Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders 401 : Founder Friday! w/ Jack Benchakul of Endorffiene Coffee Bar in Los Angeles
Creating a moment of delight and excellence is what we all want to do when we set up our shops and make coffee for others. We also want to be delighted ourselves with the things we create and feel a sense of pride in each and every drink. Given the range of beverages we serve, that is pretty rare to find. But at least one place manages to strike this balance and has been doing so with singular focus for the past 8 years.
Today we get to talk with the owner of the Award winning cafe, Endorffeine in Los Angeles, CA, Jack Benchakul!
Jack is a biochemist who turned to small business to find more meaning and fulfillment in work. This set him on a path to pursue craft first through the pastry arts and finally in the coffee industry after one life changing cup of coffee.
Jack learned all he could at home then as a barista before starting Endorffiene with his cousin Ttaya Tuparangsi in 2015 with the goal to pursue a balanced and refined coffee experience unlike any that was currently available. Jack's integrity, knowledge of craft and science, and constance in this pursuit has not only gained Edorffeine nority from famous food writers like Jonathan Gold and Bill Addison, gained Endorffeine, but also recognitions such as "Best Coffee Shops in the U.S. from Food and Wine and on of the "101 Restaurants, Dishes, People, and Ideas from The LA Times. Beyond these things, Endorffeine is firmly established in the coffee community and garners the respect of their industry peers world wide.
In today's conversation with Jack we will be exploring the story of Endorffeine and their unique approach to creating beauty, balance, and community one cup of coffee at a time.
We cover:
- Jacks Journey from Biochemistry to pastry to coffee
- The coffee epiphany that set his course
- Establishing Endorffeine and its mission
- Staying consistent over time
- Pursuing customer facing work as an introvert
- Values based Menu curation and refinement
- What is the "deep fight"
- Pride in operation and ownership
- What the pandemic revealed
- Connecting with customers
- Advice to other owner on integrity and patience
Links:
Related episodes:
- 375 : Founder Friday! w/ Roland Horne of WatchHouse
- 359 : Founder Friday! w/ Nigel Price of Drip Coffee Makers NYC
- 252 : Founder Friday w/ Klaus Thompson of the Coffee Collective, Denmark
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