Fast Company has a story about a new Los Angeles restaurant called Locol, which has been launched by two celebrity chefs, "Roy Choi, who kicked off the food-truck boom with Kogi BBQ Taco in 2008, and Daniel Patterson, whose San Francisco dining temple Coi has two Michelin stars."
Locol is described as "a fast-food joint in a poor neighborhood with so few culinary options that it’s considered a food desert," and offering "very different fare from its combo-meal-slinging competitors: food made from fresh ingredients that still manages to be fast and affordable."
According to the story, "The partners wanted to compete directly with chains like McDonald’s, but without turning to industrial food processing. They use inexpensive cuts of meat, incorporate lots of greens, and augment $4 burgers and sandwiches with fermented grains, which are low-cost and add bulk to the meat without sacrificing taste or texture. "We looked at the ways people all over the world feed themselves well and inexpensively," Patterson says. 'We use umami ingredients, flavors of fermentation, good acidity, and lots of herbs.' A typical meal at Lokol costs about $7."
If the concept works, locations are planned for Oakland and San Francisco, with a national rollout possible. While the initial investment of $2 million to get the business up and running is seen as high, the belief is that it is important to bring "better food to underserved communities."
Locol is described as "a fast-food joint in a poor neighborhood with so few culinary options that it’s considered a food desert," and offering "very different fare from its combo-meal-slinging competitors: food made from fresh ingredients that still manages to be fast and affordable."
According to the story, "The partners wanted to compete directly with chains like McDonald’s, but without turning to industrial food processing. They use inexpensive cuts of meat, incorporate lots of greens, and augment $4 burgers and sandwiches with fermented grains, which are low-cost and add bulk to the meat without sacrificing taste or texture. "We looked at the ways people all over the world feed themselves well and inexpensively," Patterson says. 'We use umami ingredients, flavors of fermentation, good acidity, and lots of herbs.' A typical meal at Lokol costs about $7."
If the concept works, locations are planned for Oakland and San Francisco, with a national rollout possible. While the initial investment of $2 million to get the business up and running is seen as high, the belief is that it is important to bring "better food to underserved communities."
- KC's View:
