Discover the Secrets of Dessert Fare Served Across the U.S. from Three Unique Dessert Providers
Americans have a weakness for a wide variety of sweet treats. In our search for heavenly palate-pleasers, top-quality service, impeccable taste and overall satisfaction, we’ve come across a few providers who make the dessert experience even more worthwhile.
Frozen Yogurt Machines at Pink Swirls
The overall dedication to their customers’ satisfaction and devout loyalty to their culinary craft highlight the reason these three PreGel AMERICA clients are successful and making it possible for Americans to satisfy their ever-growing sweet tooth.
* Interviewer and author Janae Morris (JM)
PINK SWIRLS
Managing Member: Jennifer Han (JH)
www.pink-swirls.com
*please visit the website for contact information on all three locations
JM: What inspired you to open a fro-yo business?
JH: Our inspiration comes from our love of frozen yogurt, fresh fruit and healthy eating.
JM: What do you think is the key to your success?
JH: The key to our success is to stick with what we believe in, create quality products that we love, and not try to compete. We don’t let our competitors determine what steps we make.
JM: What are your best-selling flavors?
JH: Our best-selling flavor is, of course, chocolate because who doesn’t love chocolate; but vanilla and our sweet original tart are also favorites.
JM: If you could create any flavor, what would it be?
JH: Root beer float, keeping the bubbles and all, or aloe vera because it’s good for your complexion.
JM: How long have you been in business?
JH: A little more than a year.
JM: How many stores/shops do you own?
JH: Three.
JM: What’s on your menu?
JH: We have shaved ice, Belgian waffles infused with our frozen yogurt and finished off with more than 40 different toppings.
JM: Would you consider frozen yogurt a passion?
JH: Yes. We also consider it a lifestyle. We want to eat healthy, work healthy and enjoy healthy living.
JM: What is the main thing you would want people to know about your business?
JH: We started this business because of our addiction to healthy eating and wanted to share the benefits of live cultures with the rest of the world.
JM: If you had a slogan, what would it be?
JH: Make “healthy” a lifestyle and not just a thought.
JM: What are your goals? Would you like to franchise your business or expand your menu?
JH: Our goal is to continue to gain success doing what we enjoy. We are licensing and expanding our menus. We love creating new products.
JM: What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far in business?
JH: The biggest lesson is to be ourselves and not copycat. It is okay to draw inspiration, but be yourself.
JM: What drives/inspires you?
JH: My love for healthy quality products and the benefits it gives drives me to create good products, and my love of fashion inspires me to create an elegant, yet fun atmosphere for my customers to enjoy.
JM: Is your business active in your community? How so?
JH: We make many donations and contributions in our community. The last one we were involved with is the Redbud Classic Run which is a tradition involving Oklahoma community through fitness, fun and philanthropy. It is a nonprofit organization to promote Safe Kid Oklahoma.
JM: Do you have events at your shop(s)? What kind?
JH: We have birthday parties, bridal showers, baby showers, club meetings and just about any other types of event that you can think of. We have accommodated it all.
JM: Is there an occurrence/business blooper you would most like to forget?
JH: Yes. When we first opened, we had our floors re-stained. The smell crept to our neighbor’s suite and they thought it was a chemical spill. They called 911 and the whole shopping plaza was evacuated. Everyone in the shopping plaza panicked and made themselves sick. The fire marshall had to go from suite to suite explaining to everyone they were safe. It was awful.
JM: What do you think sets you apart from other frozen yogurt businesses?
JH: The thing different about us is that we bring quality product to a self-service concept. We create our products ourselves. We are in this business because we love it and it’s a part of our lifestyle. We are not jumping on the bandwagon because it looks easy. We love what we do, and we are passionate about doing it. We don’t skip on anything just to make a great profit. Our atmosphere is inspired by our love of fashion, and it’s quite different from your average yogurt store.
JM: Number of staff?
JH: From our three locations we have more than 20 staff members (aka our “Swirl Masters”).
JM: How did you come up with the name for you business?
JH: Everyone who knows me knows I love the color pink. My sister-in-law who is also my partner came up with the word swirls, because that’s what you do when you dispense yogurt. You swirl it into your cup. So we put the word pink and swirls together and came up with Pink Swirls.
