Pastiche owner, Pat Connors, is coming up on his 12th anniversary of the well known restaurant.  Taking the restaurant from Ernie’s Bar & Grill in 1997, Pastiche opened its doors in 1998 and never looked back.  Today, Pastiche has a well established reputation as a casual yet elegant restaurant.  We sat down recently to speak with Pat about himself, the restaurant and the industry.

Jim:  Pat, thanks for taking a few minutes out what always seems to be a very busy schedule. 
Pat:  Always a pleasure, Jim

Jim:  What led you into the culinary field, Pat?
Pat:  I worked for restaurants in high school and college while attending U of A in order to help pay for my education.  I loved the business and the give and take with customers.  It just seemed natural.

Jim:  I was surprised to learn that you were a Mathematics major with a minor in philosophy in college.  That’s a long way from owning a restaurant.
Pat:  My original plan was to enter the field of probability and statistics.  Once I further explored the field, I decided that it was just too……shall we say, dry for me.

Jim:  How did you come up with the name Pastiche?
Pat:  You know, its really interesting.  We couldn’t settle on a name we liked and were up against a time constraint.  I made a decision that a name had to be chosen by a certain day and that a group of us were to come to the table, each with ten names.  Wouldn’t you know it that everyone had the name Pastiche as one of the possible names.  Is that a “sign” or what? 

Jim: The restaurant definitely has a warm and inviting “family” feel to it. 
Pat:  I think that emanates from my philosophy of involving  family in the restaurant operations.  My wife, father and brother are intimately connected to the restaurant so it truly is a family owned and run establishment.  I want our guests and family to feel welcome in our home by our family.

Jim:  There is also a strong philanthropic arm to the restaurant as well, isn’t there?
Pat:  We strongly believe in reaching out to the community wherever possible.  We recently completed a very successful book drive on behalf of the Diamond Children’s Hospital, collecting over 6,000 books for the hospital.  In June and October of each year, Pastiche runs a program called “Philanthopy With Phlavor,” with 5% of our receipts going to any number of 40 organizations ranging from healthcare to youth support services to educational and literacy causes.  You can see the list of organizations on our website, www.pasticheme.com.  Each patron has the opportunity to choose which non profit his or her 5% will go to.  To date, the program has raised and donated over $80,000 on behalf of the non-profit members.  Wherever possible, we donate our personal time, as well.  Our feeling is that we have an obligation to support those who are in need.

Jim:  What led you to include a wine cellar as part of the restaurant?
Pat:  While Pastiche started with a limited wine list, mostly California, the inventory grew rapidly as we sought out additional varietals to pair with our dishes.  Customers began to ask where they could find some of these wines and we decided that it made sense to offer them through a wine store.  We launched the concept five years ago and it has been a wonderful success.

Jim:  Turning back to wine, is there a particular style or region of wine that you see as “hot?”
Pat:  South American wines (Argentinean and Chilean) do very well.  They offer one of the best quality and value wines out there.  The California Lodi region seems to be in demand, as well.

Jim:  Are there any specific food and wine pairings that you would describe as inspirational or unique:
Pat:  I love Spanish food so I’m always looking for a wine match.  As you know, we serve the traditional Spanish dish Paella every Sunday evening.  The dish is accented by saffron spice.  I love to pair this with a German Riesling with its pronounced acidity and residual sugar.  It’s so clean and refreshes the palate.  If you want a red, try a Petite Sirah.  A Rioja, if the Paella is meaty or a Rose with seafood, works as well.  The wines from Portugal also offer fabulous quality for the price.  These wines tend to be hefty and spicy and well balanced.

Jim:  In the past, wine professionals used “rules” to pair dishes and wine…you know the drill, reds with beef, whites with fish.  Do you subscribe to any rules when pairing?
Pat:  In a single word, NO.  We’ve learned that wine is far more versatile than we thought.   While you don’t want the food or wine to offend one another, you’ll very often find that there are many wines that can pair beautifully with a given dish.  Remember, cooking style, spices and sauces will usually steer you in the right direction.  And don’t be shy about trying new matches.  You may discover a new varietal that excites your palate.

Jim:  2008 and 2009 were exceptionally challenging years economically for the country, the state and our city.  As we stabilize economically, how would you describe the state of the local restaurant industry?
Pat:  From my conversations with fellow restauranteurs, it appears as if our customer base has not only stabilized, but is showing some slow growth.  I guess that I would describe the feeling as cautiously optimistic.  We all have had to make sacrifices but in the end, I believe that they will pay off through the loyalty of the community.  We initiated our $15 Angus beef steak dinner every Tuesday night and it became an instant hit.  This demonstrates that if you offer great quality dishes at affordable prices, the customer will come.

Jim:  To close, Pat, if there were one piece of advice to offer an entrepreneur seeking to make a place in the restaurant industry, what would that be?
Pat:  Wow……that’s a tough one…………I think I would say that if your passion blends a love of food and wine with customer care, then this is a profession that you should consider.  At the same time, be realistic about the capital it takes to start or take over an establishment.  Whatever your initial projections, double it.  Don’t expect to become rich.  You can make a fine living while expressing your passion but enter the profession with some reality.  As with any family business, it becomes part of your life.  After all, it’s your baby to nourish and to grow.

Jim:  Pat, thanks again for sharing insights and thoughts. 
Pat:  My pleasure……….come join us on St. Patrick’s Day.

Tags: Pastiche Restaurant