Small Business Stories - American Culinary Concepts Video

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Small Business Stories - American Culinary Concepts

Alex Fees: I’m Alex Fees on Small Business Television. We are coming to you from Cleveland, Ohio at the 2008 COSE small business conference. COSE, that’s C-O-S-E, the Council of Smaller Enterprises. And joining me here now is Bill Skaryd. Bill, I appreciate you being here. Bill Skaryd: Alex, nice to meet you. Alex Fees: He is the owner of American Culinary Concepts. So Bill, I’ve got to ask you right off the bad here, did you see Michael Symon, one of the keynote speakers this morning? Bill Skaryd: I most and surely did. Alex Fees: Well, he’s the 2007 Food Network Iron Chef. Bill Skaryd: Correct. Alex Fees: And he owns a couple of restaurants here in Cleveland, Lola and Lolita. Bill Skaryd: That’s correct. Alex Fees: And he trained under you, is that right? Bill Skaryd: I wish he did. Alex Fees: Well, what about that? I must say—somewhat if in your background unless it would be very interesting to hear what he had to say. Bill Skaryd: I thought he was a very mesmerizing speaker, he drew the audience in and he really has a lot of passion for the food industry. Alex Fees: Yeah. And it’s all about passion. Bill Skaryd: Right. Alex Fees: Well, tell me about your business, what is American Culinary Concepts? Bill Skaryd: American Culinary Concepts is a manufacture of sausage, salad dressings, and marinades for the food service industry. Alex Fees: Really? Bill Skaryd: We have private label and we also develop products for our customers. Alex Fees: How did this come to be? Bill Skaryd: We noticed that there was a need for this in the food industry that basically because of the Food Network, a lot more people were interested in food products. We found that a lot of restaurants were having inconsistencies from location to location and what we’ve done is we’ve been able to standardize their product, reduce their labor costs and give them a quality product, time after time. Alex Fees: So, has American Culinary Concepts come along since the Food Network? Is this relatively new? Bill Skaryd: Yes. We started this business 8 ½ years ago. Alex Fees: Wow, wow! So, what kind of growth have you seen during that time? Bill Skaryd: Well, we’ve grown about 20% a year. Alex Fees: Really? Bill Skaryd: Right. Alex Fees: Wow. So, who are your clients? Bill Skaryd: Our clients are a lot of the major restaurant chains in Cleveland that have multiple locations. Cleats for example, we do a lot of the wing sauces for them and any location, any restaurant group that needs to have consistency in product from time to time. Yeah. Alex Fees: Well Bill, what is your background? How did this come to be? Bill Skaryd: Well, my background actually is in public accounting. Alex Fees: Really? Well that makes sense and now you’re in food. Bill Skaryd: Right, well you see, I go from cooking the books to cooking the sauce, I guess that’s it. Alex Fees: There you go. So, you decided just to branch off and start a new business? Bill Skaryd: Yes. So, I go to the point where I saw my practice to my partners and went out into look to something in different and I— Alex Fees: And you pursued your passion. Bill Skaryd: I have always enjoyed food so it’s pretty obvious. Alex Fees: Well, that sounds real like you’ve had a long time relationship with COSE before you got into the food business huh? Bill Skaryd: That’s correct. I’ve been a COSE member for over 30 years. Alex Fees: So, in more than one industry obviously. Bill Skaryd: In more than one industry. Alex Fees: Now, what kind of more than 30 years? What kind of changes have you seen in COSE during that time? Bill Skaryd: Well, COSE has grown dramatically in the number of members that they have. They have increased their presence in Columbus and legislative issues. Alex Fees: Oh yeah, access to government decision makers if you will. Bill Skaryd: Right. They have a wonderful program with heath care insurance and for someone that has under 20 employees, it certainly make sense to work with COSE under health care plans. Alex Fees: Bill, working somebody to go to get more information about American Culinary Concepts. Bill Skaryd: Well, they can check us out on our website at amculinary, that’s a-m-c-u-l-i-n-a-r-y.com. Alex Fees: All right, that’s amculinary.com. He is Bill Skaryd, he is the co-owner or owner? Bill Skaryd: I am the owner. Alex Fees: You’re in. You’re in the whole deal. Bill Skaryd: Yeah, right. Alex Fees: American Culinary Concepts, I’m Alex Fees, you’re watching Small Business Television. We’re coming to you from COSE, the Small Business Conference 2008. That is the Council of Smaller Enterprises and I might add smaller and name only.

