Tuesday, March 03, 2015 / Byron Beck, GoLocalPDX Features Editor
Chef Lisa Schroeder gave birth to Mother’s Bistro & Bar fifteen years ago.
So how does a restaurant like Mother’s not only survive, but thrive after fifteen years in a location where few businesses had managed to stay open let alone succeed? And how did Mother’s grow from a 90-seat corner spot into a 130-seat dining and drinking destination that consistently draws a full house?
Chef Lisa will tell you it is hard work. A lot of hard work. And just as you would expect a mother to do in her kitchen, Schroeder has her eyes on everything and knows exactly what’s going on in her domain. “I do what’s needed at any given moment, whether it’s calling tickets, chopping vegetables, typing a menu, doing dishes, taking orders or answering the phone,” says Schroeder.
See Slides Below: Mother’s Schroeder Shares 15 Lessons From 15 Years in Business
The motherly attitude Schroeder shows guests extends to her employees and the community at large. She’s an active supporter of local businesses, important causes and many non-profits. Schroeder has chaired the Portland Downtown Retail Council, the Our House Dinner series, was on the board of the Oregon Restaurant Association and has steered fundraising for Bradley Angle House, Raphael House, Basic Rights Oregon and Sparks of Hope. She offered health care to her employees from the day she opened and donates her knowledge and time to teach and inspire colleagues, peers and young entrepreneurs. Schroeder is a sought-after speaker at industry and public events big and small where she strives to inspire and ignite a pursuit of passion.
In the following slide show Chef Schroeder shares 15 lessons she has learned over her fifteen years as a working chef and business owner.