October 23, 2024 • 43 mins
Want to discover a hidden gem for your next foodie adventure? Check out this #SoFloDining video featuring an exclusive interview with Chef Ron at Twenty Twenty Grille in Boca Raton! This intimate restaurant has been tantalizing taste buds with their ever-changing contemporary American cuisine for over a decade. You'll learn the restaurant's story, Chef Ron's passion for creating unforgettable dishes, and even secret tips to snag a table at this coveted eatery. With mouthwatering descriptions of seasonal specials and signature dishes, this video will have you craving a reservation at Twenty Twenty Grille. Don't miss out on this glimpse into a South Florida culinary treasure!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hi everybody, welcome back to SoFlo Dining. I'm Doris with a D and today we are in Vogue
(00:10):
of Ritone and we are doing a little chef's table with Chef Dan and we are 2020 Grill
with Chef Ron. Welcome Chef Ron.
We should say welcome right? Actually you don't have to be coming in to welcome me.
(00:31):
It really is. Tell us how long have you been in business?
We've just marked ten years. Have you always been in this location?
We have. We originally thought we wanted a bigger restaurant and we were showing the
bigger restaurant and something happened and didn't quite get it. After about two weeks
(00:52):
in this place we realized we weren't meant to have a bigger restaurant. So this is the
size and you keep getting requests to open something bigger and bigger doesn't make it
better. No, no, you're absolutely right.
It ties into the name when I recall, right? Yes.
So 2020 Grill, 20 seats on the inside, 20 seats on the outside. Everybody thinks it's a perfect
(01:17):
division. Yeah.
Or a nine-site. It's just, it's not. It's a Kinkini 2020.
So 20 seats on the inside, 20 seats on the outside. When it was COVID it was 040. So
everybody was sitting outside. And everyone asked us if we opened in 2020. When 2020 hit
they were like did you open in 2020? We were like no way.
(01:38):
We had really big plans for 2020. Obviously 2020 Grill in 2020 and then COVID came through.
Didn't squash that really quick. No, it is the perfect size. Yes.
You know, I know. You know, as a chef. Yeah, I've done big places and you lose, like when
I've been in the kitchen here and I've seen how you have everything on the board and everything,
(02:00):
you lose that. Yes.
When you have a big place, you have too many people, too many, what, too many hands in
a pot. Yes.
That's the truth. No, a lot of what we do here is the customer service. I'll go out and
speak to every table. Ronald will speak to every table. Yeah.
The staff speaks to every table. And if you get bigger, you lose that one-on-one. You
lose it. You lose it. There's no way you'd be able to.
(02:21):
It's so important for us here. No, and that's what we love. We love that.
Yeah, I know you do. The places we do and go to. Right.
We love that interpersonal, you know. It's a lost art.
It's a lost art. The culture now is, you know, we've become accustomed to bad service. Yes.
And we've accepted that and I don't know why. Yeah.
(02:41):
You know, and it's like so many places you go to, it's like, I don't like this. It's
like, oh, well. Yeah.
I think guests that come here, they expect what we're doing. And then they tell the right
guests to come here. They want, we have some guests that have been coming here forever.
They will not tell their friends to come here because they're steakhouse people. They tell
(03:05):
them, it's okay. We'll catch up with you another day.
So it is the right clientele that comes here. We're small, we're intimate, foodie restaurant.
But if you want corporate and flashy, you came to the wrong place.
Yeah. No, we have a place that we went to the other day and I told the guy, I think
he's 17 years in business. Yes.
And I said, for about four years, people have been telling me, you got to go here. You got
(03:29):
to go here. And I went, I said, where is it? Well, I'll let you know. They wouldn't tell
me. Oh my gosh.
The reason why is because it's always booked. Right. And they wouldn't tell me. I'm like,
would you, they're like, no, because if you do a review, forget it. We'll never get it.
We've heard that so many times too. Everyone's like, I don't want to tell so many people
because then I won't be able to get a table. It's so funny.
(03:50):
People are funny around that.
Yeah, but people got to know, people got to know, people got to support because that's
what keeps everything going.
Right. Right. And we kind of have the reputation that we're always booked. And so we kind of
want that out there that, yeah, in season we're booked on Friday, Saturday, but for
every time everyone says to me, you're booked. I can't get in. I'm just like, I'm not booked
(04:13):
tonight. Where did that or I don't understand where that came from. Maybe the first couple
of years. Yes. In season, you do have to plan ahead of time, but in the summer, we definitely
need the local support and we are not booked every night in the summer. So that is something
you heard.
Yeah, I heard it first. They want you to know that because of that aura, mystique, people,
(04:36):
I think that they don't think they can get in here and they can definitely in the summer.
Absolutely. And you're here for them. I mean, yes. The whole reason we're here is for the
locals.
We are and we have a lot of great specials in the summer as well. So yeah, we're here.
How did you find your way into the hospitality industry? It's got to be a beautiful story.
Oh, I'll tell you. You know what I know? I found out at an early age that I could not
(05:04):
sing or dance. So that's where I really go. At 16. I think fifth grade is when I was
told I was in chorus and I was told, don't pursue this. You were all 10 years old and
you got this message. Yes, I did. Wow. You were lucky.
And then I don't know. I had to be probably 14, maybe 15, but all the kids, all my friends
(05:32):
would come over to my house for breakfast in the morning. I don't know why I ended up
making breakfast. I see how it is.
And then it just snowballed. But the first time at culinary school, I almost walked out.
The first thing I was had to cook was liver, liver and onions. And I'm over those things.
(05:56):
That's a favorite. Yeah. And that smell.
But isn't that part of the whole thing? I mean, don't they just try to push you to the
limit to see if you really should be there or not?
Sure. Yeah. Yeah. It's with everything. But no, it's now it's been doing it and love
doing it. Love creating. So yeah, it's just to be here 10 years is remarkable. I mean,
(06:21):
it really, really after the first, what the first six months, I mean, on the days that
Rhonda wasn't working, we would have her come in with the girls, have her sit outside and
eat dinner just to make it look like somebody was here in the beginning. And then it's fun.
You know, we get people and oh, we don't want to tell anybody. We don't want to tell anybody.
We don't want to, you know, and then I think we started the first time we use social media
(06:48):
to advertise for here is when we started, you know, ascending up.
Oh, it started. Yeah, started getting the people in. But yeah, the first first couple
months was little lean, little scary. Yeah. 10 years later, here we are.
I was supposed to be an architect. Guess what? I can't draw. That was it.
(07:12):
Well, you have computers now, so you've probably been fine.
Right. Well, that they was just starting that they were talking about that computer generated.
I'm like, what about that? And they're like, no, you have to be able to draw. And I'm like,
you know, and I was in a library with a friend that was that they had a, I think he was getting
a book or something. And they had a job fair or career fair, I'm sorry. And the lady came
over and she said, can you sign the paper for me? I'm like, what am I signed? She said,
(07:36):
well, I have to have X amount of people here before I can leave. And I'm like, well, what
do you do? And she said, well, it's a culinary school. And, you know, it's, you know, they're
trying to sign up people to go to the school to new startup. So I went there, I've watched
the presentation. I made the appointment. I got it. Yeah. And it was 30. They only accepted
30 people, 17 graduated, or after the two years. So and you know, they did the breakdown.
(08:02):
Yeah. Yeah. They really put you to. It's I like saying it and you're about my age. So
you'll understand it's before it was a glamorous job. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. It's not what you see
on TV. I was not what you see on TV. Chef could throw stuff at you. Call you dirty names.
Where everyone. Yeah. And nowadays, if you look at somebody the wrong way, yeah. I mean,
(08:25):
Chef Ramsay gets that reputation. But back then that's, you know, and I say it, I mean,
I don't know where you had worked in the past, but traditionally the kitchens were places
where people that were outcast. Yeah. Work. That was your, you know, your quarters and
that was it. Yeah. You know, and that was the tradition. And now all these TV shows came
on and everybody wants to be chef. Yeah. Yeah. I think that's our rawness of innovative that
(08:52):
we changed many of our age to 10 weeks. And he's always playing even after all these years
he's playing with food and our guests accepted. And I think that's a pretty cool. I think
you should be so proud of yourself. I love looking at the stuff when you guys put it
up. And when you gave me the tour and I was looking at the board, the prep board, and
I was like, wow, I'm like, this guy, he's real. You're real. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely.
(09:15):
Yeah. Yeah. Some keep it new. Some places just the key. That's the word. Some places
that stick with old and just, yeah. And it's, you know, the most fun, I think here is when
we play the survey game. I was just going to ask you, you said she told us about that.
So it's between right before the entree, we do it in an intermezzo survey. And it's
(09:39):
a four flavor survey. So we present to survey to the table, whether it's one, two, three,
four, and the game is to see if they can figure out what the four flavors are. So when we
first started, we had one survey and we're so close to table or close to each other.
