March 20, 2017

Meet Anthony Karapetyan of Farm Table Co in Van Nuys

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anthony Karapetyan.

Anthony, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My passion, drive and the love for food and the restaurant business had started long before I had even known, it was instilled in me from a young age when my late grandpa and dad owned and ran their own restaurant. My inner desire was sparked when I was 15 and started working at Baskin Robbins where I was first introduced to hospitality and how a simple thing like ice cream can put a smile on someone’s face. The money I made at my job was well spent on trying different restaurants. I enjoyed every aspect of food the smell, the taste, the texture, the culture… my life revolved around “food” it was a passion.

At the age of 17 while I was still in high school and working another job, my dad and uncle decided to go into the restaurant business. Due to some partnership issues it fell apart and I was left taking care of it. I ended up quitting my job and adjusting the hours so I can still go to school and take care of the business after, but that didn’t last very long. My dad ended up coming back and taking over so I can focus on my education.

After I graduated high school I went into college, my first day in class was very difficult I was fighting my urge and my craving to be in the restaurant business. I ended up following my heart and taking a big life risk by quitting college. I couldn’t allow my creativity and my vision to die. I wanted to take the hands on approach and gain the experience by working from the bottom up. It was not long before I found a restaurant for sale in the heart of West Hollywood. I told my dad who took my offer into consideration and helped me buy the little hole in the wall Mediterranean restaurant called Skewers…it was perfect. I taught myself everything from running a restaurant, to cooking, washing dishes, waiting tables and bartending. When my dad decided to come work with me I took on another project that I couldn’t pass up right across the street from our restaurant. My drive was always more than my financial abilities. I always took the risk of failing and putting what I had on the line. I took over that restaurant and turned it into a Mexican restaurant “Don Tonos Tacos”. I went in day and night painting and cleaning, hired a handful of staff and opened the doors to all the locals. It wasn’t long before there was a line out the door and that is when it all fell apart. I was newly married at the age of 21 and recently had a baby boy, I didn’t know how to handle all the success due to lack of money management and not enough experience, so I ended up losing my gem.

I gave myself a break from owning restaurants and realized that I needed to be in a structured corporate business environment to get more experience, so I started managing The Melting Pot in Pasadena. It taught me a lot and it was a great stepping stone for my next adventure “The Drunken Crab” a southern seafood boil restaurant. The path to the success of this company was not an easy one. It took my partner whom I have a great relationship with and myself 2 long years, day and night to get this business running. Our great partnership has been the biggest key to the success of this restaurant which has been different from any other projects. It allowed me to accomplish and express my vision fully. Once we did it was appreciated and applauded by the community which was our number 1 goal and we couldn’t be prouder. The success of this restaurant blossomed the idea of opening another one in Santa Barbra which we did and it is headed towards great success as well. Thanks to the growing business of The Drunken Crab, IE Entertainment group was born. A company after my own heart that would focus on making changes, opening restaurants, being a brand and making its mark around town.

I had finally found my rhythm, my enthusiasm was back and I couldn’t wait to jump into yet another amazing opportunity the “Farm Table Co”. A fast, casual, chef driven counter service that offers great breakfast and lunch to the working community and all the locals. I couldn’t wait to bring my vision and give my heart to this city that is so deserving of a nice clean establishment. My goal is to renovate areas that people wouldn’t want to bring upon change and I couldn’t be happier to be the first to bring such an amazing transformation to the city of Van Nuys.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When you make it your life goal to provide an amazing experience for all to enjoy and discover the world of food through your eyes, you are opening yourself up to judgments, criticism and a lot of stress. It has been a true obstacle to stand back on my feet after so many failed attempts at owning and running a successful business. There were times where it felt almost impossible, but my determination would not let me stop. I was very eager to provide people with greatness because I did have the knowledge and I did add a twist to an already existing concept. Our mission as a company is to provide great hospitality and that has made it challenging since it is like trying to accomplish the impossible. Customer reviews and feedback are very crucial in my journey. I take every single opinion as constructive criticism because that is our way of interacting with our customers and making sure they know we care. A business cannot stand on its own without an amazing team and the customers are always a part of that team and the growth. At the end of the day the community needs to stand behind you and root for your accomplishments. Ideally I would love for every single customer that walks through the doors of any of our establishments walks away happy and excited about their experience and that in its self is a challenge.

Please tell us about Farm Table Co.
As an entrepreneur I am always looking to expand my brand and make a mark with whatever I do. I have put my heart and soul into creating an atmosphere and concept that would fit the community. I built IE Entertainment group to do just that, bring great ideas to lacking neighborhoods, to give them a chance to strive as a city and enjoy good food and a good environment. I want to bring color, life, different cuisines back into the cities that need it the most. I want to be the change that is needed to move forward. My company specializes in true hospitality a service that would be appreciated by those that walk in the door. I want people to feel the warmth and the love that the company has to offer and to feel a part of the growth. I want my company to be known for the combination of amazing food and service who is not afraid to bring new concepts and try new things where ever it may be. I couldn’t be happier of where I am right now and the amazing staff I was lucky to be surrounded with. I couldn’t have done any of it alone and special thanks to Kehaunani Liu my director of operations, who has been there from day one, I appreciate them all and thank them for making our company a brand. Our true customer experience and going above and beyond does set us apart, giving customers what they deserve and showing our appreciation by caring. Having a business isn’t all about financial security, it’s about sharing your love with others and getting fulfillment from the joy people feel from what you have built. A recognition and appreciation of something you have created Is a feeling like no other.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Food has always brought people together and that was no different for my family. My childhood was full of weekly dinners and family gatherings. I would look forward to our family style dinners and the love that was shared during that time. The memory of my dad grilling and being so proud of what he was able to do which was make amazing BBQ has planted a seed in me that, food means happiness, food means love and how it quiets down a room full of loud individuals is just amazing. As a child watching my parents entertain and please our guests has made me want to do the same. I enjoy entertaining as much as I enjoyed being a part of it when I was younger. I want people to feel what I feel and enjoy the simple things such as food and gathering around a table. Looking back now, I have realized my concepts come from my childhood memories from family style dining to big tables to great hospitality.

Contact Info: