A few weeks ago, I visited One Bistro in Xenia with my ORA colleague Laura Morrison.
With a name like One Bistro, you would think it’s a fancy restaurant in Ohio serving great food. Well, it’s not glamorous, but it does serve delicious food and provides a warm and upscale yet casual environment, just the way patrons love it.
In fact, there’s a chef-driven menu with dishes such as Spinach, Goat Cheese and Bacon Pizza. There are two locations in Xenia and in Miamisburg that offer healthy, affordable meals in a warm and welcoming environment.
More importantly, the menu at One Bistro offers more than food. This “pay what you can afford,” non-profit concept offers customers a sense of community. There is spiritual support, an opportunity to volunteer if they can’t afford to pay for their meal … and most of all, hope.
Robert Adamson, who was formerly a chef at some of the swankiest restaurants in Cincinnati and ran his own catering business, is the director of this incredible concept.
He shared with Laura and me some of his life journey, challenges he faced in the restaurant industry and why he chose to give back to society via One Bistro. It was an emotional and inspirational discussion. Robert is a person of deep faith and sees this is a mission, rather than just a restaurant.
Many of his diners are underprivileged people who can’t afford $6 for a meal, so they volunteer at the restaurant, form friendships and share hugs. Other customers are local business people, community leaders, and politicians who not only pay the $6 meal price, but often pay it forward and buy a meal for someone else, making "Our Neighbors Eat," One Bistro's motto, a reality.
I encourage you to visit one of the locations and learn more about how restaurateurs in Ohio are changing the world with superb food and a commitment to giving back. See more about the concept and Robert in the links:
http://onebistro.org/
http://wyso.org/post/pay-what-you-can-restaurant-open-permanent-xenia-location#stream/0
http://www.mydaytondailynews.com/news/news/local/new-restaurant-follows-biznistry-model/nqxBm/