I can't remember the whole story on this, but one table got the last item on the menu
(10:04):
and table next to them ordered it. And they said, Oh, I'm sorry, I got the last one, but
I'll tell you what the survey is. So I came out to play the game. And usually, you know,
you get the four flavors of buyer wine or dessert or something. There's always some,
some of the tests there. And so I presented the game to them and they looked at me, they
guessed the four flavors right off the bat. You know, if they would have stumbled and made
(10:27):
the wrong guess, I would have said, Okay, in the table next to them, just sitting there
like that. So over the course of the years, we started with one survey. And now there's
eight different ones each night. I make a couple of the same color. So the people that
want to over here, they think they got it and they don't. But you know, occasionally,
(10:54):
it happens more often than not that people do get the full game. We had six young ladies
out here. One night presented the game to them. And I said, If you get the four flavors,
I'll buy your wine. And think they had three bottles of wine. And it started off slow.
And then they got one, they got two. And we're still good. And somebody nailed the third
(11:18):
one. And there's usually one that's kind of obscured. Lastly, blurtz it out. So I come
in here and it's, you know, we got to buy their wine. She's like, all of it. Yeah, so it's
probably, I don't know, 350 and wine or something like that. But they all went home and so should
be older friends and more people came in. I was gonna say, I bet you they come back.
(11:41):
A lot of guests come back because of the story. There's people that really enjoy the game.
Where there's people that just cringe when they see me come. I've done this six times
and have forgotten it. But it's really is a lot of fun. And there's some guests that
(12:04):
will guess one or two flavors and let me done. Then there's other people that will literally
go down with the ship. Don't tell me what it is. Don't tell me what it is. And then
I can't get it. But it's just it's just one more thing that brings us closer to the guests
and gets closer.
And more personal. I mean, the history of restaurants were houses. I mean, this was
(12:32):
somebody's house. You lived upstairs or in the back and you welcome people into your
house. And like I said about what people have come accustomed to is, you know, sit down,
eat, here's the bill, get out. We're here. You guys are interactive. You know, you're
welcome in and I said that when you come in the front door, you feel welcome.
You feel like you're at home. I've read that in so many reviews.
(12:53):
But you feel what you really feel welcome and you're supposed to feel good about dining
out. Yeah.
Yeah. So we do have that or that is a good thing that we have never steered away from
it. True to what we do.
Yeah. And what is the style of cooking that you do?
Yeah.
Other than runs, you know, the window says contemporary American cuisine. Okay. Originally
(13:24):
we labeled ourselves as fine dining. I think there is not a style. It's more of which when
you do you feel like doing this menu. But it goes from we have Ruby and we have Thai.
We have a little of this, a little of that. Barbecue.
I mean, we have a Doritos spice oyster with a French onion dip. I mean, which is it sounded
(13:50):
fun. We made it and it's like, boy, this is really good.
I actually found one of the most popular.
I've ever heard it on the menu. And it's one of those things that it has. I think it's
something people see that like, oh my, we have to try it. And then it actually is good
as it reads. And it's, you know, again, it's a fun little dish. We change the menu. It
(14:17):
keeps the guys in the back. They don't get bored doing the same thing they have today.
You know, the servers, you different food. So I think even the guests now over the years
expect to come back and, you know, see something different. Not to have the same, you know,
same dish every time they come.
In the beginning, he would take something off and they're like, why did you do that?
(14:41):
And then they kind of be upset. And then they try something new that he has. Okay.
That's awesome.
We've had that before.
Because we're open people. That's good. Because you want people who are open to new tasting
and new excitement.
Well, they can have the same menu anywhere in Palm Beach Valley.
Oh, anywhere in the area.
We had the Spanish place we did. And when you said, you know, he tried, he put lasagna
(15:04):
when he first started. Because people liked his lasagna. And it's 17 years, it's still
there. And he said he tried to take it off.
He tried to take it off the menu can.
He goes, there's a couple dishes here that I tried and I got in trouble. So we just,
they're leaving.
But you're here for them.
Yeah.
But just two items. So the duck, duck, taco, and the rack of laver. The only two items
(15:25):
that have stayed on the menu in 10 years. That's it.
And I tried to exchange one time.
Right.
And people are like, why? So now every time I make a menu, it's just cut and paste.
Cut and paste.
And then once a year, we do it best of the best from that year. And that's when you get the
dishes that you liked. But we're no longer on the menu.
(15:46):
Okay.
That's another fun night. And everybody comes in. Oh, I remember this dish. I remember this
dish.
Wow.
Yeah.
And then we just did a 10 year menu. And there was a dessert on there that I completely
forgot about.
And I looked at it and I remember making this and it made it. And that's cool.
(16:08):
It was 10 years, 10 courses.
But there's nothing like that.
I have my old menus. I used to run an officer's club for the army. And I have about two years
worth of menus. Because every night I would do the menus and we had banquets and I'd have
to incorporate stuff back and forth. Every now and then I go through there.
(16:29):
And I'm like, look, puntenesca. Wow. When did I make that? And we're just carbonara.
And I'm like, go through.
Yeah.
I'm like, wow.
I'm like, look at that. And it really is. It's fun. You see what you did with that morphed
into that. She's doing something else.
Yeah.
Like little pokemons going down the road here.
(16:52):
Or some of them I look at.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Trust me.
Yeah.
But I have two little words put all my chicken stretch in. They carry the books around for
10 years now.
It's a very good book. Yeah.
I love it.
It is fun changing the menu. You can come up with different things.
(17:14):
What is your most popular dish?
Good question.
Well, okay. We'll go back to the ones that have been here for 10 years.
So it's the Silver Oak, Brian, Brackaland.
Again, that was changed and people like, yeah, stupid.
(17:35):
So we went back and we have a duck taco that we created when we were in Massachusetts,
a new report.
And we used to have a bakery up there.
We would do tasting dinners at night after the bakery closed.
And I think the first one or two menus that we started down here was because of the menus
that we were written up a new report. And the duck taco was one of them.
(18:00):
So again, those are the two that stayed.
There's some things we've done in Sifu sausage here that comes and goes.
We'll put it on the menu or we might change it and make a little provian.
But that always goes over well.
But it's something that it doesn't stay on.
It doesn't stay on.
(18:21):
That's a popular.
Yeah.
It's like season law.
Yes.
Yeah.
But yeah, everything else, we try to just come up with different ideas.
Not all of them are winners.
Hopefully you got to try.
You didn't have many losers over the 10 years.
(18:42):
No, but there's some you look back and you're like, yeah.
Yeah, I've had a couple of years.
We can improve on that one.
I was on horseback, you know, the filet mignon, you put the love.
Yeah.
I did something with chicken on top.
Yeah, I didn't work.
No, that didn't work.
But there's a sort of days I made that.
(19:03):
Yeah.
Inside out.
Juice and onion taste like fish.
I don't know why.
Yeah, right?
What's up with that?
So we made it Caesar salad.
So they which is phenomenal.
But if you're doing a blind taste test and the first thing you get is anchovy and you're
not thinking it.
Yeah, nothing go wrong.
(19:24):
Didn't go over real well.
And then we did a VLT sorbet, which is really great.
But we forgot where we are.
Oops.
Bacon didn't go over too well.
But you know, when you say we have reggers that keep coming, they're very forthcoming.
If they know that you get spot on, they'll let them know.
Yeah.
(19:45):
Now normally there's a question that we ask, but as far as you have a menu that changes,
normally we say, and I asked the chef was, is there something you wish people would try
more of?
Like, is there a dish that you said, I don't know why people don't order this one.
Is it so good?
Well, there are some things that get put on the menu that I could right now, we have a
(20:07):
liquor store.
That people wouldn't associate liquor should fix.
Before each menu, we make it go around in the kitchen and then we let the servers and
everybody tastes okay.
And as long as it comes back positive with them, then they'll pass it on to the guests
(20:28):
and say, you know what, it might sound a little bizarre, but you know, why don't you just try
if you don't like it.
So the big thing then is to be open.
Yeah.
And the fact is that everything that's on that menu has been tried, tested, everybody
liked it.
So that's, yeah, so to be open, that's the main thing.
And the world that we live in now, it's all about Google and reviews.
(20:50):
So when you Google, you see the menu for one thing and then they're looking at the reviews
on four different sites and the site, they're all saying, we don't know why these flavors
came together, but they were phenomenal.
So they know what they're getting into.
They know they're not coming here having meat and potatoes.
They're coming here for an experience.
So it does, it does resonate through the reviews, which is very cool for us.
(21:13):
And you can check their reviews.
They got great reviews.
I can tell you that now.
Oh yeah.
Yeah, we're pretty proud of that.
But it's an entire team that does that.
It is.
It's not me, it's not chef.
It's our entire team.
It is.
Just like you said, everyone comes out.
Yeah.
Yeah.
