The Trickle Up Factor

[Richard Kilgore]

Several people, including Holly, Pan and Steven Shaw, have referred directly or indirectly to the question of immigration and its impact on the future of dining.

Here in Dallas we see increasingly sophisticated offerings by first and second generation recent immigrants with significant mid- and up-scale Korean, Vietnamese, Indian and Mexican restaurants.

How do you see new immigrants in your part of the world impacting the way we eat and dine beyond the Mom and Pop neighborhood Pho shops and taquerias? And what do you think the future holds in store?

[Chris Amirault]

Richard, who eats at those up-scale restaurants? I fear that a city the size of Providence couldn't sustain support for such restaurants.

[Richard Kilgore]

Richard, who eats at those up-scale restaurants? I fear that a city the size of Providence couldn't sustain support for such restaurants.

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Who? You want names?

[Richard Kilgore]

Seriously, Chris, I am sure that some cities would be more likely than others to support such mid- and upper-level restaurants. I am interested in hearing what people are seeing in places where these types of establishments are emerging and what kind of support they get.

[Carrot Top]

My only comment on these trickle-up places is that they seem to mostly exist in places where the automobile traffic is truly obnoxious.

[Michael Ruhlman]

the food service industry remains one of the surest ways for an immigrant to work him or herself into the weave of a city and a culture. starting a restaurant can be a low capital, high labor cost ordeal, but a family of immigrants can provide that labor.

see a book called the migrant's table, by krishnendu ray, he' a genuine sage.

immigrants will continue to bring their food into our culture because it's a win win situation, will continue to be one of the main influences of the restauratn culture.

[Adam Balic]

I think that it immigration has made a hugh impact. The diversity of what is on offer now is very different to twenty years ago.

This is fairly typical of a restuarant in Melbourne(Momo's), twenty years ago you would have been had pressed to find a Middle-Eastern ingredint in a 'decent' restuarant. Also, there cuisnes that have arrived with immigration, have influenced the way that Chefs outwith these cultures cook as well. David Thompson's Thai cooking would be an example I guess.

[Carrot Top]

the food service industry remains one of the surest ways for an immigrant to work him or herself into the weave of a city and a culture. starting a restaurant can be a low capital, high labor cost ordeal, but a family of immigrants can provide that labor.

see a book called the migrant's table, by krishnendu ray, he' a genuine sage.

immigrants will continue to bring their food into our culture because it's a win win situation, will continue to be one of the main influences of the restauratn culture.

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Absolutely. And a fine thing it is.

When I think of these trickle-up places though, it *seems* to me that - somehow (in many of them) there is a sort of disconnect from the startup-type places.

I would guess that one factor might be that the children of new immigrants are encouraged to "do better", to enter what would be considered a more "professional" field. ( As opposed to our lawyers and corporate types who go running off to become chefs. . )

The trickle-up places that I can think of are owned by investment groups, not usually the families that started them.

This may be different in metropolitan areas where a trickle-up place might assure a very good income.

I am thinking of trickle-up places in smaller cities.

And in thinking of the food itself, if I were presented with the option of a meal at a "start-up" place or at a "trickle-up" place, I would choose the start-up place.

My experience is that chances are, you might find magnificence. Which I can not remember ever finding at a trickle-up.