part of this city for 12 years helping put Oakland on the map.

Chef Holland has contributed so much to the culinary fabric of the Bay Area; her impact is felt both in the industrial neighborhood where she created a destination dining space as well as beyond the borders of Oakland. Devoted customers flock to her restaurant where ‘comfort’ extends beyond the menu. Chef Holland wanted to create a concept that would universally appeal to diners, whether they be native to Oakland or visiting from overseas.

What keeps them coming back is her mastery over her culinary craft, where any given Sunday you will find a line outside the door, especially for brunch. With southern cooking at the root of her cuisine, her French training as well as Caribbean flavors merge to create an eclectic menu fully infused with flavor.

Brown Sugar Kitchen’s kitchen is a super busy, open format where everyone works in sync with each other. The open concept creates a staff dynamic of sharing and enjoying the theatre of the kitchen while creating good cuisine for their customers.

A quote by Tanya Holland hangs in Stanford’s Red Skillet Kitchen, a Southern cooking concept where Tanya Holland is a consulting chef. It reads: “Bringing people together over food is a way to break down barriers.”

It could be the motto for Brown Sugar Kitchen as well.

Brown Sugar Kitchen Stats

By now, eating locally and sourcing sustainably is baked into almost all menus in the Bay Area, but Chef Tanya takes the process to new heights. She shared with us some of her kitchen magic: by making menu items perform double duty, she not only reduces waste, but serves up money- saving dishes that customers love.

Leftover potatoes that are cut one way for breakfast are then chopped up to make a hash at the end of the day. Another hash is made from the Smoked Pork cut off the bone of the original menu item.

Jerk Chicken is smoked every day and then pulled off the bone to make Gumbo to use every last bit of the smoky meat. Bacon made for the breakfast service is then cut up and used in the Bacon Cheddar Scallion Biscuits. Day old coffee grounds are used to make cold brew coffee and older grounds go to the garden compost pile.

What is left over is then composted through a local community garden and other items that the garden cannot take, is picked up by Recology, the Bay Area waste management company who is very progressive in their sustainability practices.

Chef Tanya and her kitchen manager Lakesha are getting comfortable with the BlueCart platform where Chef Tanya seeks to have accountability for staff and vendors, clarity around raw product usage during the ordering process and less waste, Lakesha sees the BlueCart platform as a way to watch costs and save money in the long term. She also appreciates not having to phone in orders!

Brown Sugar Kitchen Stats

Chef Tanya and her kitchen manager, Lakesha Pursley, are really pushing the envelope when it comes to acclimating to the BlueCart platform. With a whopping 19 suppliers on the platform, they have really embraced the Zero Waste Kitchen project. Chef Tanya, like many other restaurant operators, likes to speak directly to her suppliers and maintain her personal relationships.

These are relationships cultivated over time, so she appreciates the opportunity to ask directly about her products, where it is sourced, how it is packaged and any new products they may have that she could incorporate into a dish. On the flipside, she doesn’t take as many vendor meetings due to the intensity of her business. Brown Sugar Kitchen is known for lines around the building during breakfast and lunch, so working with vendors needs to fall into the efficiency bucket as well.

What does she look for in a supplier? Consistent quality and product, locally sourced, a thoughtful heads-up if a there is a product change and one that practices sustainability in their own business. When seeking out a new vendor, reputation plays a big role along the same product quality. Everyday deliveries are vital seeing as Brown Sugar Kitchen’s storage capability is small and not a lot of walk-in space to store extras. The reason the Brown Sugar Kitchen is so organized.

This is an extremely efficient kitchen as Chef Tanya states, “we have to be efficient because we have a small kitchen.” Spacing out deliveries gives them time to put food away further increasing the utility of this tightly-run ship. Knowing your products and suppliers and how best to employ is also key; one supplier may deliver early in the morning, another later in the day. Prioritizing orders to fit with products and deliveries is yet another innate quality of Chef Tanya and her Kitchen Manager, Lakesha Pursley. Using BlueCart satisfies both the opportunity to talk with her supplier’s sales reps while also speeding up the process when they are under the gun, which is the norm in this very busy restaurant.

Brown Sugar Kitchen Stats

Prior to BlueCart, e-mailing and phone calls were the preferred method to order from suppliers. In addition, spreadsheets were imperative to staying on top of orders and an updated list of product vendors.

The menu at Brown Sugar Kitchen doesn’t change much which makes ordering and inventory easier as it is a daily process.

