Righteous Family - Building the Dream

The question I get asked most in my professional life is “Why did you open Righteous Foods?” Well, a lot of reasons; a shitload to be mathematically correct. The main reasons are family and balance. I have spent not only my adult life in the restaurant industry, but I literally (correct use of the word) grew up working in restaurants. My great-grandmother lived in the back of her restaurant, and if I wanted to see my family, I ended up sleeping at the restaurant and working there during the day.

When I started my first business 13 years ago at the age of 30, I went deep into carving my own path in a town where people knew me as the kid from Joe T’s: “Little Lanny”. A lot of folks walked into my old place asking to speak with my dad, and I even entertained an argument one night with a guy who said he knew Lanny and that I wasn’t him. I ultimately agreed and went back to the kitchen slightly defeated.

Fast forward to today, and my name is no longer on the door, I've shrugged off the white straight jacket, I've moved on from the "look at me" game, and I've given up measuring my success on the ability to impress people by what the “chef” sends out of the kitchen. At Righteous I am relentless about building a team that works hard and with balance, and I treat them like family. I cook dinner at home for my wife and little one (soon to be one more joining our crew) nearly every night. So you may not see me living at the restaurant, but you need to know that if I am not there, I am at home with my family pouring love into my craft and working on your food! Or could be that I’m traveling or on vacation keeping shit real; small details. I hope you all continue to be part of my work family, and I will continue to work on keeping all my families happy, healthy and eating righteously.

This is my first blog entry, and I will drop some half-wit knowledge on you weekly and will have guest contributors to entertain you along the way. Also, some folks that help me keep shit real tell me that I have a rebel personality type, which is apparently a challenge to work with, and that my marketing style is irreverent but it works. It’s me, my family gets it, and I hope you do too. I am and always have been rebellious and irreverent. As Fuck. No apologies. Hope you read my next post.