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Jump to Content: About Us, Our Affiliations, Our Ethos, Meet The Owners, Meet The Staff, Join Our Team.
Ethos Vegan Kitchen opened December 26th, 2007. Featuring healthy and hearty fare, we are one of Central Florida's few fully vegan restaurants. Offering both indoor and outdoor seating, our format is a counter-service/table-service hybrid - guests place their order at a service counter, receive a number placard, and then await delivery of their order at the table of choice. Ethos also features a small selection of vegan beer and wine, plus vegan bakery items made from scratch on-site daily.
The intent of Ethos is as follows: 1) to improve the diversity of vegan cuisine offerings in the Central Florida area, 2) to provide good food at a reasonable price in a comfortable atmosphere, and, 3) to showcase the variety, freshness, and flavor of vegan dining.
Ethos Vegan Kitchen is family-owned and -operated, and we strive to be both a good neighbor and a good employer within our community.
By definition, ethos means "the distinguishing character, sentiment, moral nature, or guiding beliefs of a person, group, or institution." We chose the name Ethos because it implies the ethical and moral nature of our beliefs about operating a socially responsible and environmentally aware business.
Socially Responsible Business
•Whenever possible, we work with vendors who embrace their social and environmental responsibility to the community.
•We support local non-profits through our 10% Day program »Info Packet (.zip/.pdf), and through direct donation.
•Whenever possible we source imported food items that are fair-trade, most notably coffee, tea, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and spices.
•Company-provided uniforms (t-shirts, hats) are sweat-shop free.
Socially Responsible Employer
•We are focused on creating and maintaining a safe, comfortable, and equitable workplace.
•We pay our employees a living wage, rather than a minimum wage.
•We have created an innovative and meaningful benefit package for our staff, which includes meal credits and an employee-managed reserve fund.
Environmentally Aware
•We are a member of the City of Orlando's Think Blue water management program.
•We prefer to source regionally-grown produce, and estimate that 75% of our produce is grown in the southeastern US.
•We prefer to source organic food items, and estimate that 50% of our menu ingredients are organic.
•We use heavy-duty durable tableware (china, glass and silver) which can be washed and reused; we also minimize use of disposables.
•Where possible, we use biodegradable takeout packaging, such as paper bags instead of plastic, paper bio-paks, and cardboard pizza boxes.
•We use a laundry service for aprons and towels, which minimizes use of paper disposables for cleaning.
•Where possible, we have selected paper products made from 100% recycled paper, most notably for paper bags, paper towels, printer paper, and toilet paper.
•Where possible, we use biodegradable soaps and cleaning products, including Dr. Bronner's as hand soap in guest restrooms, and Seventh Generation and Ecover products to clean our restrooms and guest areas.
•Where possible, we use compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of incandescents.
•Lighting in select areas of the restaurant is controlled by sensor, which means lights are on only when in use.
Husband and wife Kelly and Laina Shockley opened Ethos Vegan Kitchen in 2007 after three years of planning. In addition to achieving our own financial and family goals, we are motivated by the satisfaction that comes with being a community-minded, environmentally sound, and socially responsible business and employer. The restaurant is an extension of ourselves, and hope you will notice and appreciate many of the small details we have incorporated into the facility and its operation.
Kelly Shockley, Chef and General Manager. With 15 years experience in the restaurant industry, it's no surprise to see Kelly Shockley at the helm of his very own restaurant. Kelly went vegan in 2002, and quickly recognized a void in the marketplace for vegan cuisine offerings. He began planning the menu for his own vegan restaurant almost immediately. Some will recognize Kelly from his other endeavors as former partner/operator of Orlando's Vegan Hot Dog Stand, and owner/operator of Nonsense Records. Kelly enjoys riding his motorcycle, baseball games, and sticking it to the man.
»View Kelly's Resume (.pdf).
Laina Shockley, Head Baker, Finance & Administration. While Laina doesn't have much hands-on restaurant experience, her contribution to the family business is business know-how, financial savvy, and a burning desire to read the small print. Laina's business background includes self-employment as a small business consultant and a Masters in Business Administration, plus an undergrad degree in Hospitality Management. Laina is the baker in the family, and the developer of Ethos' bakery concept and recipes. She also serves as Treasurer for local non-profit Simple Living Institute, and on the board of the Ivanhoe Village Main Street program. Laina enjoys gardening, baking, yarn crafts, reading, and playing card games and board games with her family.
»View Laina's Resume (.pdf).
Kelly and Laina live in downtown Orlando with their two dogs, Champ and Toby. Both enjoy traveling, the great outdoors, making music, and value family as the most important thing in their lives.
Andrea Pastore, Service Cashier. Smart, witty, and crafty, to boot! When Andrea's not at work, she's studying to become a veterinarian technician.
Ben Rudolph, Prep Cook/Line Cook. When Ben's not on the road touring with his band, Time To Die, you can find him at Ethos!
Disney Bolin, Service Cashier. When Disney smiles, you can't help but smile back, she's so cheery and friendly! Catch her radio show Tuesday mornings from 10am to Noon on WPRK.
Dre Curry, Dishwasher. Dre is our youngest team member! The whole crew enjoys following his adventures as starting quarterback at Central Florida Prep School.
Eric Montanez, Baker/Prep Cook/Line Cook. Eric is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, and has the biggest voice you're likely to hear, as well. Eric is a driving force for Orlando Food Not Bombs and is a skillful gardener and musician as well.
James Curry, Line Cook. James holds down the cookline most lunch hours. You wouldn't guess it by looking at him, but he plays some mean ping pong, and is an avid Nascar fan. What?!
Jeff Ilgenfritz*, Service Cashier. If you are reading this, I am no more. The Scientologists with the "probes" have taken me away to their home planet. Actually, it's more a summer retreat than a planet; and when I say "summer retreat," it's more an intergalactic star confederation, beautiful country, too. Xenn is a real jerk about the probing, but I'm sure he means well. Love, Jeff Ilgenfritz
Jonathan Hughes*, Line Cook. Son of a bear and a cold north wind, Jonathan is so awesome that he must always have a beard, because were he to shave, a glimpse of him would cause anyone who is under 5'7" to implode. He also has the ability to listen to ska unironically. Having trained underwater with killer whales and killer icebergs, he is now one of our tallest vegan chef-bears.
Kim Brown, Baker/Service Cashier. Kim's day job as an office manager doesn't mean she can't still fit in several shifts a week with us.
Summer Escalante, Service Cashier. Summer has a perfect attendance record for our quarterly staff outings, the only staff member to achieve this!
Tia Meer, Baker. Tia is a farmer at heart, and leads local sustainability non-profit Simple Living Institute. She lives in a log cabin on stilts she and her husband built with their own hands out in east Orlando off the Econlockhatchee River.
* indicates an autobiographic account.
To learn more about employment opportunities with Ethos, please visit our Employment page.
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