There is a romantic notion many of us have about opening our own bar, restaurant, or diner.
Somehow, we focus solely on the imagined glamour of proclaiming that the next round is on the house, or telling your friends you’ll hold a preferred table for them, or lining your walls with photos of you and celebrity diners.
It’s easy to forget about the fickleness of consumers, the challenges of getting liquor permits, the fragile support of bankers, the surprise visits by food critics and the unknown impact of weather. Let alone dealing with prima donna chefs, frustrated actresses-cum-waitresses and the dearth of people willing to wash dishes.
But still that dream persists. I think of it often when I pass an empty storefront that I think would make for a great pub. I would call it “Herschels,” as in Walker, my nickname. Or when I see a restaurant close for lack of service, I imagine investing in an up-and-coming maître d’ and unleashing his caring ways on my neighbours. Many a time when I taste a unique creation, my mind wanders to what spin I may put on it. Like a peanut butter and tomato sandwich. Seriously, try it. Sounds gross, but few things blend as well as a sweet red tamale and some salty Kraft PB.
Or when I see a restaurant close for lack of service, I imagine investing in an up-and-coming maître d’ and unleashing his caring ways on my neighbours. Many a time when I taste a unique creation, my mind wanders to what spin I may put on it. Like a peanut butter and tomato sandwich. Seriously, try it. Sounds gross, but few things blend as well as a sweet red tamale and some salty Kraft PB.
So it was with more than a small tweak of envy last weekend that I realized the hottest new diner in my ‘hood, Uncle Betty’s (will explain the name later!), is the brainchild of Toronto advertising maven Robert Lewocz and his wife Samara Melanson.
If you don’t know Robert, he’s a former partner in Aldo Cundari’s hot marketing shop and is now guiding the growth of Cheil, the former Samsung in-house agency, to new heights.
Robert and Samara got their inspiration from a simple, yet personal, need. They were tired of the lack of a great ice cream shop near their North Toronto home. Frustrated by the necessity of trucking blocks away to treat their kids… a solution in the form of an epiphany emerged to open their own shop.
But they didn’t stop there. They quickly realized that floating a full restaurant solely on dairy delights wasn’t going to be viable. So they sprung from cups and cones to hot dogs and grilled cheese.
Inspired by Robert’s mother-in-law – a single mother named Elizabeth, who was such a rock in her family at performing dual parent roles that over time, her kids, nieces and nephews nicknamed her “Uncle Betty” – a diner was born.
Uncle Betty’s is not your usual diner. It features a doughnut machine. All-beef hot dogs. A meatloaf to die for. Sunday brunch. All-day breakfast. And a licence to serve beer.
As well, it has an ownership duo who are living the dream. Robert isn’t about to leave advertising, but he was bussing tables, motivating the kitchen staff and doing the night deposits when I saw him on opening weekend. I couldn’t imagine keeping that pace up while also servicing clients.
There weren’t any celebrities when I was there. Although I heard that Johann Koss was there minutes before we arrived. Too bad we missed him; I could have gotten some advice for how to help build the brand of our new client at Speed Skating Canada.
But I don’t think Robert opened the place for the celebs or to buy a round for the crowd. Though I do think he opened it to hold a table for friends.
More precisely, those friends are his kids.