They work very hard to keep us all going.
I have a question that's so silly, but we have to ask.
(21:37):
Yeah.
What up?
Yeah.
You're a good cook.
And it doesn't have to be on the menu.
No, no.
What food comforts you when you need that?
And we all have our moments.
Like for instance, mine's peanut butter and jelly.
Pizza rolls.
Pizza rolls.
Pizza rolls.
There you go.
There you go.
Yeah.
(21:58):
I like your combinations.
Mine's fried chicken tenders, fried chicken on the connoisseur of chicken tenders.
Anything with fried is chicken.
See, I love that question.
And that's one that I had put in because people think that we eat like, ooh.
Yeah.
And they don't realize that we get tired of looking at that.
Yeah.
And we like some simple, I mean, she'll tell you, sometimes I just want a hamburger.
(22:20):
Yeah.
And we go places and it's like hamburger with this, that and the other thing.
Hamburger with, you know, and I'm like, just, just want a hamburger with some red.
Yeah.
And it's like, every night people think you're back here whipping something up and I try
to eat before I go home.
It's not always possible.
You look in the fridge and it's like, you know, whatever.
(22:41):
It doesn't have to be fancy.
But it's a lot of your stuff.
We make 99% of the time I eat before I go home.
Yeah.
And when you change the menu so often, at the end of it, we're like, okay, I'm not.
No, you know when it's time to change the menu.
It's because of us.
And you see, you know, the guys in the kitchen, they're like, I just, yeah, it's, yeah.
(23:04):
The energy kind of dips a little bit.
And the same with, with this step and I know, okay, gotta be eating this, I've been eating
that, she's been eating this, been eating that.
And it's just a little light goes off and it's like, okay, you know, let's, let's start.
As soon as the menu changes, you almost might take a week off, but you almost immediately
(23:27):
start thinking about what you're going to do for the next one.
And it's not, and when the menu changes, you know, it's not like, I think there's 18 items
on the menu, but it's not like the whole thing changes.
Right.
It might be 40%, sometimes it might be 60%.
But there's, everything stays for two cycles and then goes away.
So one, some of the cycles might overlap.
(23:50):
So it's not like you're getting, you know, 18 grand.
Yeah.
So for me, for me was the workaround, the kitchen would, you know, I put a new menu out and
you see it in the energy.
You'll see everyone's like, wow, look at this.
And then like four or five months down the line, I walk in and see they have like stuff
prepped ahead.
Yeah.
You know, all these workarounds and I'm like, what, what, that's not how we did that.
(24:11):
Oh yeah.
But if you put this here and I'm like, yeah, okay, it's time to change.
It's time to change.
They're getting bored and they're inventing things.
They're finding new ways to do it.
And it's not going to taste the same.
It's not going to be yet as a reason why this goes in first.
Yeah.
We have make recipes for everything and I just asked everybody, even though I know you haven't
memorized, just take the X 30 seconds, make sure you look at the recipe and make sure it's
(24:34):
all the same.
Yeah.
You know, and everybody, everybody wink, wink for the most part does that.
And the passion of the front of the house too is very neat because they're not selling
the most expensive item on the menu.
And it was like, okay, they're selling what they think is their favorite.
That's perfect.
That is so cool.
(24:55):
Like I could tell them all day long.
So why don't you sell it at $68?
I really love the pasta.
It's so good.
So they're perhaps when someone comes here, they're getting the passion of the restaurant
even right to the service team.
So you let them try.
Do you let them eat?
Make it hard.
Yeah.
I love it.
And I used to drive her crazy when we first started going out to eat places is I say to
(25:19):
the waiter, I want this or this.
Surprised me.
Right.
You know, and she's like, why do you do that?
And I said, because the waiter's going to pick what he thinks is the best number one.
Right.
Number two, he's going to be proud of that dish.
So if there's something wrong with it, when it leaves the pass, he's going to tell them.
Right.
Yeah.
(25:40):
And number four, it's selling.
He's selling something genuine that he likes.
That's only going to increase his tip.
Because I'm going to be like, wow, you were open.
This was awesome.
Thank you.
Boom.
Whereas if you get like, I don't know, everything's good.
Yeah.
That's what I'm there.
Yeah.
When they do that, I'm just like, yeah.
Oh, it is.
I didn't get that before.
Because I've been on the business side where you need service.
(26:02):
I always pick two or three things.
Right.
This is the balance.
And I'm thinking about the best compliment that I ever received from here.
It doesn't happen here.
Is there's a gentleman that I worked for up in Maine.
Yeah, I recall.
It is.
It is so cool.
He didn't know we open this.
He discovered us by chance.
Because even though there are not some of the most talented, I don't think there's a
very good experience.
There are tips for a resume.
Superstition.
(26:23):
Okay.
And he's like, somebody stole this from my beauty.
And then I walked down and I realized who it was.
Oh, wow.
And so then he was put on it.
These two probably talk forever.
And so, I'm sure.
I'm sure.
I'm sure.
I'm sure.
I'm sure.
I'm sure.
I'm sure.
I'm sure.
I'm sure.
I'm sure.
I'm sure.
I'm sure.
So, I'm probably, I don't know, maybe a year, two years something.
Bring some more people by.
(26:44):
Yeah.
And somebody asked me, he says, oh, what should I order?
And he says, I don't know if he was saying anything or nothing.
He looked at his friend and says, order whatever you want.
Everything's good here.
That was the biggest compliment I think I ever heard.
I think it was adorable.
That was the biggest compliment I think I ever heard.
Right?
I think it was adorable.
So, I did that.
I didn't hear the story.
Mr. D.
(27:05):
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
He's gone now.
Yeah.
But yes, that's right.
And he came here and didn't know who you were.
Yeah.
And then he brought.
Someone he used to work for.
He's here on the restaurant and I worked for him on the name.
Right.
And then he came down.
So, it would have to be the winter season.
And he brought his whole restaurant management team down.
(27:29):
Right.
For here.
And it was just really neat to see people that you haven't seen for so long.
Yeah.
It was fun.
But we've had a lot of people that we've known up north that have come down.
Come down.
That we've either knew they were coming or they just happened to be upon us again.
And that's the need.
That is beautiful.
Yeah.
(27:50):
You know, really when you see people that you haven't seen for so long.
Those people who actually helped you become who you are.
Yeah.
Because iron draws in the sun.
No, I mean, it's a testament of doing the right thing.
Yeah.
That's the whole thing.
Yeah, we still make it back up to me every year.
Which is, it's a nice break.
We close for a week here.
(28:12):
Everybody refurbishes the restaurant.
We go up north and sit on the lake.
Very nice.
You need that.
You do.
Because that nourishes your soul when you come back.
No, you do come back.
You have a new menu.
Let's start.
Everybody's rested, revitalized.
And everybody's re-energized.
Yeah.
Between now and the end of the year, what are you guys planning?
(28:35):
No, until, you know, not.
Well, right now we're just, um...
I mean, that you want to shift.
You don't want to shift.
Oh, no, no.
That's fine too.
But you know, because we're doing some pre-course dinners on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
We do some 20% off your bill on Sundays.
And then, because it is our 10th year in business, we did 10 years of 10 courses.
(28:57):
But let me just sit and ruff with that.
I started making the 10 courses for 10 years.
And I got through the first four menus.
And I almost had the 10 courses done.
Oh, yeah.
So we're doing...
So that was four menus for the first dinner.
So we're thinking of doing another 10 courses for the second menus and sort of reliving the
(29:24):
past 10 years.
That file that they told you about with all the menus I had.
Sometimes I'd come in late and they go, oh boy, I got to put something together.
So I'd open up the file and pick out, okay, I need six things.
And I'm like, past the second page.
And I'm like, all right, I got six.
I'm like, wait, no, I can't.
It's too much like the other one.
Right.
But no, there's so much history that you have.
Yeah.
You look back and it's like, you know, some of you remember.
(29:47):
And I wrote recipes for everything.
But in my little book, I'm looking at menus one, two, three, four and I said, you know,
I'm missing a lot of these recipes where are they?
So you got to try to remember what you did.
So we're going to keep capitalizing on the 10 years, the 10 courses, special tasting dinners.
(30:09):
We do it all year round.
So there's different clientele in the summer.
So we're just going to keep working on the 10 years and also every season we do the best
of the best, so we bring back 15 courses of everyone's favorite dishes.
So this will be our 10th one.
So that's coming up.
But we constantly do wine dinners.
We just kind of keep a bit of fresh summer and seasonal.
(30:34):
Yeah.
So that's what we're going to work on and just plug in away.
And, you know, we're gearing up for season already.
It'll be here before we know it.
Oh, yeah.
Yes.
So how quickly is this time going?
I mean, I can't believe it.
I know.
It was just the first of July?
I know.
This is the last couple of months of runway.
(30:56):
Yeah.