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Alex Fees: I’m Alex Fees on Small Business Television. We are coming to you from Cleveland, Ohio at the 2008 COSE small business conference. COSE, that’s C-O-S-E, the Council of Smaller Enterprises. And joining me here now is Bill Skaryd. Bill, I appreciate you being here.

Bill Skaryd: Alex, nice to meet you.

Alex Fees: He is the owner of American Culinary Concepts. So Bill, I’ve got to ask you right off the bad here, did you see Michael Symon, one of the keynote speakers this morning?

Bill Skaryd: I most and surely did.

Alex Fees: Well, he’s the 2007 Food Network Iron Chef.

Bill Skaryd: Correct.

Alex Fees: And he owns a couple of restaurants here in Cleveland, Lola and Lolita.

Bill Skaryd: That’s correct.

Alex Fees: And he trained under you, is that right?

Bill Skaryd: I wish he did.

Alex Fees: Well, what about that? I must say—somewhat if in your background unless it would be very interesting to hear what he had to say.

Bill Skaryd: I thought he was a very mesmerizing speaker, he drew the audience in and he really has a lot of passion for the food industry.

Alex Fees: Yeah. And it’s all about passion.

Bill Skaryd: Right.

Alex Fees: Well, tell me about your business, what is American Culinary Concepts?

Bill Skaryd: American Culinary Concepts is a manufacture of sausage, salad dressings, and marinades for the food service industry.

Alex Fees: Really?

Bill Skaryd: We have private label and we also develop products for our customers.

Alex Fees: How did this come to be?

Bill Skaryd: We noticed that there was a need for this in the food industry that basically because of the Food Network, a lot more people were interested in food products. We found that a lot of restaurants were having inconsistencies from location to location and what we’ve done is we’ve been able to standardize their product, reduce their labor costs and give them a quality product, time after time.

Alex Fees: So, has American Culinary Concepts come along since the Food Network? Is this relatively new?

Bill Skaryd: Yes. We started this business 8 ½ years ago.

Alex Fees: Wow, wow! So, what kind of growth have you seen during that time?

Bill Skaryd: Well, we’ve grown about 20% a year.

Alex Fees: Really?

Bill Skaryd: Right.

Alex Fees: Wow. So, who are your clients?

Bill Skaryd: Our clients are a lot of the major restaurant chains in Cleveland that have multiple locations. Cleats for example, we do a lot of the wing sauces for them and any location, any restaurant group that needs to have consistency in product from time to time. Yeah.

Alex Fees: Well Bill, what is your background? How did this come to be?

Bill Skaryd: Well, my background actually is in public accounting.

Alex Fees: Really? Well that makes sense and now you’re in food.

Bill Skaryd: Right, well you see, I go from cooking the books to cooking the sauce, I guess that’s it.

Alex Fees: There you go. So, you decided just to branch off and start a new business?

Bill Skaryd: Yes. So, I go to the point where I saw my practice to my partners and went out into look to something in different and I—

Alex Fees: And you pursued your passion.

Bill Skaryd: I have always enjoyed food so it’s pretty obvious.

Alex Fees: Well, that sounds real like you’ve had a long time relationship with COSE before you got into the food business huh?

Bill Skaryd: That’s correct. I’ve been a COSE member for over 30 years.

Alex Fees: So, in more than one industry obviously.

Bill Skaryd: In more than one industry.

Alex Fees: Now, what kind of more than 30 years? What kind of changes have you seen in COSE during that time?

Bill Skaryd: Well, COSE has grown dramatically in the number of members that they have. They have increased their presence in Columbus and legislative issues.

Alex Fees: Oh yeah, access to government decision makers if you will.

Bill Skaryd: Right. They have a wonderful program with heath care insurance and for someone that has under 20 employees, it certainly make sense to work with COSE under health care plans.

Alex Fees: Bill, working somebody to go to get more information about American Culinary Concepts.

Bill Skaryd: Well, they can check us out on our website at amculinary, that’s a-m-c-u-l-i-n-a-r-y.com.

Alex Fees: All right, that’s amculinary.com. He is Bill Skaryd, he is the co-owner or owner?

Bill Skaryd: I am the owner.

Alex Fees: You’re in. You’re in the whole deal.

Bill Skaryd: Yeah, right.

Alex Fees: American Culinary Concepts, I’m Alex Fees, you’re watching Small Business Television. We’re coming to you from COSE, the Small Business Conference 2008. That is the Council of Smaller Enterprises and I might add smaller and name only.

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