JM: What is one of your most rewarding experiences/greatest success stories thus far?
JH: One of my most rewarding experiences is being able to see the business grow to three stores in less than a year. I find myself very lucky to be able to have the type of success that we have doing what comes naturally, but our greatest success has been our work with the community and being able to give back.
GELATIAMO
Owner and Founder: Maria Coassin (MC)
Co-owner: Sklyer Locatelli (SL)
1400 Third Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
206-467-9563
www.gelatiamo.com
JM: What inspired you to open a gelato shop?
MC: My family, my country (Italy) and myself. I was born in a family of bakers with a 200-year-old tradition and from them I learned all about passion, quality and what it means to be proud of what you do. The part of Italy I come from is famous for the gelato industry and many of my friends have gelaterie of their own. I am a very driven, very passionate individual, and when I knew I was moving to the States, I knew I would want to do something that had to do with what I knew best, my family and my country.
JM: What do you think is the key to your success?
MC: Passion, know-how, determination, the ability to train and mentor my staff, and growth awareness. Passion is the key ingredient of my business. Passion for the product, passion for the customers, passion for the way things are done.
Knowledge is fundamental in the success of any business, but in this business it becomes even more important. What has enabled me to be successful was not only the knowledge of the industry itself but most importantly the knowledge of the chemistry behind the product. Success doesn’t come without hardship; determination kept me focused on my goals and the desire to get Gelatiamo where it is today.
No one can build a business alone. However, all businesses need a leader. I was fortunate to have found wonderful people that I could share my dream with. From the very beginning to now, most all of my staff is made of dedicated long-term employees. Among them I was able to find the person who would ultimately become my business partner. I have always looked at someone being able to share my dream, vision and passion for the business, and when Skyler Locatelli came along in 2004, I quickly realized that he had the passion, desire and the humbleness to learn what I had to teach him. Oftentimes small business owners forget that their role goes beyond making and selling the product; you have to mentor, train and inspire the people around you. Only then will you be able to work in synergy for the greater good.
It is easy to start a business but it is difficult to keep it going and growing. After four years of retail business, I looked at growth in the wholesale market. I have always been extremely aware about what my potentials were, and with that in mind I was able to establish strong relationships with each customer. We became reputable in the industry for our high-quality products and great service, which gave us the luxury of having customers come to Gelatiamo and us deciding if we could supply them or not. This allowed us to build our business without the financial risk of growing the company too quickly.
JM: What are your best-selling flavors?
MC: Best-selling flavors are the ones the people like! From traditional Italian flavors like chocolate, pistacchio and nocciola to the unique to recipes that we have developed over the years. Being in the Northwest, the people demand Northwest specialties – these include local raspberries, strawberries and blackberries.
JM: If you could create any flavor, what would it be?
MC/SL: Well, in fact, we do! Since we develop our own recipes and we are extremely knowledgeable about the gelato chemistry, we are able to develop any flavor that our customers request. We work very closely with the local Seattle restaurants to create custom flavors on a regular basis. We have made some very interesting flavors over the years and will continue to do so.
JM: How long have you been in business?
MC: Fourteen years and counting…
JM: How many stores/shops do you own?
MC: One flagship store, our boutique. However our gelato is available in over 40 different establishments.
JM: What’s on your menu?
MC: From the beginning, I was set on offering the true experience of an authentic Italian gelateria, pasticceria, caffé. We offer over 50 rotating flavors of gelato, a full selection of espresso beverages, and given my background, a full line of Italian pastries.
JM: Is gelato a passion?
MC: Yes, it is a passion! If you don’t have it, don’t even think of going into this business.
JM: What is the main thing you would want people to know about your business?
SL: All of our products from gelato to pastries are original recipes developed by Maria Coassin and Gelatiamo. Everything is still produced daily in our original location, and you can come see it yourself!
JM: If you had a motto, what would it be?
MC: Underpromise and overdeliver.
JM: What are your goals? Would you like to franchise your business or expand your menu?
SL: The future is open for Gelatiamo. We like to focus on today, and keeping our eyes open to opportunities for tomorrow. Anything is possible…
JM: What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far in business?
MC: You can’t do it alone; you have to put stock in your staff.
JM: What drives/inspires you?
