Love, Passion & Community - Sam Mogannam of Bi Rite Family of Businesses

Our Guest Today: Sam Mogannam is the second-generation owner of Bi-Rite Market in San Francisco and founder of the Bi-Rite Family of Businesses that Forbes named one of the best small companies in the United States. He’s been featured in Bon Appetit, Civil Eats, Food & Wine, the San Francisco Chronicle and more. Sam is the author of Bi-Rite Market’s Eat Good Food: A Grocer’s Guide to Shopping, Cooking, and Creating Community Through Food.

Sam and his brother Raffi took over the family owned Bi-Rite Market with a small staff of six. They revamped market and it quickly became a destination for curated specialty foods.  Bi-Rite family of businesses includes Bi-Rite Creamery, 18 Reasons cooking school where they teach over 7,000 students the art of cooking each year FOR FREE…,they also have a farm

Their mission is Creating Community Through Food. 

The website for Bi-Rite Market says this in the about section: 

When Bi-Rite Market re-opened in 1998 under Sam and Raph Mogannam’s leadership, we introduced our Community Values: Love. Passion. Integrity. While we added verbs back in 2019 (Lead with Love. Pursue with Passion. Act with Integrity.) these values have never been more relevant, or meaningful, as they are today.

Yet, every day our news is filled with grief and anguish as our community continues to be attacked by others. So we feel it’s necessary to be even more explicit.

We vehemently STAND AGAINST racism and will fight against all forms of oppression and hate, whether it’s implicit or explicit.

Inside our doors you will be safe, protected, and welcome. You will be seen, heard, and appreciated. And you will be loved. Always.

We all deserve kindness and respect. Please only enter our doors if you can have an open heart and treat all people with dignity.

VISIT Bi-Rite online:
https://biritemarket.com/

Transcript

Sam Mogannam: 0:00

The intention was really to take those conversations that we were having in the store over the calendar. But we wanted to take them deeper, right. And we wanted to be able to actually give them skill right to begin to develop a sense of understanding of a craft of cooking. We also wanted them to actually begin to face to face eye to eye, meet the people that were responsible for feeding them. So we would bring ranchers in and they would, you know, talk about their land management practices, their livestock care, and then we would cook together and then eat together as a community around one large table basically build a relationship right and like the magic happens around the dinner table.

Thom Pollard: 0:43

Something that seems to fall by the wayside when we're really busy, is we don't always take time to cook something nourishing something delicious, something that brings us together at the dinner table, and I realized I'm making a generalization here. But for me personally, when I make something delicious, with good ingredients, I feel not only energized physically, but emotionally, almost as if in preparing, cooking, and eating my own creations. It has a spiritual effect not only on me, but on the people who share that meal with me. Today's guest is the poster child for bringing communities together through food. Sam Magana, some of the by right family of businesses has devoted his life's passion to food to good food, teaching people how to cook with food by creating a community around food. A we all need food to live, Sam's approach to food is central to everything that matters in life. We'll get into that during our interview coming right up on tools for nomads. On Thom Pollard tools for nomads is brought to you by top drawer. We'd love to know where you're listening from today. So take a moment to let us know we want to learn about you in this growing community of like minded individuals. Sam Mecanim is the second generation owner of buy right market in San Francisco and founder of the pie right family of businesses, which Forbes named one of the best small companies in the United States. He's the author of by right markets, eat good food, a grocers guide to shopping, cooking and creating community through food. Growing up, Sam spent years learning the restaurant business and various jobs. And at 23. Yes, 23 he opened his own restaurant in San Francisco, Sam and his brother Rafi took over the family owned by right market with a small staff of six they revamped it and it quickly became a destination for curated specialty foods. Now the buy right family of businesses includes bi rite Creamery 18 reasons the cooking school where they teach over 7000 students the art of cooking each year for free, mind you, and they also have a farm. Their mission is creating community through food keywords to be on the lookout for today. Purpose, community, delicious passion. Here's my conversation with Sam Aghanim from his home in San Francisco, California. The idea of what buy right stands for, you know, the core values and the mission. And it's very inspiring. Because in today's world, I think what people are doing it, you know, at least it appears this way that people are in business to make money. And yes, you need to stay in business. And you do that by making money. But it's not about making money, you have a different purpose in what you're doing at buy. Right. And if I could just have you hit upon that a little bit and explain that those passions and values that you have.