Before we go, I guess you got to tell us about this.
So they're going to tell us about this beautiful artwork that's on top.
You don't see us now because I'm showing you a picture of it.
Tell us the history of this.
I got the first point.
All right, go ahead.
Please don't say.
This one here.
So that is an old cooler door from the lodge in Maine that Ron and I met at.
(31:24):
It used to be about that.
The insulation got trimmed out.
So we built a house in Maine.
We're going to put a bar or something in the basement.
We can incorporate that.
Well, I didn't have.
We built a house, but that didn't get incorporated.
We moved a couple of times in Maine before we made it down here.
And then upon packing up to come down here and put everything in a little pod.
(31:48):
And Washington dryer didn't make it.
A lot of things didn't make it.
We got down here and the stupid door was in here.
So when we built the restaurant, we brought this out Ruben.
So amazing artists said that he would like to incorporate into the mural here.
Wow.
(32:09):
And so that made it.
I don't know how many times people try to open that.
Oh, really?
That's all back in the back.
There are all the hidden ones.
That's where Ron and I met.
29 years ago.
So I started the resort when I was 16 and it was an older refrigerator door that I would open up and get the eggs and the butter and milk out.
(32:31):
So that's where it started.
Okay.
They tore it down the kitchen after 80 years, halfway in between he and I think I was there for at least 10 years.
I was a job on a job.
The door came off the walls.
It was literally on a pile out there.
Yeah, the ones were just going to throw it away.
And I said, do you mind if I take that door?
And they were like, sure.
(32:52):
My father was an antique dealer.
So I knew it was 80 years old at the time.
Now it's like, I think it's 110 years old now.
So I knew it meant a lot to me, meant a lot to him.
And I knew that it was not going to go in a hamster.
So we did move it for about 12 years.
And then Ruben said he was going to use butcher blocks to make this beautiful mural and that was history.
(33:13):
No, see, I remember when we first came here, I sat right there and I was looking at it and I was like, that's really nice.
And I like it.
I didn't know the history.
Then when you get the history, it's like, wow, you really...
Well, you know the old refrigerator.
It's a big block.
Oh, yeah.
The doors were wooden.
I had to take one apart.
I had to disassemble one.
Yeah.
And like that.
They are, they are.
There was a man who sat in where you did and he looked up and he got a little tear.
(33:37):
He's like, Jamison.
That was my father's company.
So the whole history always keeps coming back.
Yeah.
He sat right there inside and he said, my father won that company.
Wow.
So the fork is what we wanted.
That's what Chef and I used to look like.
I know about you, but I'm pretty darn close.
I don't know.
You do it a little bit.
And then Ruben from the fork, he took it over.
He's so the fork is what we wanted.
He said, I'm going to use a fork.
I'm going to use a fork.
I'm going to use a fork.
I'm going to use a fork.
I'm going to use a fork.
I'm going to use a fork.
I'm going to use a fork.
I'm going to use a fork.
(33:58):
I'm going to use a fork.
You've removed the fork from the fork.
I'm pretty darn close.
I don't know.
Ruben from the fork, he took it over.
The fork is what we wanted.
The nest is about my family, the doves about love,
(34:20):
and the mortar and pestle,
so it's complete family, friends and love.
And that's what we continued on for ten years.
Through a second and then.
That's so beautiful.
We go to places and we see one place we go we see an old
Curio cabinet, you know, we put the dishes and all yeah totally out of place and it was their grandmother's yes, you know
And it's like how many people
(34:44):
Like she's you know
I wanted to say your questions on a daily but you get question
That's the thing is people need to know that that again, that's the whole that's the whole thing. That's who we are
Yeah, and I don't think that that's six degrees of separation is true anymore
I think it's gone to like three degrees. Yeah, because it just seems like everybody keeps coming at you faster and faster
(35:08):
And you realize wait a minute. I remember this I remember that this person was in my life at that time
And I learned all this from that group and yeah, it's just amazing
Right guys are awesome. Yeah, in closing. We should talk about the charcuterie. So
Yes, I don't know if we hold it that much
But everything that is here is made here the bread the butter is so just so everything's made in house
(35:33):
And so chef Ron loves to cure some meats. So we are going to
Do an extension and start a company where we do charcuterie online and also pick up
So this is a little bit of what he does
It's something we I wanted to do
How many years ago I took a charcuterie class
(35:54):
And then we've always had it on the menu and the more
You do it
The more you learn and it took me a while to really figure out how to make a salami
But once I got over the home. So now we do a chorizo
the land salami
pork salami
(36:15):
We do a braciola. This is a
cured
beef
And then we do a
cured pork loin as well
So in this it's on our menu and it's always that it's gonna be it's like another staple now duck
That taco became a staple now this has and it's very popular. So we are uses to you do
(36:37):
We just actually
She told me she told me yeah
And they put the cheddar cheese in there I'm going no it's American. I like no that's what
(36:58):
Supposed to put in there. I'm like really
I know I came with her we talked about it and then last night we're all
Guys are sitting around so let's give it a shot. Yeah, so we made one last night and came in this morning
I immediately threw away because it was didn't work and then we looked at this morning
We found something else. I tried it and I didn't think it was gonna work
(37:19):
I mean it wasn't spot-on, but they think the next one we do
He's got a great energy back there
They love learning from him and they work together on the menus and it's really it's everybody sort of bounces
Yeah, ideas off each other. Yeah, they do a good pivot and restructure and then pivot some more
Plus it's so small back there then you better like you got it right. When everybody first starts everybody bump it in
(37:44):
But after a couple weeks, it's like a little dance back there. Everybody knows what
He knows the dance we talk about the dance
And we always talk about the dance at when when I was in for a moment
I left the kitchen I became club manager and we hired a chef a very very good chef and
He would be doing the dining room and all of a sudden there's a commotion
(38:07):
And you know what's wrong? I don't want to work with this shoemaker
You know she's like
He keep bumping into me and blablabla. He says put your jacket on come help me or otherwise
I'm leaving yeah, so I put my take my suit off put the jacket on get online
And I'm over your hand and stakes this way
Whatever and he says they don't know how to dance
(38:30):
And the kids said what do you mean? I said you don't see we were here for two hours
We didn't bump into each other once right, you know and what happens I had to tell them
I can't every Friday and Saturday night come down here now
I'm like you're gonna have to either teach them how to dance
You know or learn how to dance alone because I can't we have we used to have I mean we have the full dining room and
(38:51):
And two boar rooms 500 500 I
Can't be on the lock
But yeah, but the dance you always hears me say that about the dance
It's a three week process yeah first couple weeks you're gonna get bruised
(39:13):
But now I mean you can do 100 people there and yeah nobody
Hold up. Yeah, you know the dishwasher come in and grab the plates and yeah, could you learn like I
I'll learn if I'm working with him. I'll learn he goes to his left all the time
So I'm gonna go to his right side cuz I know it's not gonna come this way
Yeah, you know and same thing he knows what I do and you know you have to learn it
(39:37):
When we used to work side by side
Yeah, I would feel the cheap hands crazy because he's so much taller
Tell everybody where you can be found. Yes. Yeah right here
2020 grow row palm place
(39:58):
It's 141 via Naranjas tucked in the courtyard
Everyone says don't promote other restaurants by telling
How to get here by other restaurants, but we're in the courtyard of the acotori sake house and the funky biscuit
That's the only thing we could ever make work
So if you want to find us, you know, you acotori sake house or you know the funky biscuit
(40:18):
We're in the courtyard. We're gonna buy a courtyard. There's not a lot of traffic
Half our seats are inside half they're out
Yeah, the the first time it's finding us is
It's interesting. We've had some calls where I've literally
Had the phone walked out to the street
Waved them down. I mean I've gone
(40:40):
Two blocks away
It's funny I use I use one of those one of those landmarks I use I say you got a turn we got a turn there
Yeah, and then we were very fortunate the first two weeks were open the ex editor of the Palm Beach Post
Came upon us and he loved it. He's our ambassador
Randy Shelf's and he called up the editor and said you need to write an article about 2020 grow and she wrote
(41:07):
the hidden gem and
Those been our tagline since we opened so they were like, okay, they're hidden so we need to find them and they're a gem
So that I'm gonna tell you that saved us Randy has been so good to us even to this day
So the hidden gem and we're all connected we are we are from number
(41:29):
five six one
9907 969
And the menu it's online. Yes, okay
2020 grill.com you have to spell it out though. Yes. Yes, and our Instagram is the same
Hashtag 2020 you spell it up with the letters. So the letters because you're gonna find a restaurant in California if you don't
(41:50):
Yeah
There's another one somewhere else to I think it's a Colorado. Yeah, it's not here
But we always tell everyone
You can send up her email on our website at 20 20 go calm polish on Instagram and that way you will know exactly
What's my mom?
I just want to say thank you. Thank you for the
(42:11):
Thank you for bringing us out here and
I think we should have very bad and we are here and more years. Yeah, right? Yeah, then maybe we'll retire
But as always enjoy and we'll see you there
(42:38):
Won't you please be kind
Oh
Just make up your mind
To please be sweet and gentle
Be gentle with me
Because I'm getting sentimental over you. I thought I was happy
Hi everybody, welcome back to SoFlo Dining. I'm Doris with a D and today we are in Vogue
(00:10):
of Ritone and we are doing a little chef's table with Chef Dan and we are 2020 Grill
with Chef Ron. Welcome Chef Ron.
We should say welcome right? Actually you don't have to be coming in to welcome me.
(00:31):
It really is. Tell us how long have you been in business?
We've just marked ten years. Have you always been in this location?
We have. We originally thought we wanted a bigger restaurant and we were showing the
bigger restaurant and something happened and didn't quite get it. After about two weeks
(00:52):
in this place we realized we weren't meant to have a bigger restaurant. So this is the
size and you keep getting requests to open something bigger and bigger doesn't make it
better. No, no, you're absolutely right.
It ties into the name when I recall, right? Yes.
So 2020 Grill, 20 seats on the inside, 20 seats on the outside. Everybody thinks it's a perfect
(01:17):
division. Yeah.
Or a nine-site. It's just, it's not. It's a Kinkini 2020.
So 20 seats on the inside, 20 seats on the outside. When it was COVID it was 040. So
everybody was sitting outside. And everyone asked us if we opened in 2020. When 2020 hit
they were like did you open in 2020? We were like no way.
(01:38):
We had really big plans for 2020. Obviously 2020 Grill in 2020 and then COVID came through.
Didn't squash that really quick. No, it is the perfect size. Yes.
You know, I know. You know, as a chef. Yeah, I've done big places and you lose, like when
I've been in the kitchen here and I've seen how you have everything on the board and everything,
(02:00):
you lose that. Yes.
When you have a big place, you have too many people, too many, what, too many hands in
a pot. Yes.
That's the truth. No, a lot of what we do here is the customer service. I'll go out and
speak to every table. Ronald will speak to every table. Yeah.
The staff speaks to every table. And if you get bigger, you lose that one-on-one. You
lose it. You lose it. There's no way you'd be able to.
(02:21):
It's so important for us here. No, and that's what we love. We love that.
Yeah, I know you do. The places we do and go to. Right.
We love that interpersonal, you know. It's a lost art.
It's a lost art. The culture now is, you know, we've become accustomed to bad service. Yes.
And we've accepted that and I don't know why. Yeah.
(02:41):
You know, and it's like so many places you go to, it's like, I don't like this. It's
like, oh, well. Yeah.
I think guests that come here, they expect what we're doing. And then they tell the right
guests to come here. They want, we have some guests that have been coming here forever.
They will not tell their friends to come here because they're steakhouse people. They tell
(03:05):
them, it's okay. We'll catch up with you another day.
So it is the right clientele that comes here. We're small, we're intimate, foodie restaurant.
But if you want corporate and flashy, you came to the wrong place.
Yeah. No, we have a place that we went to the other day and I told the guy, I think
he's 17 years in business. Yes.
And I said, for about four years, people have been telling me, you got to go here. You got
(03:29):
to go here. And I went, I said, where is it? Well, I'll let you know. They wouldn't tell
me. Oh my gosh.
The reason why is because it's always booked. Right. And they wouldn't tell me. I'm like,
would you, they're like, no, because if you do a review, forget it. We'll never get it.
We've heard that so many times too. Everyone's like, I don't want to tell so many people
because then I won't be able to get a table. It's so funny.
(03:50):
People are funny around that.
Yeah, but people got to know, people got to know, people got to support because that's
what keeps everything going.
Right. Right. And we kind of have the reputation that we're always booked. And so we kind of
want that out there that, yeah, in season we're booked on Friday, Saturday, but for
every time everyone says to me, you're booked. I can't get in. I'm just like, I'm not booked
(04:13):
tonight. Where did that or I don't understand where that came from. Maybe the first couple
of years. Yes. In season, you do have to plan ahead of time, but in the summer, we definitely
need the local support and we are not booked every night in the summer. So that is something
you heard.
Yeah, I heard it first. They want you to know that because of that aura, mystique, people,
(04:36):
I think that they don't think they can get in here and they can definitely in the summer.
Absolutely. And you're here for them. I mean, yes. The whole reason we're here is for the
locals.
We are and we have a lot of great specials in the summer as well. So yeah, we're here.
How did you find your way into the hospitality industry? It's got to be a beautiful story.
Oh, I'll tell you. You know what I know? I found out at an early age that I could not
(05:04):
sing or dance. So that's where I really go. At 16. I think fifth grade is when I was
told I was in chorus and I was told, don't pursue this. You were all 10 years old and
you got this message. Yes, I did. Wow. You were lucky.
And then I don't know. I had to be probably 14, maybe 15, but all the kids, all my friends
(05:32):
would come over to my house for breakfast in the morning. I don't know why I ended up
making breakfast. I see how it is.
And then it just snowballed. But the first time at culinary school, I almost walked out.
The first thing I was had to cook was liver, liver and onions. And I'm over those things.
(05:56):
That's a favorite. Yeah. And that smell.
But isn't that part of the whole thing? I mean, don't they just try to push you to the
limit to see if you really should be there or not?
Sure. Yeah. Yeah. It's with everything. But no, it's now it's been doing it and love
doing it. Love creating. So yeah, it's just to be here 10 years is remarkable. I mean,
(06:21):
it really, really after the first, what the first six months, I mean, on the days that
Rhonda wasn't working, we would have her come in with the girls, have her sit outside and
eat dinner just to make it look like somebody was here in the beginning. And then it's fun.
You know, we get people and oh, we don't want to tell anybody. We don't want to tell anybody.
We don't want to, you know, and then I think we started the first time we use social media
(06:48):
to advertise for here is when we started, you know, ascending up.
Oh, it started. Yeah, started getting the people in. But yeah, the first first couple
months was little lean, little scary. Yeah. 10 years later, here we are.
I was supposed to be an architect. Guess what? I can't draw. That was it.
(07:12):
Well, you have computers now, so you've probably been fine.
Right. Well, that they was just starting that they were talking about that computer generated.
I'm like, what about that? And they're like, no, you have to be able to draw. And I'm like,
you know, and I was in a library with a friend that was that they had a, I think he was getting
a book or something. And they had a job fair or career fair, I'm sorry. And the lady came
over and she said, can you sign the paper for me? I'm like, what am I signed? She said,
(07:36):
well, I have to have X amount of people here before I can leave. And I'm like, well, what
do you do? And she said, well, it's a culinary school. And, you know, it's, you know, they're
trying to sign up people to go to the school to new startup. So I went there, I've watched
the presentation. I made the appointment. I got it. Yeah. And it was 30. They only accepted
30 people, 17 graduated, or after the two years. So and you know, they did the breakdown.
(08:02):
Yeah. Yeah. They really put you to. It's I like saying it and you're about my age. So
you'll understand it's before it was a glamorous job. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. It's not what you see
on TV. I was not what you see on TV. Chef could throw stuff at you. Call you dirty names.
Where everyone. Yeah. And nowadays, if you look at somebody the wrong way, yeah. I mean,
(08:25):
Chef Ramsay gets that reputation. But back then that's, you know, and I say it, I mean,
I don't know where you had worked in the past, but traditionally the kitchens were places
where people that were outcast. Yeah. Work. That was your, you know, your quarters and
that was it. Yeah. You know, and that was the tradition. And now all these TV shows came
on and everybody wants to be chef. Yeah. Yeah. I think that's our rawness of innovative that
(08:52):
we changed many of our age to 10 weeks. And he's always playing even after all these years
he's playing with food and our guests accepted. And I think that's a pretty cool. I think
you should be so proud of yourself. I love looking at the stuff when you guys put it
up. And when you gave me the tour and I was looking at the board, the prep board, and
I was like, wow, I'm like, this guy, he's real. You're real. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely.
(09:15):
Yeah. Yeah. Some keep it new. Some places just the key. That's the word. Some places
that stick with old and just, yeah. And it's, you know, the most fun, I think here is when
we play the survey game. I was just going to ask you, you said she told us about that.
So it's between right before the entree, we do it in an intermezzo survey. And it's
(09:39):
a four flavor survey. So we present to survey to the table, whether it's one, two, three,
four, and the game is to see if they can figure out what the four flavors are. So when we
first started, we had one survey and we're so close to table or close to each other.
