Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Behrend.
Chef Mike and his mother LuAnn Singleton, of the famed Lulu’s bakery, made a name for themselves with homecooked chicken fried steak and 3 lb. cinnamon rolls. But in 2005, he learned things he couldn’t unlearn about food. He made a big change in his own lifestyle, switching from giant fried meat plates to a wholly plant-based diet. It was only natural that his business model would follow.
LuAnn and Mike sold Lulu’s and used the profits to build out the first Green location on N. Flores Street in San Antonio.
As a former meat eater, he wasn’t looking to change the world or convince anyone else to give up meat. His intention was to offer really good food that happened to be plant-based. So Green Vegetarian Cuisine has something for everyone. Menu items like the Jalapeno Green Burger, chopped barbecue quesadilla and “Meatloaf” with mashed potatoes are there to satisfy even the most carnivorous of guests. And in addition to an absence of animal products on their menu, the other thing Green lacks is a side of judgment.
“We just believe in giving people really good plant-based foods,” Chef Mike said. The staff is friendly and warm, and ready to give recommendations to everyone from hungry herbivores to vegan-curious burger lovers.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When the first Green location opened on N. Flores in San Antonio, business was great. Then later that year the recession hit, and we really struggled. I lived in an apartment behind the restaurant, and it was several years of struggling, working back to back breakfast, lunch and dinner shifts just hoping and praying that we could survive. But I’m a pretty religious guy, and I truly believed in the power of prayer. God was good, and he gave us the business we could handle. And it really gave me perspective. I became so very grateful for our customers. I knew that especially in tough financial times, they had a choice where they spent their time and their money. And I truly and deeply appreciated every single person who walked through that door to spend it with us. That was incredibly touching, and I still maintain that gratitude for our guests to this day.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Green Vegetarian Cuisine – what should we know?
It’s a something-for-everyone menu that also happens to be plant-centric and certified kosher dairy.
Green Vegetarian Cuisine is more than just a name. It also stands in the way we do business. From environmentally friendly features like recycling dumpsters to socially conscious menu items like free range eggs. We believe that when walking the walk, it’s best to tread lightly. We compost and strive to use biodegradable packaging when possible, and we have plans for a cistern to capture rainwater for landscape maintenance.
The thing that sets Green apart is that we’re not looking to force change. We’re simply looking to inspire it. The restaurant industry, in general, is very hard on the earth, so we do our best to be mindful of that. The biggest impact we have environmentally is not serving meat. We aren’t using precious resources on livestock, so our carbon footprint is automatically reduced. But we aren’t perfect either. We just do our best and hope that our guests are inspired to do their best as well. And we can’t inspire that change without serving really good food.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Compassion and authenticity. Everything we do is done with love, and our food is prepared like we’d want our own family to eat.
Pricing:
- Brunch $4-$10
- Burgers $8-12
- Entrees $8-$12
- Kids Menu $4.99
- $5 Smoothies
Contact Info:
- Address: 6720 Chimney Rock, Suite Y
Houston, TX 77081 - Website: www.eatatgreen.com
- Phone: 832-649-4184
- Email: http://www.eatatgreen.com/contact-us/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greenvegetarian/
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GreenVegetarian
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/greenvegetarian
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/green-vegetarian-cuisine-at-pearl-brewery-san-antonio
- Other: https://foursquare.com/greenvegetarian
Image Credit:
Photo Credit: Green Vegetarian
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