Food waste is currently tracked by carefully watching what is used in recipes and by setting obtainable goals in place to visually monitor inventory each day. Since they compost kitchen waste in a variety of ways, this system is streamlined and embedded in the daily routine.

Regarding technology at Brown Sugar Kitchen, the POS system is the most utilized. With reporting – both sales and payroll – it is a very functional part of the operations. Insight into data is helpful with check averages and pricing. They know their sales leaders, but like to track consumer metrics to better understand trends and customer preferences.

With the addition of the BlueCart platform, additional reporting from the inventory and ordering side of the kitchen is adding a helpful layer in this already streamlined and efficient kitchen.

Brown Sugar Kitchen Stats

Keeping your kitchen productive and ensuring that everyone stays on task seems to be a universal issue among restaurants. For Brown Sugar Kitchen, keeping employees busy and productive during and after the breakfast or lunch service. In this kitchen, however, keeping the prep work going during a busy time is a challenge along with managing, hiring and scheduling staff.

Chef Tanya has set up an effective system to keep kitchen staff working together. Whether it’s making waffles from scratch or creating a stock, there is a congruence to the way the team works – from prep to completion. Keeping recipes and prep lists organized helps keep the kitchen running smoothly.

Lakes Pursley, Kitchen Manager of Brown Sugar Kitchen, shared that the systems in place at BSK make her job easier. Lakesha talks about how Chef Tanya has created a most ‘purposeful kitchen’. “Her system runs like clockwork, it is very impressive and there is nothing like it.”

Every spot in the kitchen is utilized and serves a purpose. If a spot is empty, it needs replacing ~ it’s just that simple. Or if they run out of an item, say cornbread – the kitchen staff goes into action with the smooth, and finely tuned processes they have been trained to do.

Brown Sugar Kitchen Stats

Brown Sugar Kitchen Stats

Brown Sugar Kitchen Stats

Chef Ma is a renaissance man. Going from a left-brain career as an engineer to the more creative right brain role as a chef, came full circle for him. Growing up in a restaurant family, Chef Tim was by default immersed in that life and thus chose to return.

When he decided to open a restaurant, his goals were to not just own a restaurant but also to be a chef and speak “a chef’s language.”. Knowing more than just operations and running a restaurant was very important to him and he found the challenge intriguing. Training at what is now the French Culinary Institute, he discovered that he truly loved professional cooking and had a sincere love of food.

As his skills and experience progressed, his goals and philosophy were shaped for how to design his menus; with local purveyors that are plentiful in Virginia where he opened his first restaurant. The thoughtful approach of ‘farm to table’ was prevalent with a rooftop garden and focus on local procurement of produce and meat. Now with his newest restaurant in DC, Kyirisan, he has perfected this process where it is now second nature to him and his staff.

With strong beliefs in place, Chef Ma’s kitchen doctrine is to reutilize whatever does not go on a customer’s plate such as a kohlrabi or beet; or, using the bulb and stem or shells of onions. For mushrooms, he uses the tops for plating and stems for making a stock that is shared with his other restaurants.

The challenge around ordering and food waste, as with any restaurant, is the continual balance of having enough inventory but not running out. Checking inventory at Kyirisan is a conscious and continual process throughout the day. Maintaining an efficient kitchen and being mindful of food waste is a shared responsibility among the staff. Catch more of Tim Ma on an episode of Chefs Dish DC!

Kyirisan Kitchen Stats

“Happy Cooks = Happy Food = Happy Customers”, a motto Chef Tim Ma subscribes to in creating the feeling of his restaurant Kyirisan. This mantra is apparent in the zen-like approach he’s implemented into his restaurant and overall dining atmosphere. Despite having an entirely different career as an Engineer in the Defense sector prior to going to cooking school, Chef Tim has managed to create a culture that lends itself to a content staff. It’s quite a challenge considering the stressful nature of grueling restaurant kitchen work that can take a toll on cooks both mentally and physically. His philosophy has been instrumental in his staff’s morale, and ultimately, his restaurant’s success. Chef Tim can pick and choose his dream team who fits well in the culture of end-to-end responsibility leading to a staff that can take pride in their work. His incredibly low turnover rate is testament to Chef Tim’s leadership and positivity-inspired culture.

