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for the night, sometimes even teaming up to create a one- of-a-kind dining experience. Chef Viana stayed around to help Robinson host private events, industry dinners and public cooking classes until eventually agreeing to come on full-time and conceptualize Heirloom Kitchen's restaurant program. "Pairing up with such a talented chef really saved the business, having someone that's a true visionary and who had the idea of how to execute when so many people said there's no way. He never saw the problems, only the positives." e so-called "problems" Robinson's referring to is the fact that Heirloom Kitchen operates on a residential-style kitchen using only six gas burners and two wall ovens. Another quirk that sets their restaurant model apart. at being said, the kitchen is merely a stage for diners to observe and for chefs like Viana to play and perform ursday through Sunday and during the slower days of the week, host cooking classes. "ere's a true infrastructure to what we do now. We have a full kitchen staff including a chef de cuisine, executive chef, sous chef, pastry chef and someone who works on garde- manger. ose five people take turns teaching different classes and they all have different skill sets and come from different ethnic backgrounds. is is how we're actually able to operate seven days a week." "PAIRING UP WITH SUCH A TALENTED CHEF REALLY SAVED THE BUSINESS, HAVING SOMEONE THAT'S A TRUE VISIONARY AND WHO HAD THE IDEA OF HOW TO EXECUTE WHEN SO MANY PEOPLE SAID THERE'S NO WAY." V U E N J . C O M 97

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