Meet Neil Labra And His Businesses

Speaker 2 0:30

My name is Neil Labra, and I have the for- fortune of running two businesses, Field and Main Restaurant in Marshall, Virginia, and Red Truck Bakery, which is located both in Marshall, Virginia, and in Warrenton, two locations.

Speaker 0:43

Wonderful. I can't wait to just learn more about your businesses. Neil, for lis- listeners meeting you for the first time, can you share a little bit about your background and what led you into the world of hospitality, ultimately building Red Truck Bakery and Field and Main Restaurant with your wife, Star?

Why Food Creates Connection

Speaker 2 1:00

Yes, absolutely. I think, you know, can start in a number of different places, but starting at home and with family and an upbringing that really centered around the best moments or the moments I recall most having something to do with food, something to do with a table and sharing a meal together, and hospitality being part of that experience. I took a circuitous route to get to where I am in terms of embracing hospitality as a career, but the objective has always been to use food and drink and recognize its power to connect people. And I'm sure there are thousands of ways in the world to make that connection. You could be a fantastic lawyer or a therapist or something else in the, in the world, uh, an auto mechanic, which I definitely could not be. But for me, the, the greatest and most fun tools that are, are at my disposal to connect with people are, are food and wine.

Speaker 1:52

That's wonderful. It's so beautiful. At the heart of everything you do, you've described it in this idea of connection, using food and drink as a way to bring people together. Can you expand on what that philosophy means to you in your day-to-day work?

Speaker 2 2:08

It starts from a philosophy. It starts from a, an understanding. I, I, I have come to, to distill my understanding of the world that we come from the same energy, that you and I and all of the, the grapes and the foodstuffs and anything in this world derives from something, and whatever that might be, however you might think of that, it is something, and that source, we reconnect to that source. We illuminate that source through, for me, hospitality. It's the operating system for life. To be of service to you, you need to be there for me to serve, and so you're of service to me as well, and there's this virtuous cycle, and that connection is part of what drives everything that we try to do with both Field and Main and Red Truck Bakery. We wanna connect people to each other, to ourselves With ourselves, to the land, to the producers that cultivate that land and produce something from that. And so those connections are, are inherent, and they're everywhere, and reinforcing those connections, I think, is a big part of the human experience. We're, we're not isolated creatures. We're not meant to live that way. We thrive best when we are in, in some form of community, and those connections, as they get reinforced, form communities. And so our efforts to bake things, to cook things, to serve bottles of things, uh, is a wonderful excuse to reinforce those connections and to build that community.

Speaker 3:28

Absolutely. And I love the idea that you bring up of just community, bringing people together, and what a better way to do that would be with food.

Speaker 2 3:36

Yes. Everybody eats.

Speaker 3:37

Yes.

Speaker 2 3:38

Like I said, uh, I've said before, there's, there's no greater intimate act that's public than taking something into your body, that you're ingesting something. You're, you're sustaining life. And you can celebrate in that process, too. You can have a banal cup of coffee and a, and a muffin and still have a magical experience. You can have your 25th wedding anniversary and have a multi-course dining experience. Those connections are meaningful in both ways.

From Farm To Table To Village

Speaker 4:02

Absolutely. And, you know, you beautifully described the idea of farm to village rather than just farm to table. What inspired that broader perspective, and how does it influence the way you operate both the bakery and the restaurant?

Speaker 2 4:17

Absolutely. Great question. Growing up, say, going to Holland, Michigan, from the suburbs of Chicago where I grew up, we went to a farmers market and were able to eat food that came from a place. Going on a hike and picking blueberries, uh, wild blueberries, was always interesting to me. Knowing where food came from was important, and so I have had a personal mission to try to link the farm and the table for, for the better part of my career, for sure, in hospitality, but even before that, I was a bureaucrat in government, and I thought I could do that through policy. I'm fascinated with that value-added proposition for farmers at the hospitality space. And so I came to realize, though, that a farm-to-table restaurant, I could go to the farmers market, and we do. We go to multiple markets a week when the s- the markets are in season, and we can buy 10 zucchini. I'm not buying the field of zucchini. I don't have enough scope to really impact a farm meaningfully for them to be sustainable, too. I'll have a caveat there to say that no farm should rely on o-one enterprise, but that to feed a table is meaningful, but to feed a community is far more meaningful and far more potentially sustainable. And so the farm to village idea was something that Spurred an interest from going from the restaurant to have the opportunity to take on the bakery too, is can we leverage our relationships with farms to, to be able to take more of their product into both places? It's an ongoing effort, but it's the idea that maybe the village scope, how many farms can support a village, and how much of a village is needed to support how many farms, and that virtuous cycle again coming back and forth. That has real meaning. I think there's a quality about it today where our food comes from who knows where, and it's not something we have to think about, which is a privilege, but at the same time, as we saw thoroughly during COVID, when supply chains stopped, farmers around us were still farming and the supply was available, and we could feed our community with food that came from those farmers, and the farmers needed a place for that food to go, or it would just stay in the field and go fallow. And so for our desire to have this really meaningful linkage and to reinforce it, uh, is a big part of the effort that we're trying to endeavor.

