Ledyard Company Online

Enjoy a friendly atmosphere at Atavola's.

"Rather than spending money on advertising, we put it into local charities like Lucille Packard's Children Hospital and Ronald McDonald House. We believe in our community and give back to our community. It's a belief in karma-if you do good, good will come back to you. I've found that our best advertising is word-of-mouth."

St. Claire also emphasizes what he calls "neighborhood pricing." He strives to keep menu prices down so that his various restaurants will develop a repeat clientele. Entrees generally range from $8 to $20. "Don't go for the immediate big sale, go for long-term loyalty," he offers. "When we have a banquet, we don't charge for people who don't show up. Ever. Why would you? We want people to return. There's nothing better than regulars."

Behind the scenes, Avenir-which also includes partners Katherine Kirkbride (director of operations), longtime partner Fabatz and Chris Fernadez (directors of culinary operations) -is a tightly run business enterprise. "I worked at restaurants where they didn't run a spreadsheet or inventory," St. Claire notes. "In tight times, you have to run your restaurants really well. We look at revenues on a daily basis. We crunch numbers weekly. Our monthly financial statements are very detailed. We believe in solid accounting. The entire company is networked." The Avenir group has also instituted full-on profit sharing for all of its employees. "This creates buy-in from everyone," St. Claire notes. "We feel it gives us a competitive edge." One of the most important staffing decisions a restaurateur makes is hiring a head chef, and St. Claire says that the key factor in making this decision, for him, is "practical experience." He notes that while formal training in a culinary institute can contribute significantly to a head chef's qualifications, it's not the deciding factor. "A lot of people can make fantastic food," he observes, "but not everyone can do it for a profit." Creating a positive work environment is another key ingredient to Avenir's success. When hiring other staff, St. Claire returns once again to his neighborhood ethos.

A few chefs having fun at Nola's

"I like to hire people from the community,who know the community, who care about the community," he says. "I also look for people who really love the business. Restaurant work is supposed to be fun. We try to inspire our staff to treat the restaurant like it's their living room."

On a lovely sunny afternoon this summer in Redwood City, I joined with Ledyard Director of Purchasing and Marketing, Tim Jenkins, and Regional Sales Director, Michael Forman (who has worked closely with St. Claire in developing sound purchasing strategies at all of the Avenir restaurants) for lunch at the newest jewel in Avenir's crown, D'Asaro. Redwood City's renowned downtown archway announces "Climate Best by Government Test," and it was indeed a glorious day, so we opted to sit outside in D'Asaro's hospitable patio area-though not before I had a chance to wander around inside the restaurant, which had the feel of a rustic Italian villa.

Enjoy a delicous meal from D'Asaro's open Kitchen.

Gorgeous tiles frame D'Asaro's open kitchen, while luscious plates of mushrooms and onions invite customers from the counter. As a fourth generation California Italian (on my mother's side), I was immediately drawn to the vast array of Italian-American family portraits on the walls along with lovely landscape photographs from Italy. The decor of the restaurant is truly a feast for the eyes. Once joined by St. Claire at our table (he was actually talking to his father, who was dining nearby), I learned that the restaurant was named for a beloved family member, the late Steve D'Asaro, and that the photographs were of him and his family. That intimate sense of warmth and authenticity carried through all aspects of the D'Asaro experience-as it does at all six of the Avenir restaurants. D'Asaro's menu was simple, straightforward and reasonably priced. I was impressed by the extensive wine selection and by regional descriptions of the wines from Italy. I also noted that every single Avenir staff member we encountered, at both D'Asaro and nearby Milagros, was helpful, courteous and professional. We opted for a family style meal that included salads, bruschetta and a pizza topped with incredible heirloom tomatoes, along with a tasty Merlot. I experienced something that I have rarely felt at an Italian restaurant-I felt like I was eating at home with my mother, aunts and uncles. Not only was the food that good, but the ambiance was familial as well.

experience a breathtaking view from while dining at Mistral Restaurant.

During our meal, I sensed St. Claire's powerful passion for food. He has worked in the restaurant business since he was 16, and if there is one thing he has learned it is this: "People come to a restaurant to have fun, to be entertained. Our business is to provide our customers with that experience. That's what keeps them coming back." D'Asaro's desert list reflected this approach. It was lively and fun-we ordered a variety of gellatos, tiramisu and some superb espresso-all of which served as a perfect cap for a memorable dining experience. (I wasn't surprised to find out later that D'Asaro had recently received an excellent review from The San Francisco Chronicle.) After lunch, I asked St. Claire what was the essential key to creating a successful restaurant. "Good food isn't enough," he reflected. "Neither is good service, or the decor. It takes the entire combo, the whole package, and that's what we strive for at all our restaurants."

- Geoffrey Dunn

Additonal information about all five of the Avenir restaurants can be located at: www.avenirrestaurants.com