By Doni Glover, Publisher
(BALTIMORE – April 16, 2024) – Just because the first attempt didn’t work doesn’t mean that another effort, another stab at it, another attempt won’t succeed.
Ira Chase is a visionary perfectionist with a corporate background. We interviewed him several different times over the past two years at Hoodfellas Bistro inside the swank Munsey Building on Calvert Street. He is a hard-working man with the absolute hustle and grind of a bona fide entrepreneur.
The entrepreneurial spirit is not something you can buy off the shelf. The true entrepreneur lives for the hustle. They have that je ne sais quoi about them. It’s that rare quality – that something special that’s deep within a person – a hungry determination to win no matter how much work is necessary or how many hours it will take.
Ira has that hustle.
To an extent, I was saddened by the news of Hoodfellas Bistro closing. However, after some thought, I have come to see this as a temporary pause for this team.
Both Ira and Chef Ben, the two co-owners, will no doubt go back to the drawing board, regroup, and do whatever the Master of the universe has up next for them. After all, they are men of faith. I am confident that whatever the case, they will bounce back like a rubber ball.
The owner and Executive Chef of Hampden’s Urban Oyster, Chef Jasmine, shared with me how this is her third attempt at having a brick-and-mortar location for people to come and wine and dine. Sometimes, it doesn’t work out the first time or the second, she said. Persistence, dedication, faith, and a little good luck can turn an “L” into a “W”.
The restaurant business, for the uninitiated, is a very challenging industry. Owning one is not for the faint at heart. Prim & Proper’s Chef Calvin Riley specifically shared that with us on the show recently. He talked about how much easier it is to simply be the chef and let someone else deal with all of the nuances of owning a spot.
Nonetheless, with each experience comes wisdom. The true entrepreneur just has to take a step back and maybe tweak the recipe, modify the approach, find out what’s working and what’s not – and then simply go back at it!
Don’t give up, brothers!