Meet Scott Hersch | 5 star independent restaurant Owner/ operator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Scott Hersch and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Scott, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
The Restaurant business is super competitive, independent owners/operartors begin behind chains and franchisees in almost every aspect. we don’t have access to the best pricing we aren’t protected from inflation or shifts in the market, chains are able to get contract pricing protecting them from gauging and fluctuations in the market. the independent owners are at the mercy of markets and sellers that want to make up the difference of contract losses on the little guy,
so our costs are considerable higher. We have less options then chains, large suppiers like sysco, GFS own the markets as they continue to buy up smaller local companies that actually want all the business they can get, the huge companies require $1000. minimum orders reqiuring the purchase of all products be bought by them often being taken advantage on cleaning suppies or paper goods.
10 years ago every vendor i dealt with delivered. today I add 7 hours per week in order to shop, nobody delivers to us anymore

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
To me cooking is an art form so I’m lucky to have a profession that allow my juices to flow, the kitchen is the place where i get into my zone I’m aware and in the moment most jobs dont provide that type of satisfaction

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We start off a the Westside market, cleveland indoor/ outdoor markets you can buy meats from local butchers, produce and many great eateries. Next we’d visit little italy and eat at La dulce vita, a super high energy spot where Terry the owner brings little bites while your waiting for your meal, its a great experience
we’d have to visit the Cleveland art museum, it free and is a world class art museum, followed by a lunch in the CMA cafe run by a local chef, doug Katz
it wouldnt be a trip to Cleveland without seeing the rock n’ roll hall of fame, drinks at the velvet tango room and on to the marble room for a steak dinner.
enough museums time to get outside and hike the Cuyahoga Valley National park, a picnic lunch would be great that day,
we’d have to visit tremount/Hinge town the new up and coming neighborhoods, we’d eat a larder deli, a beard recognized old school deli.
For the weekend, a Browns game, Cavs, or gladiators

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shout outs, our fantastic loyal customers who throughout the pandemic continued to supports us often leaving tips equal to their bills.

Medworks, who gave us catering jobs to feed essential workers through covid 19, keeping us going

Marc Braun, he nominated us for a $50k grant which we won helping us greatly through the most difficult of times

My beautiful and supportive wife Jamie who was there to keep me positive and remembering what we have to be grateful for couldnt do this without her

I wish i had a mentor but I’m a bit of an independent

Website: www.munchasimplekitchen.com

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