Sam Mogannam: 4:07

Yeah, totally. And I and I agree with you. I mean, I think I think businesses who have a purpose have a have a magnetism to them that that compel like minded, you know, or curious people to gravitate towards them. And I think what makes by right special is that we're really focused on our mission of creating community through food. And in the simplest way that I can, I can explain what that means is that we're here to building relationships with people, real people. You know, we're into building relationships with the people that we employ, get it really getting to know them and under an understanding what passions that they have and creating space for them to express those passions. We're really interested in getting to know the people that grow make, raise the food that we that we sell And I'm really interested in getting to know, our guests, the people who come in who support our businesses, who want to be fed by us, right at the end of the day, we're building a very intimate relationship with each of these stakeholders where we're given this tremendous responsibility of curating and selecting food that is getting being put into somebody else's body, and it's going to nourish them. And it's, and it's a powerful relationship, and we take it seriously. And I, whether people recognize it or not, they feel it. And then eventually, they want more of it. And, and our hope is that, once they felt the that magic of being fed in with intentionality, with with care, with love, you know, our first core value is to lead with love, that they then begin to demand that of others. And our hope is that, as they demand, greater responsibility, intentionality from others, that we see change happening in ours, in our, in our world, right now greater responsibility to the planet, a greater responsibility to our communities, and a sense of collective ownership of, you know, where we, where we live and engage with.

Thom Pollard: 6:32

That's, that's beautiful, Sam. So I had a conversation with a gentleman who is the manager of one of our stores out in the west, and in Valencia. He said that when he was looking for a place to live, he didn't really care where he lived, he just wanted to be darn sure it was in walking distance of a buy, right? And, and I said, why? So tell me why. And he went on to tell me about the community and the sense of belonging and purpose. And right in when you were talking, you didn't even say customer about the people who walk in the door, you said the word guests. That means we're all one. And so what is that atmosphere that you're creating for these people that would make a guy say, I want to be within walking distance of a buyer, right?

Sam Mogannam: 7:23

I mean, maybe first and foremost, it's, it's delicious. And I don't know anybody in the world who doesn't want delicious, you know, and we all we all deserve delicious in our lives. And and, and so I think, I think it starts there. It's also it's also sensual and sensory provoking. I mean, it looks, it looks beautiful, it smells vibrant. There's energy, you know, there, there's staff that are knowledgeable about what they're selling and excited about the food that they're selling. And wanting to share their passion and their excitement with those that walk in. And in this current world that we're in, in this world that's been evolving over the last few decades. We're, we're getting further and further away from that. That personal sharing of information, right, that, that sharing of excitement and enthusiasm with each other, honest, very spontaneous way. I mean, it's like it's happening. And yeah, somebody can walk into the store, be in the produce department, you know, connect with somebody who's like, you know, stocking, you know, the fruit. And without even being asked a question, say, Hey, have you tried this and they'll feel they'll peel a pixie tangerine and or, or kind of peach or whatever, and let let the guests taste it or, you know, if the guest is asking, you know, which of the peaches is better, you know, the staff member will go and cut for different peaches let the guests taste for different peaches. So they can decide which piece that which peach, they like best, right? And then that doesn't happen that often. And that, that if we want engagement, then it might be standing at the cheese counter and somebody's gonna go give them a tasty cheese or, or go to the prepared foods counter and get a taste of one of our lockers. I mean, it's just like, we, you know, our, our, our souls, you know, my, our staff, you know, our team, we're fed by feeding people, you know, it feeds us. And I think that, that, that that energy, it's hard not to want to be around it, you know, because we're, we're losing opportunities to have that as part of our day to day lives every day. As things become more anonymous and more technical, technologically based, or artificially intelligence based, you know, it's, it's, there's something magical about just that human to human connection in the Yeah, in my mind, you know, I mean, I just like, that's just, that's what makes, that's what makes me tick. And for others, you know, they'd rather not they'd rather just get on the app and place an order or do whatever. But I don't know, there's something there's something special, a grill, I don't, I don't want to envision a world where we lose that.

