Chris speaks with Michelene Lambros, owner of Soul Bowls in Scotch Plains, NJ. In 2017, Soul Bowls got its start as a food truck selling at the Scotch Plains farmers market. It build a loyal following and in 2019, Soul Bowls opened its first retail location on Mountain Avenue. Soul Bowl offers homemade food that is fresh, vegan and organic. From acai bowls to juices to raw soulnola, customers love the food! This is a true local story as Michelene grew up and is still a resident of Scotch Plains.
Bagel Cafe | A Foodie Redefines the Neighborhood Bagel Shop
Chris speaks with Craig Bass, owner of Bagel Caf?? of New Providence, NJ. Craig worked many years on Wall Street but after 2008, he decided to go back to his college roots of hotel and restaurant management. While Bagel Caf?? seems to be just a neighborhood bagel store, Craig has dreams of transforming it far beyond just bagels. A foodie at heart, Craig has already elevated the coffee with a signature blend that is arguably the best in town. His next step is bringing customers incredible burgers, including the Jersey burger with Taylor ham, egg and cheese. The future is bright for Bagel Caf?? with a foodie pushing the menu far beyond just bagels.
Fast food re-imagined? Robots aim to please at Eatsa
Last October, I realized that I may be hitting the age where I have to be more thoughtful about my eating habits. My pants were getting tighter by the day and the scale showed me a number that was the highest I had ever seen. That was my wake up call. I certainly didn't want to have to buy new pants that actually fit correctly. Immediately I started to eat less carbs and more veggies. Then in January, my friend Amy Crowson of Lovebugfitness was having a clean eating challenge. It was a great way to take my clean eating to another level and have the support of other people on the same journey – check our her 10 day challenge (use the coupon code ONLY10 and pay just $10) if you are looking to kick off the healthy lifestyle that you deserve.
While it is easy to eat well at home, I have always found it to be more difficult when eating out. Even in NYC where there are so many restaurants, if you want a healthy option, then you are often limited to uninspired salads from a deli and don't make the mistake of putting salad dressing on a McDonald's salad which makes it worse than a double Big Mac. No joke.
This led me to the discovery of Eatsa. When you walk by, you are immediately wondering what the place actually is. There are no cashiers and no visible employees. It is something I would expect from a modern Japanese quick serve even though I have never been to Japan. I was happy to discover that it is a vegetarian fast casual eatery.
Chinese spend more eating out than the GDP of Sweden
With over a 1.37 billion people, Chinese spent more than half a trillion dollars eating out in 2016. In a recent report, Dianping Meituan, which offers food-ordering and delivery services, estimates the country spent 3.5 trillion yuan ($507 billion) dining out in 2016. This number eclipses the GDP of Sweden ($496 billion), Belgium ($455 billion), Norway ($387 billion) and many other countries.
Another interesting fact from the report is that the country's favorite meal out is hot pot with roughly 22% market share. For those not familiar with hot pot, it consists of a simmering metal pot of stock at the center of a dining table. While the pot is kept simmering, it is basically a do it yourself meal as you cook your favorite meats, seafood, veggies, dumpling and noodles. The cooked food is usually eaten with a dipping sauce.
Long-term Jobs Killer Is Not China, It’s Automation
About five years ago, I was traveling on business to Los Angeles. I was surprised to find kiosks at Alamo that processed my reservation, assigned my rental car, and directed me to the spot for pick up. As I drove out, I marveled, “Wow, I was in and out of there without talking to single person!” Today, this once novel concept is quickly becoming common place.