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Entrepreneurs’ dreams are only unrealistic until they arrive true. This turned out to be true in the case of Think Greeka family-owned Greek restaurant in Port St. Lucie, Florida, that began as a food truck and has since won a Food Network “Best Bite” award The best bites in townGeneral manager Rosanne Leo attributes the restaurant’s success to its focus on offering authentic Greek recipes and a unique Greek fusion menu.
“We are first-generation Greek-Americans, so we knew when we opened the food truck in 2014 that this was what we wanted to do,” he says. “But we didn’t want [just] to do regular Greek food. We wanted to incorporate a fusion menu, coming up with different items that people haven’t heard of before.”
When South Beach Wine and Food Festival asked Think Greek to participate in 2020, the team knew right away that their original fusion menu item, Gyropitakia (Greek wontons), would be a hit. Their hunch was right, and they earned the title of “Best Bite on the Beach.” Listen to the episode below to listen to directly from Leo.
“It was just an amazing feeling because it was something we came up with,” Leo says. “It wasn’t anyone else’s recipe. It was [us] brainstorming one day at the food truck.”
The following 12 months, Think Greek returned and won again, helping to solidify its repute for offering tasty and consistent food.
Earlier this 12 months, Think Greek took on one other cooking show, but this time the stakes were even higher. Food Network tapped Leo to participate in the first season The best bites in townspin off Restaurants, Drive-Ins and Dive Shops with famous chef Guy Fieri.
“Our dream was to be on Food Network, but more specifically, we wanted to be on Triple D… I was so excited,” Leo shared.
The premise of the show was that Fieri sent three people out to the city to sample two dishes from six different local restaurants, ultimately selecting one “Best Bite” in that city. The dishes were judged on their potential, presentation and taste. Think Greek won “Best Bite” in Port St. Lucie, and then won “Best Bite in Town” during the show’s finale with its Gyropitakia.
The judges explained that they’d never eaten anything like Gyropitakia before, which led to Think Greek’s victory. The novelty and creativity of the dish stood out to the local restaurant, a huge testament to the efforts of the family business.
“It really gave us a sense that the hard work, the energy, the brainstorming, everything is working and paying off,” Leo says. “Sometimes, as a family business and as a family company, you get a little overlooked, and that’s discouraging. But hearing that our efforts aren’t being ignored really gives us the energy to keep going.”
Thanks to the latest attention from the TV program and increased visibility in the media There have been a lot of comments from customers and viewers. Leo says that scrolling through social media to see the latest reviews can sometimes be overwhelming. She decided to take it one day at a time and hold space for each positive and critical reviews.
“You can’t please everyone, and that’s okay. Some of the comments are less than nice, and that’s okay,” Leo says. “Everyone is entitled to their opinion. All I know is that we try our best and serve the food the way we serve ours.”
Leo’s willingness to take risks and seize big opportunities, equivalent to appearing on a TV show, elevated the Think Greek brand. Over time, her tenacity helped establish the restaurant positive repute.
Her advice for business owners who want to attain such success is to stay consistent in their creative efforts and values, and to make use of social media to have interaction with their audiences and uncover feedback on the way to improve operations. She also encourages business owners to imagine in themselves and what they’ll achieve.
“Sometimes I think, ‘Wow, I can’t believe this,'” she says. “But people should never say never. Anything is possible. Sometimes you want to give up, but you keep going because it’s your baby. It’s your dream. It’s your chance to show what you’re made of.”
For over a decade, Think Greek has supported these easy but crucial tools for success:
- Take advantage of opportunities as they arise. Participating in local festivals and competitions can result in greater exposure, which might result in greater opportunities in the future. Being open to trying latest things may also help your small business expand into latest and exciting arenas.
- Innovate to face out. An modern approach to products and services can differentiate a company and attract customers looking for latest experiences. Creating your personal area of interest may also help customers select you over your competitors.
- Appreciate the feedback, but don’t let the negativity discourage you. Taking criticism will be difficult and requires resilience. Understanding that you may’t please everyone means that you can focus on giving your best at the stuff you know you’ll be able to do well, or even improve upon.
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Editorial contributions by Angela Lee and Kristi Lindahl
This article is a part of our America’s Favorite Mom & Pop Shops™ series, where we feature family-owned businesses.