In order to work together more effectively, we recently found it useful to document our philosophy of food. I figured it might be of interested to some of you in our community, so I thought I’d post it here. Obviously, this represents an ideal that we work to achieve, and we have to keep focused ’cause we are not fully there yet. But it’s good for us to state our goals.
PHILOSOPHY: ABOUT LINKERY FOOD
We created this restaurant so that many San Diegans can have the chance to experience food the way we love to.
We know that the richest dining experience, the most delicious food, the most nourishing meal, requires that the ingredients be grown with love and with intentions of the highest quality. Our cuisine is simply the act of finding ingredients which were raised this way, often by people we know, and preparing those ingredients with care to maintain their unique qualities and deliciousness.
Our presentations, portions and preparations are meant to reflect that these ingredients are both precious and nourishing. These dishes are meant to be savored, and to leave you satisfied and full of energy.
We also have social goals we want to advance while we can. Simply because we actually want to make the world a better place. Here are some:
* Bringing people closer to the production of their food. Americans generally think of food as something that comes from the supermarket, shrink-wrapped. We want to help people see that, when they eat, they are a part of something bigger than themselves – the whole production of food. This why our kitchen is so open to the guests, and why we personally get to know so many of the farmers, buyers, brewers, and distributors of what we sell.
* Sustainable agriculture and independent farms. The current system of factory food production is destroying our environment, and in many ways our communities. We can’t change everything about it but we do look to advance the cause of sustainable agriculture where we can.
* Giving people a place to go where they can socialize and meet their neighbors. There simply aren’t that many comfortable public places to hang out, particularly in Southern California. This is a big reason Starbucks and Barnes and Noble are so popular – people want to get out of their homes but they don’t always want to go to a bar and drink. We can be a place for people to go, hang out, and learn about their food, and enjoy life.
Many restaurants, particularly very expensive restaurants, share many of these goals, particularly in terms of high quality food. We are different only in that we believe that everybody should get to experience this kind of food regularly – it shouldn’t cost $100/person and be the place you go once a year. You should be able to eat like this every time you go out.
We are bringing fine-dining quality ingredients to the neighborhood restaurant, in a cuisine which is flavorful, healthful, and totally satisfying. All in a fun, worthwhile place, with prices low enough that our community can make it their regular place.
Note: This is periodically edited to reflect some of our evolving thought.