Restaurantscalled“diners”canbefoundthroughouttheUnitedStates.Theymakesimple,low-costfood.Buttraditionaldinerfoodisoftenunhealthy.
Onegroupofdinersiscookinghealthierfoodfortheircustomersand,surprisingly,theyloveit.
TherearemanypeoplewaitingfortheirmealattheSilverDinerinWaldorf,Maryland.AmongthemareAshleyHoltandNormanBailey,whoeatthereoften.
“Ilikethefood.It’sfresh,it’sgood.Iwouldcomeheremoreoftenespeciallybecauseit’salothealthier."
“Greatatmosphere,quickserviceandgreatfood!”
YpeVonHengstandBobGiaimoestablishedSilverDiner25yearsago.
Thetwomenvisiteddinersthroughoutthecountrytolearnhowtheirrestaurantcouldbedifferent.YpeVonHengstexplains.
“Wewantedtocreateanatmospherewherethenewfamilieswantedtogowiththeirkidsand(have)notjustagreatatmospherebutalsobetterfoodandcleanerfood.”
Sotheydecidedtoofferhealthierversionsoftraditionaldinerfood,likepancakes,hamburgersandmeatloaf.Theyusedlessprocessedmaterials,likeunbleachedflour.Theyusemeatfromanimalsthatwerenottreatedwithantibioticsorhormones.
Businessslowedduringtherecession.SoChefYpevonHengstaddedmorehealthyfoodchoicestotrytobringpeopletohisdiners.
“Andwestartedpreparinghealthier,localfood,freshfood,vegan,vegetarian,givingpeoplethelifestyleandtheoptionsthattheywantnowadays.”
Themenhavepartneredwithmorethan15localfarmstosupplythemwithfood.Andtheydiscoveredthefarm-freshfoodwasgoodforbusiness.
“Ialsofeelreallythatit’smymoralobligationthatIneedtoprovideabetterproductforpeopleandwhenIdid,surprisingly,andsomehownotsurprisingly,wenoticedthat,youknow,thevolumestart(ed)comingbackandoverthelastthreeyearswehavegoneupby30%incustomercount,whichisphenomenal.”
Onawarm,sunnyday,ChefYpevonHengstpickszucchiniandyellowsquashwithfarmerChrisParker.HisfamilyfarmhasbeensellingvegetablestoSilverDinerrestaurantsforyears.
“IfwecouldgetalltherestaurantsinWashington,DCtocommittolocalproduce,itwouldbeagreatthingforourbusiness.”
ChefYpevonHengstsayssellingfarm-freshfoodisimportanttohisbusiness.
“Thisisnotafad.Thisisheretostay.Peoplearegoingtowanthealthierfood.They’regoingtowantbetterfood.Ifyoudon’tjumponthis,you’regoingtobeoutofbusiness.”
Thereare15SilverDiners--almostallintheWashington,DCarea.Atotalof10,000peopleeatattherestaurantseveryweek.
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