I can't remember the whole story on this, but one table got the last item on the menu
(10:04):
and table next to them ordered it. And they said, Oh, I'm sorry, I got the last one, but
I'll tell you what the survey is. So I came out to play the game. And usually, you know,
you get the four flavors of buyer wine or dessert or something. There's always some,
some of the tests there. And so I presented the game to them and they looked at me, they
guessed the four flavors right off the bat. You know, if they would have stumbled and made
(10:27):
the wrong guess, I would have said, Okay, in the table next to them, just sitting there
like that. So over the course of the years, we started with one survey. And now there's
eight different ones each night. I make a couple of the same color. So the people that
want to over here, they think they got it and they don't. But you know, occasionally,
(10:54):
it happens more often than not that people do get the full game. We had six young ladies
out here. One night presented the game to them. And I said, If you get the four flavors,
I'll buy your wine. And think they had three bottles of wine. And it started off slow.
And then they got one, they got two. And we're still good. And somebody nailed the third
(11:18):
one. And there's usually one that's kind of obscured. Lastly, blurtz it out. So I come
in here and it's, you know, we got to buy their wine. She's like, all of it. Yeah, so it's
probably, I don't know, 350 and wine or something like that. But they all went home and so should
be older friends and more people came in. I was gonna say, I bet you they come back.
(11:41):
A lot of guests come back because of the story. There's people that really enjoy the game.
Where there's people that just cringe when they see me come. I've done this six times
and have forgotten it. But it's really is a lot of fun. And there's some guests that
(12:04):
will guess one or two flavors and let me done. Then there's other people that will literally
go down with the ship. Don't tell me what it is. Don't tell me what it is. And then
I can't get it. But it's just it's just one more thing that brings us closer to the guests
and gets closer.
And more personal. I mean, the history of restaurants were houses. I mean, this was
(12:32):
somebody's house. You lived upstairs or in the back and you welcome people into your
house. And like I said about what people have come accustomed to is, you know, sit down,
eat, here's the bill, get out. We're here. You guys are interactive. You know, you're
welcome in and I said that when you come in the front door, you feel welcome.
You feel like you're at home. I've read that in so many reviews.
(12:53):
But you feel what you really feel welcome and you're supposed to feel good about dining
out. Yeah.
Yeah. So we do have that or that is a good thing that we have never steered away from
it. True to what we do.
Yeah. And what is the style of cooking that you do?
Yeah.
Other than runs, you know, the window says contemporary American cuisine. Okay. Originally
(13:24):
we labeled ourselves as fine dining. I think there is not a style. It's more of which when
you do you feel like doing this menu. But it goes from we have Ruby and we have Thai.
We have a little of this, a little of that. Barbecue.
I mean, we have a Doritos spice oyster with a French onion dip. I mean, which is it sounded
(13:50):
fun. We made it and it's like, boy, this is really good.
I actually found one of the most popular.
I've ever heard it on the menu. And it's one of those things that it has. I think it's
something people see that like, oh my, we have to try it. And then it actually is good
as it reads. And it's, you know, again, it's a fun little dish. We change the menu. It
(14:17):
keeps the guys in the back. They don't get bored doing the same thing they have today.
You know, the servers, you different food. So I think even the guests now over the years
expect to come back and, you know, see something different. Not to have the same, you know,
same dish every time they come.
In the beginning, he would take something off and they're like, why did you do that?
(14:41):
And then they kind of be upset. And then they try something new that he has. Okay.
That's awesome.
We've had that before.
Because we're open people. That's good. Because you want people who are open to new tasting
and new excitement.
Well, they can have the same menu anywhere in Palm Beach Valley.
Oh, anywhere in the area.
We had the Spanish place we did. And when you said, you know, he tried, he put lasagna
(15:04):
when he first started. Because people liked his lasagna. And it's 17 years, it's still
there. And he said he tried to take it off.
He tried to take it off the menu can.
He goes, there's a couple dishes here that I tried and I got in trouble. So we just,
they're leaving.
But you're here for them.
Yeah.
But just two items. So the duck, duck, taco, and the rack of laver. The only two items
(15:25):
that have stayed on the menu in 10 years. That's it.
And I tried to exchange one time.
Right.
And people are like, why? So now every time I make a menu, it's just cut and paste.
Cut and paste.
And then once a year, we do it best of the best from that year. And that's when you get the
dishes that you liked. But we're no longer on the menu.
(15:46):
Okay.
That's another fun night. And everybody comes in. Oh, I remember this dish. I remember this
dish.
Wow.
Yeah.
And then we just did a 10 year menu. And there was a dessert on there that I completely
forgot about.
And I looked at it and I remember making this and it made it. And that's cool.
(16:08):
It was 10 years, 10 courses.
But there's nothing like that.
I have my old menus. I used to run an officer's club for the army. And I have about two years
worth of menus. Because every night I would do the menus and we had banquets and I'd have
to incorporate stuff back and forth. Every now and then I go through there.
(16:29):
And I'm like, look, puntenesca. Wow. When did I make that? And we're just carbonara.
And I'm like, go through.
Yeah.
I'm like, wow.
I'm like, look at that. And it really is. It's fun. You see what you did with that morphed
into that. She's doing something else.
Yeah.
Like little pokemons going down the road here.
(16:52):
Or some of them I look at.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Trust me.
Yeah.
But I have two little words put all my chicken stretch in. They carry the books around for
10 years now.
It's a very good book. Yeah.
I love it.
It is fun changing the menu. You can come up with different things.
(17:14):
What is your most popular dish?
Good question.
Well, okay. We'll go back to the ones that have been here for 10 years.
So it's the Silver Oak, Brian, Brackaland.
Again, that was changed and people like, yeah, stupid.
(17:35):
So we went back and we have a duck taco that we created when we were in Massachusetts,
a new report.
And we used to have a bakery up there.
We would do tasting dinners at night after the bakery closed.
And I think the first one or two menus that we started down here was because of the menus
that we were written up a new report. And the duck taco was one of them.
(18:00):
So again, those are the two that stayed.
There's some things we've done in Sifu sausage here that comes and goes.
We'll put it on the menu or we might change it and make a little provian.
But that always goes over well.
But it's something that it doesn't stay on.
It doesn't stay on.
(18:21):
That's a popular.
Yeah.
It's like season law.
Yes.
Yeah.
But yeah, everything else, we try to just come up with different ideas.
Not all of them are winners.
Hopefully you got to try.
You didn't have many losers over the 10 years.
(18:42):
No, but there's some you look back and you're like, yeah.
Yeah, I've had a couple of years.
We can improve on that one.
I was on horseback, you know, the filet mignon, you put the love.
Yeah.
I did something with chicken on top.
Yeah, I didn't work.
No, that didn't work.
But there's a sort of days I made that.
(19:03):
Yeah.
Inside out.
Juice and onion taste like fish.
I don't know why.
Yeah, right?
What's up with that?
So we made it Caesar salad.
So they which is phenomenal.
But if you're doing a blind taste test and the first thing you get is anchovy and you're
not thinking it.
Yeah, nothing go wrong.
(19:24):
Didn't go over real well.
And then we did a VLT sorbet, which is really great.
But we forgot where we are.
Oops.
Bacon didn't go over too well.
But you know, when you say we have reggers that keep coming, they're very forthcoming.
If they know that you get spot on, they'll let them know.
Yeah.
(19:45):
Now normally there's a question that we ask, but as far as you have a menu that changes,
normally we say, and I asked the chef was, is there something you wish people would try
more of?
Like, is there a dish that you said, I don't know why people don't order this one.
Is it so good?
Well, there are some things that get put on the menu that I could right now, we have a
(20:07):
liquor store.
That people wouldn't associate liquor should fix.
Before each menu, we make it go around in the kitchen and then we let the servers and
everybody tastes okay.
And as long as it comes back positive with them, then they'll pass it on to the guests
(20:28):
and say, you know what, it might sound a little bizarre, but you know, why don't you just try
if you don't like it.
So the big thing then is to be open.
Yeah.
And the fact is that everything that's on that menu has been tried, tested, everybody
liked it.
So that's, yeah, so to be open, that's the main thing.
And the world that we live in now, it's all about Google and reviews.
(20:50):
So when you Google, you see the menu for one thing and then they're looking at the reviews
on four different sites and the site, they're all saying, we don't know why these flavors
came together, but they were phenomenal.
So they know what they're getting into.
They know they're not coming here having meat and potatoes.
They're coming here for an experience.
So it does, it does resonate through the reviews, which is very cool for us.
(21:13):
And you can check their reviews.
They got great reviews.
I can tell you that now.
Oh yeah.
Yeah, we're pretty proud of that.
But it's an entire team that does that.
It is.
It's not me, it's not chef.
It's our entire team.
It is.
Just like you said, everyone comes out.
Yeah.
Yeah.
They work very hard to keep us all going.
I have a question that's so silly, but we have to ask.
(21:37):
Yeah.
What up?
Yeah.
You're a good cook.
And it doesn't have to be on the menu.
No, no.
What food comforts you when you need that?
And we all have our moments.
Like for instance, mine's peanut butter and jelly.
Pizza rolls.
Pizza rolls.
Pizza rolls.
There you go.
There you go.
Yeah.
(21:58):
I like your combinations.
Mine's fried chicken tenders, fried chicken on the connoisseur of chicken tenders.
Anything with fried is chicken.
See, I love that question.
And that's one that I had put in because people think that we eat like, ooh.
Yeah.
And they don't realize that we get tired of looking at that.
Yeah.
And we like some simple, I mean, she'll tell you, sometimes I just want a hamburger.
(22:20):
Yeah.
And we go places and it's like hamburger with this, that and the other thing.
Hamburger with, you know, and I'm like, just, just want a hamburger with some red.
Yeah.
And it's like, every night people think you're back here whipping something up and I try
to eat before I go home.
It's not always possible.
You look in the fridge and it's like, you know, whatever.
(22:41):
It doesn't have to be fancy.
But it's a lot of your stuff.
We make 99% of the time I eat before I go home.
Yeah.
And when you change the menu so often, at the end of it, we're like, okay, I'm not.
No, you know when it's time to change the menu.
It's because of us.
And you see, you know, the guys in the kitchen, they're like, I just, yeah, it's, yeah.
(23:04):
The energy kind of dips a little bit.
And the same with, with this step and I know, okay, gotta be eating this, I've been eating
that, she's been eating this, been eating that.
And it's just a little light goes off and it's like, okay, you know, let's, let's start.
As soon as the menu changes, you almost might take a week off, but you almost immediately
(23:27):
start thinking about what you're going to do for the next one.
And it's not, and when the menu changes, you know, it's not like, I think there's 18 items
on the menu, but it's not like the whole thing changes.
Right.
It might be 40%, sometimes it might be 60%.
But there's, everything stays for two cycles and then goes away.
So one, some of the cycles might overlap.
(23:50):
So it's not like you're getting, you know, 18 grand.
Yeah.
So for me, for me was the workaround, the kitchen would, you know, I put a new menu out and
you see it in the energy.
You'll see everyone's like, wow, look at this.
And then like four or five months down the line, I walk in and see they have like stuff
prepped ahead.
Yeah.
You know, all these workarounds and I'm like, what, what, that's not how we did that.
(24:11):
Oh yeah.
But if you put this here and I'm like, yeah, okay, it's time to change.
It's time to change.
They're getting bored and they're inventing things.
They're finding new ways to do it.
And it's not going to taste the same.
It's not going to be yet as a reason why this goes in first.
Yeah.
We have make recipes for everything and I just asked everybody, even though I know you haven't
memorized, just take the X 30 seconds, make sure you look at the recipe and make sure it's
(24:34):
all the same.
Yeah.
You know, and everybody, everybody wink, wink for the most part does that.
And the passion of the front of the house too is very neat because they're not selling
the most expensive item on the menu.
And it was like, okay, they're selling what they think is their favorite.
That's perfect.
That is so cool.
(24:55):
Like I could tell them all day long.
So why don't you sell it at $68?
I really love the pasta.
It's so good.
So they're perhaps when someone comes here, they're getting the passion of the restaurant
even right to the service team.
So you let them try.
Do you let them eat?
Make it hard.
Yeah.
I love it.
And I used to drive her crazy when we first started going out to eat places is I say to
(25:19):
the waiter, I want this or this.
Surprised me.
Right.
You know, and she's like, why do you do that?
And I said, because the waiter's going to pick what he thinks is the best number one.
Right.
Number two, he's going to be proud of that dish.
So if there's something wrong with it, when it leaves the pass, he's going to tell them.
Right.
Yeah.
(25:40):
And number four, it's selling.
He's selling something genuine that he likes.
That's only going to increase his tip.
Because I'm going to be like, wow, you were open.
This was awesome.
Thank you.
Boom.
Whereas if you get like, I don't know, everything's good.
Yeah.
That's what I'm there.
Yeah.
When they do that, I'm just like, yeah.
Oh, it is.
I didn't get that before.
Because I've been on the business side where you need service.
(26:02):
I always pick two or three things.
Right.
This is the balance.
And I'm thinking about the best compliment that I ever received from here.
It doesn't happen here.
Is there's a gentleman that I worked for up in Maine.
Yeah, I recall.
It is.
It is so cool.
He didn't know we open this.
He discovered us by chance.
Because even though there are not some of the most talented, I don't think there's a
very good experience.
There are tips for a resume.
Superstition.
(26:23):
Okay.
And he's like, somebody stole this from my beauty.
And then I walked down and I realized who it was.
Oh, wow.
And so then he was put on it.
These two probably talk forever.
And so, I'm sure.
I'm sure.
I'm sure.
I'm sure.
I'm sure.
I'm sure.
I'm sure.
I'm sure.
I'm sure.
I'm sure.
I'm sure.
I'm sure.
So, I'm probably, I don't know, maybe a year, two years something.
Bring some more people by.
(26:44):
Yeah.
And somebody asked me, he says, oh, what should I order?
And he says, I don't know if he was saying anything or nothing.
He looked at his friend and says, order whatever you want.
Everything's good here.
That was the biggest compliment I think I ever heard.
I think it was adorable.
That was the biggest compliment I think I ever heard.
Right?
I think it was adorable.
So, I did that.
I didn't hear the story.
Mr. D.
(27:05):
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
He's gone now.
Yeah.
But yes, that's right.
And he came here and didn't know who you were.
Yeah.
And then he brought.
Someone he used to work for.
He's here on the restaurant and I worked for him on the name.
Right.
And then he came down.
So, it would have to be the winter season.
And he brought his whole restaurant management team down.
(27:29):
Right.
For here.
And it was just really neat to see people that you haven't seen for so long.
Yeah.
It was fun.
But we've had a lot of people that we've known up north that have come down.
Come down.
That we've either knew they were coming or they just happened to be upon us again.
And that's the need.
That is beautiful.
Yeah.
(27:50):
You know, really when you see people that you haven't seen for so long.
Those people who actually helped you become who you are.
Yeah.
Because iron draws in the sun.
No, I mean, it's a testament of doing the right thing.
Yeah.
That's the whole thing.
Yeah, we still make it back up to me every year.
Which is, it's a nice break.
We close for a week here.
(28:12):
Everybody refurbishes the restaurant.
We go up north and sit on the lake.
Very nice.
You need that.
You do.
Because that nourishes your soul when you come back.
No, you do come back.
You have a new menu.
Let's start.
Everybody's rested, revitalized.
And everybody's re-energized.
Yeah.
Between now and the end of the year, what are you guys planning?
(28:35):
No, until, you know, not.
Well, right now we're just, um...
I mean, that you want to shift.
You don't want to shift.
Oh, no, no.
That's fine too.
But you know, because we're doing some pre-course dinners on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
We do some 20% off your bill on Sundays.
And then, because it is our 10th year in business, we did 10 years of 10 courses.
(28:57):
But let me just sit and ruff with that.
I started making the 10 courses for 10 years.
And I got through the first four menus.
And I almost had the 10 courses done.
Oh, yeah.
So we're doing...
So that was four menus for the first dinner.
So we're thinking of doing another 10 courses for the second menus and sort of reliving the
(29:24):
past 10 years.
That file that they told you about with all the menus I had.
Sometimes I'd come in late and they go, oh boy, I got to put something together.
So I'd open up the file and pick out, okay, I need six things.
And I'm like, past the second page.
And I'm like, all right, I got six.
I'm like, wait, no, I can't.
It's too much like the other one.
Right.
But no, there's so much history that you have.
Yeah.
You look back and it's like, you know, some of you remember.
(29:47):
And I wrote recipes for everything.
But in my little book, I'm looking at menus one, two, three, four and I said, you know,
I'm missing a lot of these recipes where are they?
So you got to try to remember what you did.
So we're going to keep capitalizing on the 10 years, the 10 courses, special tasting dinners.
(30:09):
We do it all year round.
So there's different clientele in the summer.
So we're just going to keep working on the 10 years and also every season we do the best
of the best, so we bring back 15 courses of everyone's favorite dishes.
So this will be our 10th one.
So that's coming up.
But we constantly do wine dinners.
We just kind of keep a bit of fresh summer and seasonal.
(30:34):
Yeah.
So that's what we're going to work on and just plug in away.
And, you know, we're gearing up for season already.
It'll be here before we know it.
Oh, yeah.
Yes.
So how quickly is this time going?
I mean, I can't believe it.
I know.
It was just the first of July?
I know.
This is the last couple of months of runway.
(30:56):
Yeah.
Before we go, I guess you got to tell us about this.
So they're going to tell us about this beautiful artwork that's on top.
You don't see us now because I'm showing you a picture of it.
Tell us the history of this.
I got the first point.
All right, go ahead.
Please don't say.
This one here.
So that is an old cooler door from the lodge in Maine that Ron and I met at.
(31:24):
It used to be about that.
