Alobar Downtown & Alobar Yorkville - Meet the GMs:
General Managers play a key role in the daily operations of a restaurant. At Alobar Yorkville and Alobar Downtown, we are fortunate to have two industry veterans at the helm. Each GM has an abundance of experience and even more fun stories to share. We catch up with Ronnie Fishman, General Manager of Alobar Downtown, who has been with the Alo Food Group for years, launching Alo Catering and as the previous GM at Aloette. As well as Kyle Burch, General Manager of Alobar Yorkville who has recently joined the team, to learn more about the people keeping the engines running.
5 Questions with Ronnie Fishman and Kyle Burch:
What is the best part of your job?
Ronnie Fishman (R.F.): I can't choose just one! The top two things that come to mind are: being able to play a part in people's career growth and the ability to make someone's day - whether it's by providing exceptional service or by serving them a dish they wouldn't normally order.
Kyle Burch (K.B.): The connections with people, be it guests or staff. Being in the crush of service and seeing all the little intricacies in the room coalesce into a beautiful little symphony.
What is your favourite dish on your current menu?
R.F.: My favourite dishes at Alobar Downtown are the Chilled Tiger Prawns and the Twice Baked Potato.
Twice Baked Potato, available at Alobar Downtown
K.B.: The Seared Scallops in beurre monté with Caviar (a current seasonal feature on our menu). The beautiful searing with the richness of the sauce and the little pops of joy from the caviar makes this a humming dish that pairs so well with our steaks.
East Coast Oysters & Prawn Cocktail, available at Alobar Downtown
What is your favourite cocktail?
R.F.: My favourite cocktail changes constantly. At the moment it is the Casual Business, a shaken drink with a split base of bourbon and calvados with amaro Averna, honey, and fresh citrus.
K.B.: La Malinche is a great way to open the evening. A take on a spicy Margarita, using fresh poblano and habanero to bring freshness, while the mezcal adds some complementary smoke to the tequila show. It whets the appetite and gets the juices flowing.
La Malinche, available at Alobar Yorkville and Alobar Downtown
What’s the team’s favourite staff meal?
R.F.: When Chef Rebekah cooks Filipino food, typically on Fridays.
K.B.: The team gets pretty excited for burger day! For myself, we had an excellent meatloaf that was very close to my grandmother’s, which reminded me of the very strong connection to memory and flavour and how food can soothe the ripples in life.
What made you want to get into the culinary industry?
R.F.: A part time job during high school was my entry into the industry. I have not left since! The fast paced environment, family-like atmosphere, and my passion for food has kept me in restaurants for more than 15 years.
K.B.: My parents would host a lot of dinner parties growing up, and they would let me sit with the adults and be a part of the whole event. It seemed like a natural thing to want to do this for a living as I began my career as a dishwasher at the Keg.
Join us at Alobar Yorkville & Alobar Downtown.