10/05/2022
Thrilled and honored to announce Dish Society has been chosen as one of the five finalists for the Spark $20K Contest by for embracing and celebrating innovation! Please take a moment to VOTE FOR DISH here: https://91aa8601.wishpondpages.com/spark-20k-contest-vote/
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“Farm-to-table is alive and well in Central Texas, thanks in part to Aaron Lyons and his Dish Society.
Lyons got his culinary start as a grad student at the University of Texas — not that he was a culinary student; he spent most of his weekends reveling in the fresh produce and ingredients of Austin’s farmer’s markets.
Lyons was inspired to pull farm-to-table down from more upscale dining and open it up to the masses via a counter-service operation. Fast forward nearly 10 years, and Dish Society is a flourishing all-day eatery. Their menu changes seasonally, though always has an emphasis on healthful twists to new school and old school classics.
Like the rest of the industry, labor is an issue at Dish society. The operation has doubled in size, and the business is still growing. Along with attracting and hiring talent, scaling their team culture can be difficult. Dish Society is a value-driven restaurant. Lyons ensures they do things the way he felt they should be done — with intention behind everything they do. On the labor side, this includes investing in staff, offering wellness reimbursement (including gym, therapy, language classes, and more).
“If you aren’t able to take care of yourself, you can’t take care of the people around you. Pay for volunteer opportunities. These values attract the right people, and they want to stay, it is very positive for the business overall.”
Along with people, Lyons makes sure to support his local community of growers and suppliers — especially during pandemic lockdowns. Most of the folks he orders from aren’t big enough to sell to grocery stores. That leaves farmer’s markets as their livelihood.” Read the rest of the article here: https://pos.toasttab.com/blog/on-the-line/spark-contest-finalists?utm_campaign=later-linkinbio-toasttab&utm_content=later-30057628&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkin.bio