Mendo Bistro is looking for a new owner who has a way with words
Pssst…want to buy a restaurant? Chef Nicholas Petti has a deal for you. How does $100 sound, to scoop up his Mendo Bistro in Fort Bragg?
And because Petti likes you, he’ll even throw in Mendo Bistro’s sister venue BarBelow lounge, right next door.
BarBelow lounge comes with the deal
Sure, there’s a catch. To be considered, entrants need to write an essay, describing why they would be the perfect new caretakers for Petti’s businesses. Only qualified restaurateurs need apply; the chef-owner says he wants to find the best home for the restaurant and bar he debuted in 1999 on the Mendocino Coast.
The contest has just begun and ends December 18, 2015, so entrepreneurs should sharpen their pencils and start scribbling. Entrants will need to craft a 250-word essay, then send it in (along with that C-note) postmarked by the deadline, where writings will be studied and critiqued by Petti’s team.
Of the maximum 7,500 entries allowed, the best 20 will undergo a final judging by a three-person independent panel. Spelling counts, but even more important is structure (just like English class: introduction, body and conclusion), creativity, evidence of relevant experience in running a restaurant, the reasons the applicant would be best qualified to take over a local favorite, and his or her vision for the business’ future.
Why the grammatical-gourmet competition? Petti is now a tenured professor at Mendocino College, and that leaves little time to focus on his signature housemade pastas, rib eye steaks, and rock cod corn chowder.
The idea is also a payback of sorts.
“(Sixteen years ago), I was able to open a restaurant on the Mendocino Coast with very little money because people believed in my vision,” Petti says. “I would like for someone else to have the same opportunity.”
The 88-seat bistro has done well with media recognition over the years, including our very own San Francisco Chronicle, which gushed, “His seafood cakes melt under your fork and taste of sweet sea meats. They are better than any I’ve had; they are so moist that you can almost skip the chipotle aioli.”
For contest rules, click here. And here’s the fine print: employees, both current and former, of Mendo Bistro and BarBelow and/or their family members are not eligible to enter.
Mendo Bistro: 301 N. Main Street, Fort Bragg; (707) 964-4974. mendobistro.com
