Hidden Gems: Meet Lauren Pretty of Full Belly Food Group

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Pretty.

Hi Lauren, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today. 
My brother, Chef Philip Pretty, and I opened the doors on August 1st, 2020, as Heritage Sandwich Shop. When we were scouting locations in early 2020, we had no idea how the world would be forever changed in just a few short months. We finally found our location in May 2020 and thought, while the world is closed, we will renovate this hundred-year-old house. We thought that when we were done renovating in eight weeks, the world would be back to normal, and we would be opening a new business. We were surely mistaken. We opened as a sandwich shop so that we could serve food to go. Because dine-in was closed, we opened as a sandwich shop serving brisket sandwiches out of eco-friendly to-go containers. We wanted to wait until dine-in was open for good. In May 2021, we decided it was finally time to open for dinner and introduce Long Beach to Chef’s food. We served different items like octopus and Mary’s free-range chicken on our ala carte menu. Eventually, we moved into a four-course tasting menu, then six-course tasting menu only. In October 2022, we closed our sandwich shop and continued to serve a tasting menu only for dinner service. In January 2022, we took over an Urban Farm in Long Beach and renamed it Heritage Farm, where we grow produce and garnish to supply the restaurant. We also host private events and weddings at Heritage Farm. When we first opened the doors, we had 1400.00 in the bank, one sautée pan, and one cook. I was the whole front of house, and I washed dishes in between kitchen pickups. It has been a rollercoaster opening a business during covid. In May of 2023, I was seriously worried about our financial state. While people raved about the food and we maintained excellent reviews, it was not enough to keep the business going. I thought it was time to throw in the towel. Just two weeks later, we received an invitation to the Michelin awards ceremony. After receiving our Michelin red star and green star in July 2023, our lives have been forever changed. Overnight, we booked out three months in advance. I could not believe the response from being awarded Long Beach’s first Michelin Star. Now, we are planning on opening our second restaurant (Olive and Rose) this summer. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has not been smooth; I’ve shed many tears along the way. Running a small business means wearing many hats. While I love to wear different hats, at times it can be overwhelming. I am so grateful to have been able to continue growing my business and now have been able to continue to employee people along the way that are making my life easier. I am so thankful for my staff, and I am proud to be able to pay everyone living wages and offer healthcare and family meals every day. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Full Belly Food Group INC.?
We are a certified green and blue business. We run a zero-waste kitchen. All of our beer and wine is from California. We use sustainable meat and seafood. We employ local people whenever we can. We support other small businesses in the area. We serve a six-course tasting menu with an optional wine pairing. We are known for giving our guests the best experience we can provide each day. I am most proud to be able to give my staff a place they can feel happy and supported at work. I want readers to know how much time and care we put into procuring the most sustainable and best-tasting ingredients into our food. 

We’d love to hear what you think about risk-taking.
Risk-taking is a daily part of becoming an entrepreneur. I am a personal guarantor on all of my loans. I do not regret one single dollar I have borrowed against my name, but I am also the one who carries the weight of that. If you believe in yourself, show up every day, and work hard, good things will come. The best risk you can take is on yourself. 

Pricing:

• Six-course tasting menu 120.00 pp
• Wine pairing 60.00 pp

Contact Info:

• Website: www.heritagerestaurantlb.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/heritage.lb
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeritageRestaurantLB/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/heritage-long-beach-4

Image Credits
Sterling Reed