From a broader perspective, culture is a great influencer of the menu. For Chef Tim, Kyirisan is a reflection of both his Chinese heritage and his training in French cuisine. By applying French techniques to various dishes, Chef Tim creates new twists out of old favorites. Whether by chance or by choice, Chef Tim is right in the middle of the food revolution that is currently taking DC by storm. As Chef Tim says, “DC is having a food moment.” We would agree; DC was recently named the best Restaurant City of the year for 2016 with extra attention from Bon Appetit and Michelin appointing 12 Michelin stars late last year.

Within the larger community, there is an Asian Street Food movement where Kyirisan fits snugly among modern Asian cuisine that blends with Filipino, Asian and Chinese cuisine.

It’s a good time to be in DC.

Kyirisan Kitchen Stats

A very controlled kitchen and ordering only what is needed is what keeps Kyirisan at the front door of the food waste revolution. Using everything in the kitchen; root to tip and nose to tail; Chef Ma buys only what is needed.

Chef Tim emphasizes the use of local, sustainable, and organic food, which is prevalent throughout his menu. Sourcing meat and produce from farms and other places he trusts is critical to his belief in the local sourcing and farm to table movements.

This isn’t a new practice for Chef Tim. His Vienna, VA restaurant Maple Ave was awarded green certification due to its green activities that they put to use every day by recycling used cooking oil into biodiesel fuel, eliminating usage of Styrofoam, using biodegradable carry-out containers and bags, implementing a recycling program, using natural lighting, and purveying local, sustainable and organic food.

He is currently using the BlueCart platform ordering for the kitchen and adding the Bar to his orders this week. This will give him a 360 view of his inventory and order history along with analytics to compare purchases over time. Chef Tim especially likes that he can see other orders pending so there isn’t any confusion over incoming and outgoing orders.

Chef Tim counts on his purveyors for inspiration and appreciates the introduction of unusual or ‘off the beaten path’ produce. Tuscarora Farms and Sea to Table are two he trusts to deliver to keep his menu fresh.

Kyirisan Kitchen Stats

The Kyirisan menu is designed to be playful and fun – noted immediately as the dishes are described as “’In the Ground”, “On the Ground” and “Under the Water”. You immediately know that the original source of the ingredients are critical to share and note.

With nine suppliers on the BlueCart platform, the Kyirisan staff is jumping right in. Going from texting or e-mailing orders prior to using BlueCart is becoming a habit for his staff.

Keeping track of all orders and easy access to order history is definitely a benefit to the old way. Especially when orders were missed altogether via e-mail – something he and his team would notice with a few weekend orders. They took to e-mailing their entire back office just to make sure the order went through. With BlueCart, when an order is placed, both the vendor and the chef receive the order and you know when your supplier opens the e-mail. Confirmation without having to make a phone call or wonder if your order went through. Flexing new muscles to adopt a new system is always a challenge, even when that new system brings benefits.

Sustainability is important to Chef Ma, so sourcing meat and produce from farms and other places he trusts is critical. He has known some of his suppliers and reps since the very beginning; that longevity goes a long way when your supplier relationships go from transaction-focused to business partnerships between Chef and Rep. His rep will take care of him; whether it is a price adjustment, a last minute item needed or bringing new or unique products to his attention that are a perfect fit for his menu. When asked what characteristics you look for in a new supplier, the answer was showing a new product he can’t get anywhere else. One of those was a Crème´Fraiche product introduced by Chef’s Warehouse that is now an integral part of the Kyirisan menu. Another supplier, International Gourmet, always comes in to introduce new items to Chef Ma. Something he really appreciates as he doesn’t have the time to do so. And who knows, it could become a very important ingredient from a dish rooted in plant, protein or sea.

Kyirisan Kitchen Stats

At Kyirisan, there are three people in the kitchen who place orders so communication is key. It’s absolutely imperative that everyone is coordinating their ordering efforts so no orders get lost or doubled up. Prior to BlueCart, Chef Ma and his kitchen crew called in orders or sent e-mails.

Keeping track of food waste is not a difficult task; a loosely described system of innately knowing what you have on hand. Extra items are usually served up for staff and family meals.

Kyirisan does have opportunities to go off menu; private dining and wine dinners are served either by utilizing a communal table that sits in the middle of the restaurant or a full buy out of the restaurant. These events call for special ingredients not presented on the regular menu. In fact, for Valentine’s Day this year, they went totally off menu by creating a Valentine’s Day “Fancy F***ing French Restaurant”. Chef Ma appreciates the opportunity to totally transcend the restaurant and offer something unique to his guests.

