After a whirlwind year that tossed Chef Mark Estee like a tumbleweed, Reno’s best known food man is back… with the freedom to focus on sharing his passion for food and friends in a place named, aptly enough, “Liberty.”
But we’ll let him tell you, in his own words.
I’ve always been proud of our city. When I moved from Truckee in 2010, I was eager to uncover every local farmer and rancher in Northern Nevada. I wanted to flip the food pyramid and let the land’s harvest dictate the meals I would create. I wanted to forge new relationships and bottomless conversations at the dinner table. I wanted to replicate a familiar, childhood atmosphere where guests would feel at home and want to return.
Feeding a Giant
In 2014, I owned and/or managed seven restaurants. In December, I opened my eighth: Reno Provisions.
Reno Provisions was modeled after popular cafeteria/marketplaces in my hometown of Boston, MA. I had the idea that people would walk down the street, smell a fresh baguette, pop in for a hearty lunch, pick up a pack of sausage and pasta for dinner, high five the butcher and be on their way.
That was the idea.
The reality is that Reno Provisions was an enormous undertaking that morphed and augmented throughout the year. Our 12,000 square-foot facility housed a butcher shop, bakery, production kitchen, demonstration kitchen, grocery store, cafeteria, full bar and event space. It was eight businesses in one, and losing money rapidly.
We had an enormous overhead, a large staff, an identity crisis and more space than we could handle. I thought that by growing the market, guests would be more likely to shop for their groceries. I thought that by adding dinner specials, cooking classes and pop-ups, people would embrace the concept of a self-service cafeteria in downtown Reno.
I do believe we did many things right, and also believe we did things wrong. This is not to discount the tremendous work of our team. The biggest issue, however, was that I was not present.
From Failure to Comeback Kid
My extreme financial stress forced me to make difficult decisions. I sold restaurants and walked away from managing partnerships. In November 2015, Reno Provisions was hit with e-coli.
Everyone has a different “rock bottom,” and I never believed I hit mine. We just kept going down. I questioned my business strategy, questioned myself, sought invaluable advice, and promised myself to keep moving.
After closing Reno Provisions, I became USDA-certified, continued to host caterings and events, worked and reworked the ‘big idea,’ found the right group of people and a new recipe.
Now, I am refocused, reenergized and ready to dive back into what I know and love: people and food. Last year, I had too many brands and too many hats. I was CEO, Owner and Executive Chef.
This year, I found “money people” who know money, and “marketing people” who know marketing. (I’m just proud to be the food guy who knows food).
Last year, I was pulled away from my guests and friends, and this year, they are the center of my attention.
Liberty Food & Wine Exchange
Liberty Food & Wine Exchange offers small, hand-crafted plates for lunch and dinner. It exudes an elegant and edgy, modern persona with full table service.
Certified Sommelier Elise Vandenberg offers international wine expertise and education. A new wine-mixing station allows guests to create custom bottles from seasonal varietals on tap. A boutique market offers best-selling artisan items, including meats, breads and pastas, made solely in-house. Liberty is the hub for all catering, events and wholesale distribution. It is intimate and focused, with a concept that Reno has asked for and will understand.
The Exchange
Europeans know how to orchestrate a dinner table. It’s not only the taste and aromas that make it special, but the stories and culture shared between guests. I wanted to recreate a European-style eatery that begs for a two-way community.
We exchange conversation. We exchange bites. We exchange food and wine knowledge. We exchange empty wine bottles for full ones. We exchange finished crock-pots for full, family-meals. We exchange friendships and new introductions. We exchange personalities and stories.
Within the “exchange” we create a synergy that propels us forward and builds unforgettable “fork and knife moments.”
Moving Forward
Above everything else, I am thankful. I’ve triumphed, yelled, cried and learned a lot about myself. I’ve learned what’s important in life, and why I do what I do.
They say the darkest moment comes before sunrise. Well, let me tell you, it was a pitch dark hike up the mountain, but the view is beautiful.
Thank you for supporting our new venture, and for becoming a part of the exchange. Liberty is not for me. It’s for you, and for us.
I look forward to seeing old friends and new faces, Monday, June 27.
I’ll be the one with huge, humble and grateful smile, flying around making sure all is well!
Cheers friends,
Mark Estee