The insulation got trimmed out.
So we built a house in Maine.
We're going to put a bar or something in the basement.
We can incorporate that.
Well, I didn't have.
We built a house, but that didn't get incorporated.
We moved a couple of times in Maine before we made it down here.
And then upon packing up to come down here and put everything in a little pod.
(31:48):
And Washington dryer didn't make it.
A lot of things didn't make it.
We got down here and the stupid door was in here.
So when we built the restaurant, we brought this out Ruben.
So amazing artists said that he would like to incorporate into the mural here.
Wow.
(32:09):
And so that made it.
I don't know how many times people try to open that.
Oh, really?
That's all back in the back.
There are all the hidden ones.
That's where Ron and I met.
29 years ago.
So I started the resort when I was 16 and it was an older refrigerator door that I would open up and get the eggs and the butter and milk out.
(32:31):
So that's where it started.
Okay.
They tore it down the kitchen after 80 years, halfway in between he and I think I was there for at least 10 years.
I was a job on a job.
The door came off the walls.
It was literally on a pile out there.
Yeah, the ones were just going to throw it away.
And I said, do you mind if I take that door?
And they were like, sure.
(32:52):
My father was an antique dealer.
So I knew it was 80 years old at the time.
Now it's like, I think it's 110 years old now.
So I knew it meant a lot to me, meant a lot to him.
And I knew that it was not going to go in a hamster.
So we did move it for about 12 years.
And then Ruben said he was going to use butcher blocks to make this beautiful mural and that was history.
(33:13):
No, see, I remember when we first came here, I sat right there and I was looking at it and I was like, that's really nice.
And I like it.
I didn't know the history.
Then when you get the history, it's like, wow, you really...
Well, you know the old refrigerator.
It's a big block.
Oh, yeah.
The doors were wooden.
I had to take one apart.
I had to disassemble one.
Yeah.
And like that.
They are, they are.
There was a man who sat in where you did and he looked up and he got a little tear.
(33:37):
He's like, Jamison.
That was my father's company.
So the whole history always keeps coming back.
Yeah.
He sat right there inside and he said, my father won that company.
Wow.
So the fork is what we wanted.
That's what Chef and I used to look like.
I know about you, but I'm pretty darn close.
I don't know.
You do it a little bit.
And then Ruben from the fork, he took it over.
He's so the fork is what we wanted.
He said, I'm going to use a fork.
I'm going to use a fork.
I'm going to use a fork.
I'm going to use a fork.
I'm going to use a fork.
I'm going to use a fork.
I'm going to use a fork.
I'm going to use a fork.
(33:58):
I'm going to use a fork.
You've removed the fork from the fork.
I'm pretty darn close.
I don't know.
Ruben from the fork, he took it over.
The fork is what we wanted.
The nest is about my family, the doves about love,
(34:20):
and the mortar and pestle,
so it's complete family, friends and love.
And that's what we continued on for ten years.
Through a second and then.
That's so beautiful.
We go to places and we see one place we go we see an old
Curio cabinet, you know, we put the dishes and all yeah totally out of place and it was their grandmother's yes, you know
And it's like how many people
(34:44):
Like she's you know
I wanted to say your questions on a daily but you get question
That's the thing is people need to know that that again, that's the whole that's the whole thing. That's who we are
Yeah, and I don't think that that's six degrees of separation is true anymore
I think it's gone to like three degrees. Yeah, because it just seems like everybody keeps coming at you faster and faster
(35:08):
And you realize wait a minute. I remember this I remember that this person was in my life at that time
And I learned all this from that group and yeah, it's just amazing
Right guys are awesome. Yeah, in closing. We should talk about the charcuterie. So
Yes, I don't know if we hold it that much
But everything that is here is made here the bread the butter is so just so everything's made in house
(35:33):
And so chef Ron loves to cure some meats. So we are going to
Do an extension and start a company where we do charcuterie online and also pick up
So this is a little bit of what he does
It's something we I wanted to do
How many years ago I took a charcuterie class
(35:54):
And then we've always had it on the menu and the more
You do it
The more you learn and it took me a while to really figure out how to make a salami
But once I got over the home. So now we do a chorizo
the land salami
pork salami
(36:15):
We do a braciola. This is a
cured
beef
And then we do a
cured pork loin as well
So in this it's on our menu and it's always that it's gonna be it's like another staple now duck
That taco became a staple now this has and it's very popular. So we are uses to you do
(36:37):
We just actually
She told me she told me yeah
And they put the cheddar cheese in there I'm going no it's American. I like no that's what
(36:58):
Supposed to put in there. I'm like really
I know I came with her we talked about it and then last night we're all
Guys are sitting around so let's give it a shot. Yeah, so we made one last night and came in this morning
I immediately threw away because it was didn't work and then we looked at this morning
We found something else. I tried it and I didn't think it was gonna work
(37:19):
I mean it wasn't spot-on, but they think the next one we do
He's got a great energy back there
They love learning from him and they work together on the menus and it's really it's everybody sort of bounces
Yeah, ideas off each other. Yeah, they do a good pivot and restructure and then pivot some more
Plus it's so small back there then you better like you got it right. When everybody first starts everybody bump it in
(37:44):
But after a couple weeks, it's like a little dance back there. Everybody knows what
He knows the dance we talk about the dance
And we always talk about the dance at when when I was in for a moment
I left the kitchen I became club manager and we hired a chef a very very good chef and
He would be doing the dining room and all of a sudden there's a commotion
(38:07):
And you know what's wrong? I don't want to work with this shoemaker
You know she's like
He keep bumping into me and blablabla. He says put your jacket on come help me or otherwise
I'm leaving yeah, so I put my take my suit off put the jacket on get online
And I'm over your hand and stakes this way
Whatever and he says they don't know how to dance
(38:30):
And the kids said what do you mean? I said you don't see we were here for two hours
We didn't bump into each other once right, you know and what happens I had to tell them
I can't every Friday and Saturday night come down here now
I'm like you're gonna have to either teach them how to dance
You know or learn how to dance alone because I can't we have we used to have I mean we have the full dining room and
(38:51):
And two boar rooms 500 500 I
Can't be on the lock
But yeah, but the dance you always hears me say that about the dance
It's a three week process yeah first couple weeks you're gonna get bruised
(39:13):
But now I mean you can do 100 people there and yeah nobody
Hold up. Yeah, you know the dishwasher come in and grab the plates and yeah, could you learn like I
I'll learn if I'm working with him. I'll learn he goes to his left all the time
So I'm gonna go to his right side cuz I know it's not gonna come this way
Yeah, you know and same thing he knows what I do and you know you have to learn it
(39:37):
When we used to work side by side
Yeah, I would feel the cheap hands crazy because he's so much taller
Tell everybody where you can be found. Yes. Yeah right here
2020 grow row palm place
(39:58):
It's 141 via Naranjas tucked in the courtyard
Everyone says don't promote other restaurants by telling
How to get here by other restaurants, but we're in the courtyard of the acotori sake house and the funky biscuit
That's the only thing we could ever make work
So if you want to find us, you know, you acotori sake house or you know the funky biscuit
(40:18):
We're in the courtyard. We're gonna buy a courtyard. There's not a lot of traffic
Half our seats are inside half they're out
Yeah, the the first time it's finding us is
It's interesting. We've had some calls where I've literally
Had the phone walked out to the street
Waved them down. I mean I've gone
(40:40):
Two blocks away
It's funny I use I use one of those one of those landmarks I use I say you got a turn we got a turn there
Yeah, and then we were very fortunate the first two weeks were open the ex editor of the Palm Beach Post
Came upon us and he loved it. He's our ambassador
Randy Shelf's and he called up the editor and said you need to write an article about 2020 grow and she wrote
(41:07):
the hidden gem and
Those been our tagline since we opened so they were like, okay, they're hidden so we need to find them and they're a gem
So that I'm gonna tell you that saved us Randy has been so good to us even to this day
So the hidden gem and we're all connected we are we are from number
(41:29):
five six one
9907 969
And the menu it's online. Yes, okay
2020 grill.com you have to spell it out though. Yes. Yes, and our Instagram is the same
Hashtag 2020 you spell it up with the letters. So the letters because you're gonna find a restaurant in California if you don't
(41:50):
Yeah
There's another one somewhere else to I think it's a Colorado. Yeah, it's not here
But we always tell everyone
You can send up her email on our website at 20 20 go calm polish on Instagram and that way you will know exactly
What's my mom?
I just want to say thank you. Thank you for the
(42:11):
Thank you for bringing us out here and
I think we should have very bad and we are here and more years. Yeah, right? Yeah, then maybe we'll retire
But as always enjoy and we'll see you there
(42:38):
Won't you please be kind
Oh
Just make up your mind
To please be sweet and gentle
Be gentle with me
Because I'm getting sentimental over you. I thought I was happy
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