??? for 25 – a call to action!

Okay, so I just had an Awesome Lunchtime Experience. Here’s the breakdown:

Yesterday I wrote a letter to Karl Bruno, who’s the head of Seattle’s 25 for 25 restaurant shindig that occurs every March and November [1], and I copied it to the managers at Wild Ginger, which SUCKS, and Union, which allegedly rocks but is not allowed to participate in the 25 for 25 program for entirely asinine reasons and which I have therefore not tried out as of yet. So, my letter garnered a phone call from Ethan Stowell, the double-dutying manager and chef of Union, telling me he liked it, clarifying and debating a few points, and filling me in on the whole history of this ordeal, encouraging me to get the word out about this (hence y???all imaginary readers), and inviting me to have drinks on him sometime. A profitable letter indeed! So here???s the scoop:

Back in March of 2004, Union chef/manager Stowell brought this to Bruno and basically said he thought it was bunk that only 25 restaurants could join ??? and they told him there was a 17-restaurant-long waiting list to join up. So Stowell decided to do his own version of it, and there was an article in the Times about it and everything [2], and it was great business at the time of all the crucial press ??? but since then, when he???s tried to do a 25-deal on his own, it hasn???t gotten the attention needed to make it cost-effective, which is a real shame, since Seattle Magazine calls him THE chef to keep an eye on in Seattle, and he???s clearly got something great going on (aside from being charming and a motivated make-it-happener like myself ??? I don???t mean to insinuate that I???m charming, just the other one ??? the charming part is for folks like you imaginary readers to decide, I suppose).?? And I totally get the whole press-spark-but-then-things-die-down phenomenon, as evidenced by the Amazing Trader Joe’s Flop of 2005…

So anywho, I said I???d look into it, raise some awareness, yada yada ??? I don???t think BlogTastic in all its blogtasticity will actually let me upload the letter I wrote, but this should more than fill you on. Myself, I think I might write an editorial, we’ll see.?? What can YOU do, you as? Talk it up ??? write to and/or call Karl Bruno and tell him it???s silly to have it be just 25 restaurants, and that the limit should be INFINITY (well you don???t have to say it like a math nerd, but you get the idea). Here???s his contact info, and here???s hoping I don???t somehow get sued for this:

Karl Bruno
c/o The W Hotel
1112 Fourth Ave.
Seattle, WA 98101
206-264-6060

So, yeah, stir it up ??? talk to people, write/call Karl & Co., send things to any of your reporter or make-it-happener friends, and most importantly, go for a meal or something at Union because we oughtta support good ole Stowell for having the balls to stand up to The Restaurant Conspiracy and take a stand against a stupid rule that limits OUR choices as diners, and HIS business as a chef and manager.?? Really, this is in everyone’s best interests here.

So, to the computers/desks/carrier pigeon rookeries, people! Go!