He recalls a special birthday event for a local newscaster; knowing she loved soufflé – an item not currently on his menu, he created a special tasting menu around her favorite foods. Surprising her with a rooftop cake and champagne celebration while hilltop views of Washington DC completed the experience.

Utilizing technology at Kyrisan is all about efficiency. Chef Ma values the streamlined ordering process with BlueCart as well as his reservation and POS systems – back-of-the-house technology is improving but he feels that operationally, he does not require much tech as the front-of-the-house requires interaction with a host, waiter and seeing the chefs in the kitchen. It is all part of the experience and art of the restaurant.

Kyirisan Kitchen Stats

Time management and productivity are super important in any restaurant and hold as much importance as getting the food prepared and out to a customer. When we asked Chef Ma about the most time consuming part of being a chef, personnel management is definitely a large part of the job between hiring and management issues. Chef Ma recalls his past restaurants. He went from running a 28-seat restaurant with a moderate staff to a large staff running a 90+ seat restaurant. At Kyirisan, an intimate space with 60+ seats, he still has a large staff and spends a good chunk of his time managing staff. There is a great deal more detail here due to being new to DC and the spotlight brought on by garnering a Michelin Star ranking for 2017.

There is a certain level of expectation when you have that kind of attention. Chef Ma likes to delegate by giving his staff ownership of their area – whether it is the Savory department, Pastry department, dish room or front of the house. {I was lucky enough to experience this first hand when I visited Kyirisan as our waiter went above and beyond to describe the various (and amazing) items on the menu and detailed journey of the cocktails.}

A close second to personnel management is keeping track of inventory.

Ideally, the Kyirisan staff would take inventory one time per week on the same day at the same time in order to get a consistent snapshot of their inventory – a task that could take about 2-3 hours a week in the back-of-the-house and another 2-3 hours per week in the bar. They don’t have time for in-depth inventory in this fast-paced restaurant, and with over 100 bottles of liquor, 20+ bottles of wine, a selection of beer and weighing beer kegs – it is a large investment of time.

With the introduction of the BlueCart platform, and only six weeks in, Chef Ma has yet to experience the inventory functionality of BC, but does see the benefit of having all orders in one place as well as all ordering history.

As he is still diving in with this robust platform, he does see the power in the data and analytics it allows. For instance, if he ordered 20 pounds of Brussel sprouts last week and only 7 this week, he can look at the analytics and see why that was the case. Or, if he is consistently ordering more of a product than expected, this gives him leverage to talk with his supplier about pricing, which could be quite a boon to the bottom line!

Kyirisan Kitchen Stats

Kyirisan Kitchen Stats

Kyirisan Kitchen Stats

It’s the small things.

Chef Mehta has created an atmosphere of not only good food, but doing things the right way. With three restaurants - Graffiti Earth, Me and You, and Mehtaphor – he manages to keep his focus on what matters most: keeping guests enchanted, while staying true to responsible sourcing and creative use of menu items.

Good food prepared simply while adhering to a philosophy that stems from an Ayurvedic upbringing is the foundation for his thoughtful approach to everything. Coming from a third world country, Mehta believes enjoying the true riches of food is not only deserved for the rich.

When Chef Mehta started his restaurant, his primary goal was to make people happy. By serving food that is thoughtfully prepared, Chef Mehta honors his guests and the food.

Proteins and vegetables are utilized thoroughly from nose to tail and root to tip. If not utilized on a guest’s plate, then extra meat, bones, or peelings are then repurposed as stock to be used later. He also uses food that is naturally efficient - like mushrooms that use less water by design - and these are fully thought out and incorporated into the menu.

In Chef Mehta’s kitchen, it isn’t just the food that is given a second life. Napkins are made from scraps of cloth and are smaller than average to save water. Silverware used in the restaurants are handed down and newspapers are placements.

Menus are printed on both sides and if old, they is burned off adding a charming, but useful touch.

Chef Mehta works with vendors who offer smaller minimums so he can order daily rather than large orders for the week. This helps him reduce food waste and make the most of what he purchases. If Mehta does have extra, he shares between his other restaurants. He was trained early to quickly gauge what he needs to maintain an efficient kitchen.

You may know Chef Mehta as a former Iron Chef nominee and most recently given the moniker ‘Food Waste Crusader’ by Food Republic. We would say it is a title he wears well.

Graffiti Earth Kitchen Stats