Keeping Roots While Growing Nationwide

Speaker 6:29

Absolutely. That's so wonderful. And, you know, going into that Red Truck Bakery has grown into a nationally recognized brand while still maintaining that local community-centered feel. How do you balance that wider reach with staying grounded in your roots?

Speaker 2 6:46

It's a challenge. It's an absolute challenge. One of the, the perspectives that I gained for sure during COVID was that community didn't relate to who was in the four walls of your enterprise, that community very much simply even the local community during COVID was coming to the door and leaving, going back to their safe space. We weren't gathering in the same space, and the community existed. But way broader and, and the wonderful lesson really that I observed, because I wasn't part of Red Truck Bakery as an owner at that period of time, was that people were, were cooking out of the cookbook that Brian Noyes, the founder, had created, and sharing their experience with him and sharing their experience with the broader community. And so the community, much like this podcast, will reach people beyond our walls here can extend well beyond the physical presence, but you can still be connected. And shipping nationwide and the story of Red Truck Bakery being a nationwide one is part of how that bakery extends its reach and forms a community wherever it goes.

Speaker 7:50

That's awesome. Being able to really spread that ideology and just those values through, you know, the local community concept and have it kind of be nationwide at the same time, I think that's a really, really cool concept, and it's really interesting.

Speaker 2 8:03

We're always trying to balance that. I mean, it's, uh, come the latter part of the year from Thanksgiving to Christmas, the bakery is the busiest it will be all year long. There are peaks, uh, prior to that point, but it's just one grand kind of crazy bake-off of pies and cakes, pies first really for Thanksgiving, cakes more for, for Christmas, but... and the holiday season. And that desire to balance that production and the need to, to ship everywhere with creating spaces that are actual physical spaces where community can gather. We've spent the last three years or so of our time really focusing on trying to have capacity to meet the nationwide demand, but also to really focus on creating spaces that are inviting and welcoming and have the right flow for people to come in and gather. Main streets in small towns like we're located in, uh, have a functional relevance that has been lost to some degree to grand big box kind of offerings of retail. But everybody in the surrounding area always came to Main Street to resupply, to send something off via the mail or the post, and to connect, to find out what the neighbors were doing, and that ig- that need hasn't gone away, and so our spaces need to be ones that are that sort of third space, that kind of welcoming gathering place.

Bakery Habits Versus Restaurant Milestones

Speaker 9:19

Yeah. What a perfect location you guys are centered at. We think so. It just sounds like such a cozy little, little place. Yes. Wonderful. And the way you describe the difference between the bakery and the restaurant experience was really thoughtful, one being sometimes kind of more of a daily touchpoint and the other m- more of a deeper celebratory experience. How do those two c- concepts complement each other?

Speaker 2 9:44

Absolutely. I mean, our, our mission is to use food and drink to connect, and I wanna connect with maybe the same person in multiple ways, where we might have the occasion to see someone at Field and Main as a birthday celebration. That's once a year. Or as an anniversary. That's once a year. Or maybe it's only for them every five years, a very special anniversary, and that's wonderful too. But they might come to the bakery once a month, once a week. Some people come daily because they really connect with the, the barista or the, the person who's serving them from behind the counter, and that connection, that check-in, is part of their daily routine, and we wanna be of service to that community of people as in many ways as possible drawing from a desire to be of service to our local farms to some extent, uh, where we can be, where we have that capability. And so figuring out how to make those connections and make those linkages, it doesn't matter what we're serving. It matters that we are of service.

Speaker 10:43

Yeah. Forming those relationships, that's so wonderful. I'm sure you guys have made a ton of friends along the way.