MC/SL: Our customers. From families who travel an hour on a Saturday to spend an hour in our shop to the wholesale customers that are so passionate to have our product displayed in their establishments.
JM: Is your business active in your community? How so?
SL: We are as active as we can be. Maria is involved in a few different boards including the University of Washington Italian Studies to the Les’ Dames D’Escoffier (an international association of women in the hospitality industry). We also participate in a lot of community events that are directly associated with our wholesale customers.
JM: Do you have events at your shop? What kind?
SL: Occasionally; however, our space is limited to a small number of guests.
JM: Is there an occurrence/business blooper you would most like to forget?
MC: Hiring a marketing firm was probably the worst money ever spent by Gelatiamo. We have been able to do our most successful marketing inhouse from Skyler’s ability to create and maintain our website as well as using the latest trends in marketing.
JM: What do you think sets you apart from other gelaterias?
MC/SL: The product itself sets us apart from the others. Since we develop our recipes in house, our product is unique, well-balanced and full-flavored with the exact same total fat content in every flavor. We also seek out the best ingredients available. From PreGel’s Pistachio Sicilia to the best local berries of Skagit Valley in Washington, and high-quality milk produced in small farms 30 miles from our business. Hands-on ownership also makes a huge difference in the customers’ perception of the business.
JM: Number of staff?
MC: Seasonal, but on average 15.
JM: How did you come up with the name for you business?
MC: Nine months of pain … I invented it. I wanted to have a name that was truly unique that had the word gelato in it. Gelatiamo isn’t a word, but Italians will think of it as “Let’s have gelato together” and Americans think of it as “I love gelato.”
JM: What is one of your most rewarding experiences/greatest success stories thus far?
MC/SL: We are coming up on 15 years of business. Day in and day out, it is most rewarding to realize how amazing the people around us are. From our customers, to our staff of individuals, to the businesses that have believed in us and made investments in order to sell our product, Gelatiamo is recognized by almost anyone you talk to in Seattle and beyond, and we only have one store.
NOBLE’S RESTAURANT
Executive Pastry Chef: Rachel Burns (RB)
6801 Morrison Boulevard
Charlotte, NC 28211-3599
(704) 367-9463
www.noblesrestaurant.com
JM: Which three words or phrases would best describe your dessert/pastry menu?
RB: Seasonal and fresh, simple and clean, and comforting Southern flavors.
JM: What do you think is the key to your success?
RB: I would say that the key to my personal success is made up of a couple of things. First, my drive to become the best that I can, my attention to detail, and the support and help I have from my staff and coworkers.
JM: What are your most popular pastries/desserts?
RB: The most popular dessert on the menu would probably be the warm chocolate cake. Although it is a classic dessert that almost everyone has on their menu in one form or another, there is something about chocolate that people love and find comfort in! Second to that is probably our coconut cake. It is a very popular Southern dessert that, while it’s not my personal favorite, people can’t seem to get enough of. We actually serve it in three out of four of our restaurants.
JM: If you could create any dessert/pastry, what would it be?
RB: Hands down, chocolate mousse! There is something so simple yet challenging about making a perfect mousse. While the recipe I use only has four ingredients and is rather easy to make, you need to have just the right combination of temperature, time and finesse to get it just right. And then when it does, nothing is more satisfying.
JM: How long have you been in business?
RB: Noble’s has been in Charlotte for 10 years now. Before that, it was open in High Point, NC, which is where we moved from. I have been there for just over four years now.
JM: How many Noble’s Restaurants are in operation?
RB: We currently have four restaurants. Noble’s Grille is in Winston-Salem. Noble’s Restaurant and Rooster’s are both in the South Park area of Charlotte. King’s Kitchen opened in Uptown in April 2010.
JM: What kind of decadent treats are on your pastry/dessert menu?
RB: We have a few desserts that are always present on the menu. Those are our Courvoisier bread pudding and the coconut cake. We also always have a crème brulee and the warm chocolate cake, but the flavors and garnishes change with the seasons, or when I feel we need to. Along with these staples, we always offer a fruit-based dessert, an assortment of sorbets, and maybe one or two other options that I change more frequently.
JM: What drives your culinary passion for pastry/desserts?