Thom Pollard: 10:27

Yeah, Sam, you also talk a lot about, it's the people who are working in your store that you all and we all do as people who really care about the work that we do that that idea of right livelihood, that we're doing something that is we're fostering a future for our next generation, if you will. And so I heard you say these words that we have a responsibility to learn as much as we possibly can, and then educate those around us. And I would imagine that would start with the people who are working in your stores, and then that filters down to your guests, because we have, you know, the planet, it's not doing too well. And more and more people need to be out there about it, instead of saying, Wow, the social media is so negative and so toxic, I'm going to just turn it off and not engage, we've got to get on our feet, we have an opportunity here to speak. And so you talk about that passion and say that you don't care what their passion is, I mean, just as long as they have a passion bring to the work.

Sam Mogannam: 11:39

Yeah, I think I mean, I think it's important to recognize the passion in you, too, you know, and you I mean, I see, I see, maybe a bass behind you, you know, I suspect that you, you're passionate about music. And you know, that's one of the passions that like helps you be expressive about the passions that you have, and other in other aspects of how we, you know, how humans engage, you know, and I look for the same thing I love. We love musicians, we love artists, we love people who are really focused and committed to something, you know, and are excited about talking about it. Because once they learn to talk about something else, once they learn about something else, they can be excited about talking about that too, you know, and food foods, it's part of our day to day, you know, and when we taste something just blows our fucking mind, you can help. How can we not like, you know, get up there and shout out like, hey, and this was grown, and oh, hey, Rick, actually regenerating the soil. Right? That's like, not impacting the, the wildlife that's surrounding the fields, you know, and in so it's like, you know, you start with something that's delicious. And then you you bend your roll in with the environmental impact, or the social impact, or all of it, you know, when we can, when we can hit all of those points, which is what we really try to look for, because it's not just about the environmental impact, we also have to be really concerned about the social impact, or the other workers that are working in the fields being treated, treated well. Are they you know, or in an abusive and environment? Are they being exposed to chemicals and, you know, also struggling with their own health and we can't, we can't just ignore what's happening, you know, outside of our walls, you know, we've got to, we've got to, we've got to just understand that every decision that we make, has an impact on a wide array of members of our community. And we have to recognize that they are members of our community, whether we see them know them or not, they are members of our community.

Thom Pollard: 13:48

You're listening to my April 2023 interview with Sam Aghanim. from his home in San Francisco, California. Tools for nomads is brought to you by top drawer. Top drawer mates durable, sustainable tools for creatives, like you who work to make the world better tools for travel for writing accessories for everyday carry top drawer designed and makes the greatest travel bag I've ever owned. It goes everywhere with me. From pens to Japanese how shoes to journals, amazing photo albums, finely crafted paper bags, eyewear, handkerchiefs, lighters, keychains. Check them out at top drawer shop.com or visit one of their dozen plus meticulously outfitted shops in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston Berklee, Chicago, New York and Tokyo top tour shop.com. If you stop into one of the stores, please tell them that you listen to the podcast. Now back to my conversation with Sam Magana. Sam, the thing that we've been talking and ruminating about a lot is that idea of lost skills as we move into this modern age, and not to say that, that being able to communicate on a phone or change the time of a meeting or something, but that idea that we're, we're losing touch with, with skills that were important that we had to have 100 years ago, and so in, at by right in your community, you're teaching people how to cook, you know, like some people, they don't even know how to cook spaghetti, right. So you're giving people the tools and the knowledge and empowering them. So can you just tell me a little bit about the cooking school? That is just such a brilliant and beautiful idea?

