RATF Classic #339: Lisa Schroeder - Mother's Bistro and 2023 Restaurant Challenges
05/05/23 • 59 min
On the news that Lisa Schroeder was named the Oregon Small Business Person of the Year for 2023, we felt it necessary to bring back our conversation with Lisa from January of this year.
Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro has had a very challenging few years. The most recent upset was when her bank wouldn't honor refunding the money on checks written to her bank account number under someone else's name, simply because she didn't report the problem soon enough. This comes on the heels of a tumultuous few years after 23 years in business In 2018, she went through the process of moving Mother's to its new location not long before the pandemic hit. Her location, in the middle of downtown where meth use is prolific, isn't the only challenge. She's required in her lease to be open 7 days a week, since her restaurant serves the hotel in the same building. Lisa talks to us about the outlook for her business in the face of rising costs and new Portland dining and working patterns as well as restaurants as a whole, wherever they may be.
Lisa is one of Portland's most outspoken restaurant owners, and she's always a great interview.
Right at the Fork is supported by:
Zupan's Markets: www.Zupans.com Oregon Dungeness Crab: www.OregonDungeness.org RingSide Steakhouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com
On the news that Lisa Schroeder was named the Oregon Small Business Person of the Year for 2023, we felt it necessary to bring back our conversation with Lisa from January of this year.
Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro has had a very challenging few years. The most recent upset was when her bank wouldn't honor refunding the money on checks written to her bank account number under someone else's name, simply because she didn't report the problem soon enough. This comes on the heels of a tumultuous few years after 23 years in business In 2018, she went through the process of moving Mother's to its new location not long before the pandemic hit. Her location, in the middle of downtown where meth use is prolific, isn't the only challenge. She's required in her lease to be open 7 days a week, since her restaurant serves the hotel in the same building. Lisa talks to us about the outlook for her business in the face of rising costs and new Portland dining and working patterns as well as restaurants as a whole, wherever they may be.
Lisa is one of Portland's most outspoken restaurant owners, and she's always a great interview.
Right at the Fork is supported by:
Zupan's Markets: www.Zupans.com Oregon Dungeness Crab: www.OregonDungeness.org RingSide Steakhouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com
Previous Episode
#349 Rodrigo Baena - Favela Brazilian Café
You can't deny positivity that comes from talking to Rodrigo Baena, co-owner and founder of Favela Brazilian Café in Southeast Portland. Rodrigo opened Favela with his wife, Dunya De Souza, in 2019 as a place not just for Brazilian immigrants to gather and celebrate the country's culture, but for everyone and anyone in the community to come together.
Since opening, Rodrigo and Dunya have opened a second location on Belmont, as well as a food truck.
Hear about Rodrigo's journey from Brazil, to England, Italy and India and eventually Portland, and what he utlimatly wants Favela to be in the community. Plus, where does Rodrigo like to eat when not at Favela.
Right at the Fork is supported by:
Zupan's Markets: www.Zupans.com Oregon Dungeness Crab: www.OregonDungeness.org RingSide Steakhouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com
Next Episode
#350 Chris Schultz - CEO, Voodoo Doughnut
Chris Schultz, CEO of Portland's iconic brand Voodoo Doughnut, joined the company in 2017 to bring his 30+ years experience in the restaurant industry to the company. Prior to taking over the leadership of Voodoo, he helped Mod Pizza expand nationwide and before that, worked at Starbucks during its rapid expansion. Since coming aboard, he's helped Voodoo expand into new markets and weather a pandemic. We talk about bringing Voodoo and its Portland ethos to new markets, what the criteria is, and how it's been accepted. Chris drops hints at new locations and also announces a new paintjob for their flagship store, taking place as we spoke. We get to know a bit about Chris, too. Where he eats in Portland, what he thinks of Blue Star, as well as his love of the Pacific Northwest after transplanting here from Southern California 20 years ago. We interviewed co-founder Tres Shannon just before he brought Chris on to run the company in 2016. One of our favorite episodes: https://rightatthefork.libsyn.com/85-tres-shannon-voodoo-doughnut https://www.voodoodoughnut.com/
Right at the Fork is supported by:
Zupan's Markets: www.Zupans.com Oregon Dungeness Crab: www.OregonDungeness.org RingSide Steakhouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com
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