What would it look like to co-own a business with four of your best friends?
Look to Che, a new all-day veggie-based eatery that just opened in Bed-Stuy on Dec. 10, for the answer.
At the helm of the restaurant is a team of industry vets, including Adam Keita of Crown Heights’s Daughter and Kai Avent-deLeon of Sincerely, Tommy, who have been friends since high school.
Three of the co-owners — Ariel Perez, Alex Sierra and Keita — met in 2009 through a youth group. Co-owner, Tyler Ortiz, got involved through his partner, who also was part of their youth group, and Avent-deLeon joined the crew later on.
"We've all travelled together, and because of all of our journeys, I think we all have a lot of alignment," Keita said. "So we want really good quality, really good food."
The long-term friendships between these co-owners give them much to reminisce about.
“[Keita] went to high school in Harlem, but he would cut to hang out at my high school — like, so often,” Perez told BK Reader.
“Back then life was different!” Keita protested, smiling.
Their decades-long friendship has now entered a new chapter — partnership. And with five partners, Che is able to expand into many lanes.
Currently, the business shows up as a wine bar on Google Maps, but that’s only out of convenience, Keita said.
“Google just doesn't have the right category to describe what we want to be,” Keita said.
Che aims to be open all day to serve everything from breakfast to dinner. The menu features mostly vegetarian small plates designed by chef Grace Ward, who also works at Daughter.
One highlight on the menu is the egg sandwich, served on a homemade bun and topped with paprika aioli, pimento cheese, arugula and brilliantly, pickled green tomatoes.
When it comes to drinks, Che takes coffee seriously, powered by Keita’s passion for ethical coffee made by reputable companies that pay workers fair wages.
Cocktails will be served soon, courtesy of Perez, with six classic drinks and rotating seasonal options. Much like Daughter, Che also has a serious wine program, offering an impressive array of natural wines — or “straight up stinky juice,” as Sierra, the wine program designer, called it.
Although Che isn’t easily classifiable, the owners want its warm, homey vibe to be immediately recognizable.
“It’s like, ‘Welcome to our home that we want to share with you,’” he told BK Reader. “We don't have that many rules, but just be chill. And we'll be chill with you and we'll know your name."
Keita said that being friends with co-owners isn’t always easy, but it's worth it.
Running a business with friends is quite challenging, he said. But even after some yelling, disappointing moments or anger towards each other, the five owners will come together. "We'll still meet up for a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, and it's like, you put that all in the back. And you meet at the table and we're just gonna chill.”
Despite whatever issues arise, Keita strongly backs the idea of co-owning a business with your best friends — and collective ownership in general.
“I think there is a future there,” he said. “I think it's one of those things that people are still trying to learn — what does that look like?”
At the moment, the immediate future of Che looks like a group of pals laughing and trading jokes at the counter while serving unexpected and exceptional food and beverages.
The friends buzz around their restaurant as people come in and sit down, and every so often, one of them greets somebody with a hug. The whole restaurant glows with a convivial atmosphere, extending the team's friendship all the way to the customer.
Che is located at 302 Malcolm X Blvd, Brooklyn, NY, 11233.