Sam Mogannam: 15:47

Yeah, when we started 18 reasons, and we were celebrating our 50th anniversary this year. Wow. The, the intention was really to take those conversations that we were having, in the store, over the counter, talking to people about, you know, how to cook pasta, or you know, how to make a bolognese sauce, or whatever, whatever it was, right. I mean, and, and, in those opportunities that we had to talk about, our farmer or rancher, and to, in those conversations, you know, would be a minute, two minutes, maybe five minutes, right, depending on how long somebody wanted to engage in the conversation, or how long there we can hold their interest. But we wanted to take them deeper, right, and we wanted to, we wanted to be able to actually give them skill, right, to begin to develop a sense of understanding of a craft of cooking, we also wanted them to actually begin to face to face Eye to Eye meet the people that were responsible for feeding them. So we would bring ranchers in, and they would, you know, talk about their, their, their their land management practices, their livestock care. And, and, and then we would cook together, and then eat together as a community around one large table, and basically build a relationship right, and like, the magic happens around the dinner table. And so that's how, that's how it started. So we would, we would have these combination, electric cooking kind of experiences, then we started doing actual, just basic cooking experiences. Still, the most popular class that we teach is basic knife skills. Every time we we put the basic knife skills class out, we teach it three, usually three, four times a month, it's the one of the first classes that sells out, because people want to develop the skill set, right. And the magic of that class as well is that all the students are like learning how to cut cut vegetables, the different cuts, they're learning how to like cut up, cut up a chicken, and then and then they cook together. And then they eat all of the food that they prepped together as a family around the table, right, and there's strangers who didn't even know each other, and the relationship is built at that point, you know, and they're getting to meet their neighbors. And so, there's so much more that happens when those opportunities are created than just learning a craft. And I think learning a skill I think is really critical. I think people definitely feel capable and powered by love that you use that word because that's that that is you know, our mission is to empower our community with the knowledge and and, and creativity they need in order to be able to take care of themselves and to be more engaged in in the world. It just builds their confidence and it makes for a help. I think it just makes for a health healthier society.

Thom Pollard: 18:41

Sam, I have just a couple more minutes with you. So you know not even about running a business or creating community. You obviously love what you do. You just you're just there's a glow around you. You wake up early, I don't know if you go to bed early so you can wake up with the sunshine. But there probably not enough hours in the day to reach people I saw people bumping in during the interview that you did with Doc like a guy hugging you and whispering something funny in your ear. And then you walked into the cooking school and people going, Oh, you it's good. You're doing what you were put on this planet to do. It seems

Sam Mogannam: 19:23

I feel that I feel like I feel I feel really lucky to to be able to do that time. You know, it's it's, yeah, I don't know. I've been I've been given lots of opportunity to make choices in my life and I I've chosen to pursue what makes me happy. And I feel like it's a privilege to have been able to do that and I don't take it for granted. And you know that that others have not been able to do that for whatever their circumstances are and so it's something that I I have a great deep Wish,

Thom Pollard: 20:01

if I could just ask you one last question. So imagining that somebody might be listening or watching this not really sure what the career path is or what they're on this planet to do finding their calling, opening their arms to the universe and saying, arrive like, I'm ready. What any advice or thoughts for those people any age either

Sam Mogannam: 20:28

I don't know, I'm right now. You know, it's just how how rapidly technology is advancing, especially artificial intelligence. I think I think the most important thing is that we believe in each other, that we believe in humanity, that that, that we pursue deeper relationships with each other and not rely on technology to bring us together and not rely on technology for all the information that we have access to. But to, you know, on leverage storytelling, to leverage generational storytelling, I think there's just so much to learn from, you know, generations that are older, and, and generations that are younger, you know, I spend as much time being curious with young people as I do with older people, because they see the world in very different ways. And it just helps me see the world in a way that I can be a better participant in it. And and I just encourage, I'd like to encourage more people to be intentional about how they can be better participants in the world, you know, in relation to each other.

Thom Pollard: 21:41

That's beautiful. Thank you so much for your time and and for what you do, I cannot wait to step foot inside one of your stores and maybe go see your farm someday and observe its beauty and maybe document it a little bit more as well. Right. At the heart of the buy right family of businesses is the McGahn and family's legacy of sharing and teaching others about food it permeates throughout all the businesses and is equally felt by the producers, guests and neighbors that comprise the by right community, you too can be part of the by right community simply by visiting them in person at one of their San Francisco locations are online. By right market.com That's b i r i t e market.com. Thanks for visiting tools for nomads, an intimate look into the lives and habits of passionate and creatively prolific people like Sam again, wherever you're listening or watching, I hope you'll subscribe, like and comment and tell us where you're from. We'd love to know tools for nomads is brought to you by top drawer. At top drawer life is about loving and living intentionally with the things we carry matter to us. They impact our productivity, our well being and even our identity. Top tour combines the quality of craftsmanship of our grandparents generation with the drive for independence, function and stylish sustainability. It results in a collection of tools that help you do your best work wherever you may be. Visit top to a shop.com or stop into one of their dozen plus meticulously outfitted shops in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Berkeley, Chicago, New York and Tokyo top tour shop.com. Thanks for visiting. I'm Thom Pollard. We'll see you next time on tools for nomads.