Speaker 2 10:48

Yes. Very much so. Very meaningful. It's... When someone spends, invests their time and effort with you, uh, it's, it's deeply gratifying.

When The Farmer Sits Nearby

Speaker 10:59

Absolutely. And you've shared a powerful example of guests enjoying a dish and then realizing the farmer who grew it might just be sitting right next to them. Yes. How do moments like that capture what you've been working to create?

Speaker 2 11:14

I have, uh, colleagues and friends and peers that have restaurants in cities Most of them do. And while farmers certainly deliver to cities either via a FedEx or a UPS or actually making the trip to the city to drop something off, very rarely do you find the farmer dining in the city. And that's not something that I ever had that experience really truly, uh, except on special occasions where we had a, an event featuring a farmer in a city. But what happens often in our context is that you might find the farmer who grew the greens that are in the salad that you're eating at Field and Main restaurant sitting next to you and not know it, and then share with our team,"Hey, I love this salad. It's wonderful." And we get to say, we look forward to saying,"Oh, I'm, I'm delighted to hear that. Yeah, the preparation's wonderful, but really truly the, the vibrancy of the salad comes from the beauty of those greens and this person, they grew those greens for you." And then they have a chance to actually connect. We make those connections all the time via story, but when they actually have a physical opportunity to connect with someone and talk and find out how, what else they have in common besides the love of the greens that they're producing that's one, one part of, of the magic of why I love to do what I do.

Speaker 12:32

Yeah. Being able to speak to the person who might have just grew your food and you know, is where it was locally sourced- Yes that is just something so unique and so special, especially in today's times.'Cause like you said, a lot of times, we don't know where- No where it's coming from. No. So you're able to really provide that unique experience.

Speaker 2 12:49

It's, it's tremendous and it happens often enough to be something that I can talk about being frequent and so it's not a, a one-off experience and it is, gosh, it's just another, a, a little bright spot in any day when that ha- g- that happens.

Speaker 13:05

Yeah. And you know, you've touched on some of the shifts happening in the restaurant industry, especially around caring for staff, rising costs and maintaining quality. What do you think is most important for guests to understand about what's happening behind the scenes today?

Speaker 2 13:22

I think like anything in life, there's a value proposition and if your values are aligned with this idea of connection and wanting to have this place to go, then you have to understand a little bit about what it takes to make that operate. And everybody today, uh, I don't wanna be too pointed in time, but today the gas prices are a lot more than they were last month and those gas prices increase costs. The costs of produce have risen, the cost of meat and its feed has risen and therefore the ingredients cost in an, a restaurant or bakery have increased and as a result, that's gonna increase prices. The cost of labor also needs to increase to respectfully afford the people who are doing this work an opportunity to, to live a, a balanced life. And we don't think that Prospering based on a food that comes from a place that is degrading the earth or from, uh, a labor set that's been being taken advantage of is sustainable. And so prizing places that, that work that way is important if you value that, if you wanna see that exist. Th- that's an important part of this partnership that exists, this connection that exists. We're not simply there to serve. We need patrons to patronize, and that is their role in the operation and its sustainability.

Speaker 14:47

Yeah. I love that perspective that you put it into.

Speaker 2 14:51

Thank you.

Speaker 14:51

I mean, to go into that just a little bit more, with, with all these evolving dynamics, how do you thoughtfully navigate decisions in a way that continues to honor both your team and the experiences you create for your guests?

Leading With Mission Values And Culture

Speaker 2 15:04

It's mission and values. It's culture. It's, uh, you know, it's this mission, how do we use something food-based that's local, ideally, to connect with people? And then we want to value a practice of hospitality. We value a community connection. We value integrity. We value, uh, a subset of things that we talk about regularly, and those are our guiding lights. Those are our guiding posts. Those are our, our vantage points that, all right, we have a decision to make. Are we making it aligned with, alignment with our values? Are we welcoming a team member on the team who also is aligned with these values? If they are not, why would they wanna be with us? We're also evaluating our guests that way. Our patrons will either align with that value set or they won't, and that's their choice, and that's okay, but that's part of the process. And so I think we've become more confident in 10 years of operations. We'll celebrate our 10th anniversary, uh, at Field and Main in September, that those values are important to us and that they are important to at least a number of people in the world who are our patrons, and that relationship and that community that has formed around what we do has helped to sustain this restaurant, and we hope to sustain some part of their life and the lives of some of the farmers we get a chance to work with and the community that forms as a result.