RB: I find there is something extremely satisfying in creating good food. There is a great sense of comfort in food, especially the kind of food we make. We may be a high-end restaurant, but our main goal is to create good, simple food. It pleases me greatly when I know that I have created something that people enjoy. I get an immense sense of satisfaction and happiness when I am able to make someone else happy with food!
JM: What is the main thing you would want people to know about your business?
RB: That our main goal is just to create an amazing, simple meal that can be enjoyed in the most relaxing atmosphere. We really are about local, seasonal ingredients, and try to let those ingredients shine on their own on the plate. Sometimes the best chefs are those who can make the best food without doing much to it.
JM: If you had a slogan, what would it be?
RB: Our mission statement: “Jim Noble Restaurants will operate in a spirit of excellence that through our profitability, help to fund the Great Commission. Excellence Everyday!” So I would say, “Excellence Everyday!” pretty much sums it up.
JM: What are your overall goals?
RB: Personally, would basically be to continue to strive to be the best chef I can be. We plan to open a bakery to service all of our operations and hopefully be open to the public, so I would really like to work on that and get that thriving.
As a company, we are committed to being among the best in the world, operating approachable, friendly, relaxed, comfortable restaurants for all guests. We will serve great food, clean, simple and reasonably priced.
JM: What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far in business?
RB: That not everything goes as planned. You need to be able to look ahead to the future and plan for every possible scenario. Being flexible and able to adapt is extremely important to be successful.
JM: What inspires your innovative ideas as a pastry chef?
RB: I try to draw inspiration from other chefs. I read a lot of magazines and do a lot of Internet research to see what others are doing. I am also highly inspired by the fresh, local ingredients that we have available to us. While it is a little more difficult in the colder months, in the spring, summer and early fall months, we frequent the farmers’ markets in town to get the best of what is available!
JM: Is your business active in your community? How so?
RB: Absolutely! Chef Jim Noble and his wife are both ministers, and a lot of their goals for the business are based on their Christian faith. We give back to the community at any chance that arrives. Both Rooster’s and Noble’s provide a home-cooked meal for two different local shelters. We donate a lot of food during the holidays. For instance, we cook a Thanksgiving meal for 200–300 people who are brought from several shelters around the city. Our newest restaurant, the King’s Kitchen, “is a not-for- profit restaurant, located in downtown Charlotte, it fuels economic vitality and growth in Charlotte’s Center City and the greater metropolitan area, creating jobs and supporting community development. This will be done by working together with businesses, ministries, non-profits and people of faith to employ, train and minister the gospel of Jesus Christ to troubled youth, rehab graduates and other members of our community who are in need of employment. The King’s Kitchen will operate as a public restaurant, serving local, healthy, comfort food at a medium price point.” [Information directly from their website.]
JM: Do you host events at your restaurant(s) What kind?
RB: We have hosted several fundraising events for King’s Kitchen, as well as several other community programs to help the homeless.
JM: Is there an occurrence/business blooper you would most like to forget?
RB: Nothing particular comes to mind, though I’m sure there have been some small things I would not want to remember.
JM: What do you think sets your pastries apart from others?
RB: Perhaps the fact that we try to stay as local and fresh as possible. Not only our produce, but our eggs, organic flours and some other ingredients come straight from the farms here in North Carolina. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, is made in-house. Very little is processed beforehand, and we make everything in the smallest batches possible so that it is always fresh.
JM: Number of staff?
RB: I currently have a staff of two full-time and one part-time employee at Noble’s. I also have one person at both Rooster’s and Noble’s Grille who do some production and work the line.
JM: If your patrons could leave saying one thing about your pastries, what would it be?
RB: I would just hope that they can enjoy the simplicity and the freshness of what we make. It is important to me that they be able to taste every flavor on the plate. I just want them to walk away saying, “That was exactly what I wanted!”
JM: What is one of your most rewarding experiences/greatest success stories thus far?
RB: I was chosen to be this academic year’s Distinguished Visiting Chef at Johnson & Wales University. It was an almost surreal experience for me because I am actually a recent graduate from their Providence campus (May 2005). It was only a few years ago that I sat in the audience, watching the most amazing pastry chefs in the country, drawing inspiration from them. Now it was me up there that was inspiring the next set of future stars of the pastry world. It was extremely humbling and exciting for me. A true honor!