Two cousins are cleaning up an old diner on E. Jefferson with hopes of being ready for a May opening.
Lucy Carnaghi and Molly Mitchell will be launching
Rose's Fine Food, named in tribute to their grandmother, at 10551 E. Jefferson. The building, built in 1960, was previously home to Elmo's Fine Food and, later, Kolonja Fine Food.
The duo have a combined 30 years of experience in the restaurant business, but starting their own restaurant marks a pretty incredible evolution for the two of them, says Carnaghi. Mitchell recently returned to Detroit from San Fransico, where she worked as baker at the
James Beard Award-winning
Tartine Bakery.
Carnaghi and Mitchell plan on offering a diverse menu of made-from-scratch, locally sourced food with new American, rustic Mexican, southern French, and American South influences. They'll also be baking their own bread, making their own French pastries, and starting their own garden in back of the restaurant.
Unlike typical diners, Rose's Fine Food will operate as a "tipless" restaurant. Customers will not be expected to tip their servers. The front of the house will be making the same as the back of the house, a living wage of $10.10 an hour, says Carnaghi.
"I want to keep the people that I hire and I want them to be proud of where they work," she says. "It seems to be the responsible thing to do as an employer."
Near enough to Belle Isle, the restaurant will offer a picnic basket service. Customers will be able to rent baskets complete with a meal, blanket, and real dishes and cutlery.
Source: Lucy Carnaghi, co-owner of Rose's Fine Food
Writer: MJ Galbraith
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