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34 July 6 • 2017 jn nosh Street Food, it is clear it can be adapted and leveraged. Van Staden spent five years as the vice president of food and beverage for Celebrity Cruises, where he oversaw 12,000 meals per day per ship, 15,000 employees and a $150 million food bud- get. "In my first year with Celebrity, I flew about 927,000 miles meeting with each ship's staff, cooks, vendors and recruiters. For me, the biggest thing that we had to change when we were there was the culture. Culture is what makes or breaks everything. "It was pretty intense!" The schedules, the travel and the pres- sure took a toll on his family life. In 1997, Van Staden met a Lebanese friend, and they began talking about Middle Eastern food. He became intrigued with this ethnic food and buckled down and studied Middle Eastern food for a year. "I really fell in love with it and developed a true pas- sion for it," he said. That year, he and his friend opened Café Ole in Washington, D.C., serv- ing Mediterranean small plates. Over the years, he honed his skills in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking. While he was becoming more knowledgeable and pas- sionate about the cuisine, he was also becoming more frustrated with it because it has never evolved in Western restau- rants. "If you go to Turkey and Lebanon and eat the street food there, it's amazing. You can't compare." The concept of 2941 Street Food was hatched as Chef Jacques set his sights on one day opening a restaurant that would show what an evolved concept of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cui- sine could be. The spices fill the air when you walk in the door, and samoon bread is baked daily on the premises. "This concept has been developing in my mind for the past 10 years. I knew I wanted it to be fast-casual, and I wanted to serve truly honest, wholesome chow. I gave up a long time ago trying to please people; that is not the objective," he says. "The objec- tive is to create a sensory experience." He has taken Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine and given it a twist without compromising quality and professional techniques of cooking. He has applied his Six Sigma Green Belt knowledge to the design and layout of the kitchen as well as the efficiency of the food service with an eye on the goal of zero waste. Van Staden cites consistency as one of the key aspects to success. To attain consistency in his multiple restaurants, he opened a central kitchen in Troy. "What I learned at Celebrity Cruises allows me to be able to do this," he says. When he says "this," he is referring to some- thing much bigger than opening five stores. The five 2941 Street Food locations he has established are just the first baby steps of what is to come. Next year, he'll open restaurants in Las Vegas, Chicago and Miami. "2941 is going to be a national brand. That is really our ulti- mate goal," he says. • 2941 Street Food 2941 Rochester Hills 87 W. Auburn Road 2941 Birmingham 176 Old Woodward 248-885-8869 2941 Midtown Detroit 4219 Woodward Ave. http://2941streetfood.com continued from page 33 2140950 )0634.0/4"5".1.t46/".1. On Star's beautiful already low-priced trays 24555 W. 12 MILE ROAD +VTUXFTUPG5FMFHSBQI3PBEt4PVUIGJFME 248-352-7377 www.stardeli.net $ 5 OFF Expires 8/3/17. One Per Order. Not Good Holidays. 10 Person Minimum. With this coupon. DELIVERY AVAILABLE "…one of America's finest carryout-only delicatessens! Star's reputation has never wavered!" — Danny Raskin STAR DELI Prices subject to change COMPARE OUR LOW PRICES WITH ANY DELICATESSEN IN TOWN! SALAD TRAY $12.99 per person per person DAIRY TRAY $22.99 SALAD TRAY W/ LOX & CREAM CHEESE $16.99 per person MEAT TRAY $10.99 per person Best Deli Trays in town! We also have delicious Vienna Hot Dogs with all the fixings for all your summer Bar-B-Ques Sample our Cheeses Before You Buy 20% off All Fresh Cut Cheeses JN 150 Artisan Cheeses to Choose from and Pair it with the Perfect Wine. Offer expires 7.31.17 33041 Grand River Ave, Farmington, Michigan (248) 957-9581 FKHHVHODG\IDUPLQJWRQ#JPDLOFRPZZZWKHFKHHVHODG\QHW PASTA FAGIOLI 1 coupon per table. Coupon must be presented before ordering. Cannot be combined with any other offer/coupon. BUY ONE DINNER, GET ONE 'SBOLMJO3Et#MPPNåFME5XQ (Square Lake & Telegraph Rds.) 248-332-1111 Tues -Thurs: 11am-9pm t Fri: 11am-10pm Sat: 4pm-10pm t Sun: 4pm-9pm t Monday Closed t ½ OFF FREE APPETIZER WITH THE PURCHASE OF 2 MEALS 1 coupon per table. Coupon must be presented before ordering. Cannot be combined with any other offer/coupon.