Hangry Brands ignites Cleveland restaurant spat
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The best thing I ate this week were the dumplings at Abundance Culinary in Cleveland Heights.
The intrigue: My wife and I thought we were simply meeting friends at a restaurant we love. We didn't realize we stepped into a partisan conflict that recently shook Cleveland's culinary world.
Catch up quick: Cleveland Magazine published a profile of local hospitality company Hangry Brands and its booming restaurant empire, which now includes Steak in Tremont, Jolene's on East 4th Street and other flashy, vibes-based outposts.
What they're saying: "The age of the chef is done," Hangry Brands CEO Jason Beudert said in the story's most provocative quote.
- "That love affair with the Food Network chefs has faded, and it's about the branding. It's about the experience."
The other side: "I don't feel done," responded Abundance chef Liu Fang in a viral Instagram post that attracted the support of dozens of local chefs and foodies.
- Fang argued that, much like the craft beer industry, the Cleveland restaurant scene risks falling prey to "private equity, business school mentalities and short-sighted approaches."
- And with the Michelin Guide coming to the Great Lakes region, chefs are more relevant than ever.
💠My thought bubble: I think there's room for both Hangry Brands' flamboyant, Instagrammable approach to restaurants and more chef-forward destinations.
- But I hardly think high-quality food and high-quality experiences are mutually exclusive.
- In fact, Cleveland's most beloved restaurants — from places like Cordelia and Amba to your neighborhood diner — often succeed because they blend the two.
The bottom line: Look no further than Abundance.
- I got to eat the best dumplings in town in a white-tablecloth setting (with Cleveland's friendliest sommelier), all in a former diner car on Lee Road.