Meet our first-ever guest editors: Michael and Kurt Bohlsen, co-owners of the Bohlsen Restaurant Group.
Dear Edible readers,
Welcome to our issue.
We are so honored to be partnering with Edible on this issue. Edible has been at the forefront of the current food and culinary culture for years, willing to dig deep and uncover the real story behind what makes the Long Island food scene tick.
As restaurateurs with a presence on Long Island for over 20 years, we felt this would be a good time to take a pause and reflect. It’s been a long 18 months for all of us. It was an extraordinary experience, culturally and intellectually, in a time of political turbulence and financial upheaval.
For BRG, it has given us a chance to look at our lineage. How we got here, who we are, and what pieces of our shared history are the most important now.
We selected two stories to work on with the Edible team that we felt best captured our culture and expressed our thoughts and experiences. Our mode is participatory journalism, telling our story through the Edible lens.
The H20 Anniversary story digs into how we have kept a seafood restaurant relevant for 20 years. Weaving in the dishes that worked best for us, how the fishing community has dramatically changed over the years and our early decision to bring sushi to Long Island, as well as our commitment to being an ocean-friendly restaurant and our focus on giving back.
The Employee Story is an emotional celebration of the individuality of our team. With a large group of employees with over 15 years of tenure, selecting employees for the story was difficult. Each employee has a unique story. A different reason for staying the course with us. Their individual stories weave together a narrative of the Long Island restaurant worker and the unique and often arduous lifestyle working here requires. We are eternally grateful to our team and are proud of their perseverance and loyalty in the wake of the pandemic’s unrest.
We are full of hope for what this next phase brings. We know the pandemic has taken out many of the local operators that were not prepared for such an event or those just getting on their feet. For many of us, it has taught us many invaluable lessons, as every crisis is an opportunity. We have been forced to tighten our belts, find new ways to do business and in the end have emerged as a stronger, more profitable company.
Many thanks to the amazing and incredibly hardworking team at Edible for spending their summer helping bring our ideas to life. We hope you enjoy reading these pages as much as we enjoyed contributing to them.
Our Best,
Kurt and Michael Bohlsen