Speaker 16:20

For sure. What a great way to just kind of give to the community and make those connections, and I also wanna say congratulations on that 10-year anniversary.

Speaker 2 16:27

Thank you. Yes, that's a milestone we're really looking forward to crossing. It's, uh... You know, one year in a restaurant is a milestone. Three years is another one for sure because most are gone by three years, and then five years is another one where those that made it past three oftentimes don't make it to five. They just... They made up a push, and then they couldn't push further. And so having meet- having really gotten to 10 does not mean by any means we're secure and fine, but it, it has established us. We've grown roots. In 10 years, the plant may flower and not have a deep root, but, we have deeper roots now at this point, uh, and that's really exciting to, to be able to leverage that too to know there's a level of security But a greater responsibility to continue to operate in a way that's meaningful and aligned with the values and, and the mission.

Speaker 17:12

Yeah. I'm sure it's such a full circle moment from where you started to where you guys are now.

What Ten Years In Restaurants Means

Speaker 2 17:17

It's like a spiral. Like, you're circling around, and you're close to where there's a quality like,"Oh my gosh, look at that," and then yet you're s- you're somewhere different, too, and constantly kind of... It's not a, a linear line, for sure, and it's not maybe always progressively up. But there is a quality about it that has ups, downs, and... But a progression of movement that is meaningful with growth and, and knowledge acquisition and new relationships and old relationships that wane and new ones that come on board, and so it's, uh, it's a remarkable experience.

Speaker 17:49

Yes. I couldn't agree more. And, you know, with that, spring seems like such an exciting time for you guys- It is with fresh- Fresh ingredients, farmers markets, and the community just coming back together after a long winter. What does this season mean for your business?

Spring Ingredients And Seasonal Creativity

Speaker 2 18:06

It's exuberance. Uh, I mean, there's a wonderful quality about a winter period where you're internal and reflective and hopefully rejuvenating, kind of rebuilding from within, resting. Um, there's never a lot of rest in the restaurant, but there's a, a retraction of guests, especially this past winter where it was so much snow, and people were actually physically snowed in, and they couldn't get out if they wanted to. Spring means people are ready to get out, and produce is ready to, to make its way onto the plate. Yesterday, the first asparagus of the season was delivered. We got a lot of asparagus. And the wintertime is a period of, of real creativity because you have less of an opportunity to, to choose from a whole s- it's how many different ways do you make squash? How many things from the larder, grains, and, and things can you play with to make something happen? When spring comes, there's not a lot yet. I mean, it's, uh, it's asparagus. Maybe we can get some ramps. Maybe morels are coming on, online. And so there's a few things you wanna begin to immediately celebrate. And the weather chur- turns, and you really are excited about what the feeling of spring is, and yet not everything is available. But so there's this exuberance, uh, to get going, and then there's a restraint of, like,"I don't have everything yet to work with," and so you have to go further afield a little bit. The south, uh, you know, we might go to southern Virginia or maybe even into the Carolinas or Georgia to get some produce to start with, and then it will make its way finally by May or so. We'll have more of that actually produced in our area, and then it's just a constant celebration of what's on, what's on order, what's on, uh, what's available for this given week, and what can we make.

Speaker 19:39

How exciting. It's kind of like an awakening of our area, of our-- of the earth, of nature. Yes. You know what I mean?

Speaker 2 19:45

Totally. Totally.

Speaker 19:47

And you have a lot happening right now, including the recent James Beard Award nomination for Field and Main restaurant, which is incredible. What has that recognition meant to you and your team?

Speaker 2 20:01

That's extraordinary. Um, the James Beard Foundation talking about values is very much aligned with what our values are. And so to be recognized by an organization that's about independent restaurants, that's about restaurants that are committed to contributing to a-- their community, a community, forming a community, being part of a community, contri-contributing to the overall scope of the field and the industry, and helping it to continue to elevate and to grow and develop, it's deeply gratifying. The gratification does not by any means just stop from their recognition. It's the guests, our patrons owning the nomination as it-- as though it's theirs, the restaurant's theirs, and they're so excited that their restaurant has been nominated. Wow. It means a lot relative to our team. Our team has the opportunity to work for a place that is recognized that way. We are the only restaurant in Virginia that was nominated. Uh, the, the process has this semifinalist period, and it was extraordinary to be in that, and then to be elevated from the, the group of semifinalists to one of the top five restaurants to be considered for the award for the outstanding wine and other beverage this year is special. And it validates, for myself personally, a whole, decades plus, multiple decades of work that, uh, that says we're doing the right thing. It's not the goal, right? It's not like we set out to, to win a James Beard Award or to be nominated. It's a wonderful recognition for the effort that we're putting in and the way we're doing it. The Field and Main way, the Red Truck way, is being recognized, and that's wonderful.

