Ted Newcomer Jr. has been promoted to senior vice president of operations for the Chow Fun Food Group. Newcomer will be responsible for providing overall direction and guidance for the operational activities of the restaurant group. He joined the company in 1998 as a line cook at XO Café and rose to supervisory and management positions. He has an A.S. and a B.S. from Johnson & Wales University.
PBN: For the past 12 years you have played a key role at Chow Fun Group and opened each new restaurant concept. Which restaurants in Providence did you play a key role in opening and launching?
NEWCOMER: I was involved in the development of Big Fish and Citron, and even more so when those restaurants changed to Rick’s Roadhouse and Luxe Burger Bar, respectively. I was also the leader of the flip of XO to Café Noir.
I really enjoyed the flip of Big Fish to Rick’s. I was responsible for so much of the look and feel of the space, from sourcing fabric to equipment, layout and all the artwork and games. There are so many details there that I personally picked out for the restaurant, from the jukebox to the retro signage; it was my first opportunity to really lay out the scope of work with the general contractor and subcontractors.
PBN: In your new role, what responsibilities will you undertake?
NEWCOMER: As a small company, each of us at Chow Fun Food Group wears many hats. John is, of course, the maestro, but relies on each of us to bring his imagination to reality. I see myself as the jack of all trades for each restaurant. It’s a balancing act. … My role will include overseeing all aspects of the operations at each of the … restaurants.
PBN: If you could create a menu that would list all the necessary requirements for the perfect eatery, what would you list and why?
NEWCOMER: The first menu item is consistency. It is absolutely necessary for the food and beverages to maintain a relative quality, from cook to cook, bartender to bartender, as well as offer a good value, no matter what the price point. Secondly, menus should be focused, and chefs and owners should, for the most part, stick with what they’re good at. If I’m going to a place that has become a destination for burgers and fries, I probably don’t want to see sushi on the menu. Lastly … having a good staff that enjoys coming to work and is able to form relationships with guests by providing professional yet casual and knowledgeable service. •
