I agree completely, but wonder how this could have been done successfully! 🤔 carbone became such a symbol and the dishes became so popular they occupied the same space as a family recipe. New Yorker foodies were proud to try and replicate it at home… that kind of identity gets lost as the investor money gets involved. Maybe if carbone had done a thoughtful chef exchange it would have revitalized their New York location and offered a way to share a slice of NYC with the wider world. What do you think??
Such a good question, I like the idea of the chef exchange but wonder if it would still dilute the brand? I almost think the Major Food Group needed to create an entirely new restaurant with similar concept as Carbone, and replicate that restaurant in cities across the world. On the one hand it might be a slower start, Carbone has so much brand equity and “by the team behind Carbone” might not carry the same weight, so it would be a slower build (not what investors like). However it could have saved the brand behind New York’s Carbone, which is surely a more long term strategy but would have prevented dilution!
"slow" is definitely not what investors like but i like the idea of replicating the restaurant design but not the food itself. not everything has to be scaled/franchised, the people crave something unique & rooted in place! thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts!
Hello! Exactly right. This wasn’t about a review of the food, it was about what mass expansion does to a restaurant’s identity, a pattern you can see from the outside. Open to your thoughts and thank you for reading x
I agree completely, but wonder how this could have been done successfully! 🤔 carbone became such a symbol and the dishes became so popular they occupied the same space as a family recipe. New Yorker foodies were proud to try and replicate it at home… that kind of identity gets lost as the investor money gets involved. Maybe if carbone had done a thoughtful chef exchange it would have revitalized their New York location and offered a way to share a slice of NYC with the wider world. What do you think??
Such a good question, I like the idea of the chef exchange but wonder if it would still dilute the brand? I almost think the Major Food Group needed to create an entirely new restaurant with similar concept as Carbone, and replicate that restaurant in cities across the world. On the one hand it might be a slower start, Carbone has so much brand equity and “by the team behind Carbone” might not carry the same weight, so it would be a slower build (not what investors like). However it could have saved the brand behind New York’s Carbone, which is surely a more long term strategy but would have prevented dilution!
"slow" is definitely not what investors like but i like the idea of replicating the restaurant design but not the food itself. not everything has to be scaled/franchised, the people crave something unique & rooted in place! thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts!
You can’t franchise fine dining
Couldn't agree more on Carbone, especially Riviera which I dub the Nickelback of American restaurants....
https://thehunger.substack.com/p/the-nickelback-of-restaurants
Danielle, do I understand it correctly you have never been there?
Hello! Exactly right. This wasn’t about a review of the food, it was about what mass expansion does to a restaurant’s identity, a pattern you can see from the outside. Open to your thoughts and thank you for reading x