Speaker 21:42

That's beautiful. Yeah, all j- all that hard work I'm sure early mornings, late nights. Yes.

Speaker 2 21:47

Yes. Absolutely

Speaker 21:48

really just kinda all comes to recognition, not only for your team, but for your guests as well.

Speaker 2 21:53

That's right.

Speaker 21:55

And when you think about the legacy you're building through both the bakery and the restaurant, what do you hope people feel or remember after experiencing what you've created?

Speaker 2 22:08

I hope they find that, that sense of connection and that sense of belonging. I hope, uh, I hope in time we're able to establish enough of a playbook, enough of a, an MO for how other communities might embrace, Sourcing locally and building community through food. Uh, it doesn't have to be just us, and I would prefer it not be. Uh, and I know it's not. Other people are doing this too. And so we're contributing to that. And so our guests and our team, I hope that they understand that the practice of hospitality relates to their life, not just at work, but to, to every part of it. And that practice is practiced by our patrons because they're supporting our effort, and so they're serving us. And it's a practice that you put in play as a perspective for life. So no matter what you're doing, you are either being served or being of service, and either way, it's service. And so if we can be that model for that, and someone can take that from our experience, all the better. And if not, and they just had a really tasty burger and a glass of, of wine with it, that works too.

Speaker 23:16

You're still happy.

Speaker 2 23:17

Yes.

Speaker 23:19

The memories I'm sure that have been made within your businesses is I can't even imagine.

Speaker 2 23:25

It's, uh... There are too many to recount for sure in our time, but they are plentiful, and we get to share in some of the, the most important moments in people's lives, from a baby's first meal, like we've done purees for their first dining out experience and to the celebration of someone's life who's just passed. We have people who value what we offer and feel comfortable enough to celebrate their wedding with us their anniversary, their breakup, and their loss. And that's incredibly meaningful and a huge responsibility that we, we take with great measure.

Speaker 24:05

Of course. Being part of those special moments sometimes the tougher ones and even the celebratory ones, I think that's awesome that- Yes you're chosen to be a part of that.

Speaker 2 24:14

That's a great way to put it. We do feel chosen.

Speaker 24:17

And for anyone listening who wants to experience what you've created, whether it's a quick stop at the bakery or a full dining experience, where can they find you and learn more?

Speaker 2 24:28

So websites, of course, exist for both rest- restaurant and bakery, so fieldandmainrestaurant.com and redtruckbakery.com. Instagram and Facebook, there are notifications and stories and things shared that way as well. And then the locations physically, we are 8369 West Main Street in Marshall for the restaurant, 8368 West Main Street for the bakery in Marshall, and then we're 22 Waterloo Street in Warrenton, Virginia for the Red Truck Bakery location, the original one, in the old Esso Filling Station right next to the courthouse in Warrenton.

Speaker 25:00

Okay, perfect. Yeah. Lots of ways to reach out and connect.

Speaker 2 25:03

Absolutely.

Speaker 25:04

Best thing to do is stop by though, right?

Speaker 2 25:05

I think so. Yes.

Speaker 25:08

And as we wrap up, is there anything you'd like to add that I haven't touched on today?

Speaker 2 25:15

No, I think that's wonderful. It was a great conversation. Uh- We invite everyone. We're an inclusive space that, uh, that if you're in our area, we'd like to get to know you, and we'd like to have you join us as part of our community. And even if you're not, you can go online and partake in something that we make from this place and bring it to wherever you are to form your community. And so we look forward to connecting you in whatever way we can.

Speaker 25:38

Absolutely. That's so wonderful. Thank you so much, Neil, for joining me on the podcast today and sharing your knowledge, passion, and story with us. I wish you and your team the very best in all that comes your way in the future.

Speaker 2 25:51

Well, thank you so much. I appreciate the opportunity. It was wonderful to speak with you.

Speaker 25:54

Absolutely. Thank you.