“We have a lot of talent and good food, but we took ourselves too seriously. Now people are doing more niche menus and are finding their specialty. Your average person in Cleveland just wants classics but done in more of an inspired or elevated fashion.”
— Bac Nguyen, chef and owner of Bac Asian American Bistro & Bar and Ninja City
“This will be my great hope: It introduces some of these young folks, specifically talking about children, to cuisine outside of chicken tenders and burgers and hot dogs.” — Karen Gorman, chef and owner of Crumb & Spigot
“We’re not taking ourselves too seriously. It’s more about the flavors, execution and being approachable. You don’t want to be doing something wild where it’s unique but nobody’s really interested. It’s about finding that line between those two things.” — Nolan Konkoski, chef and owner of Soho Chicken & Whiskey
Laid-Back Attitudes: Chefs React
Three local chefs sound off on our city's casual approach to dining out.
