Today we’d like to introduce you to Erwin Tjahyadi.
Erwin, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am currently the Executive Chef and co-owner of Bone Kettle in Pasadena. We have been operating as a family runs business with my brother and father for almost three years now. It’s a proud moment in my life because growing up as an immigrant in San Gabriel Valley, Pasadena was such a pristine idea; what “the good life” would look like. I could have never dreamed that it would be possible to be a part of this community. I would take the Metro from Monterey Park to Pasadena and window shop all day, wishing one day that I too could belong here. Little did I know, I was building towards this dream ever since I stepped foot here.
I was never a good student or someone with much direction. I didn’t have much clear vision of who I was and who I wanted to be. I think like most middle child, I was also a trouble maker, I just didn’t care and the world was against the world/the world was against me. That was consistently the case up until I found my love for food. And then it all changed. I started caring about what I put out into the world and who I wanted to be/the kind of person I wanted to be. I worked hard, I wanted to eat it all up and have a reason to want to be the best at what I do. I think being a business owner was a natural evolution to what I was building. It was only natural that I went back with Pasadena and opened a space here.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road getting to where I am. It took serious personal beat down and deep failures/humbling mistakes. In fact, I’m still figuring things out. I think all and all, I learned how to be a better judge of character, how to be more mindful, how to anticipate challenges then overcome them.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Bone Kettle LLC – what should we know?
Bone Kettle is a Southeast Asian Kitchen and Bar. We specialize in slow cooked bone broth (inspired by traditional East Javanese Oxtail soups), seasonal tapas, artisan beers/wines/cocktails/sake. This was my love letter to my roots and my upbringing. Growing up as an immigrant from Indonesia, I grew up eating and exploring, traveling to many Southeast Asian countries with my family. I wanted this to be a space for conversation and discovery. An intimate and comfortable space for connection. I didn’t want to create an authentic Indonesian kitchen that alienate non Indos, I wanted this to be the gateway for food lovers to discover Southeast Asian cuisine. Whether it would be Cambodian, Filipino, Thai, Malaysian dishes- I wanted our business to be the platform to bright forward these beautiful under-represented flavors to Pasadena.
Pasadena being a growing mecca for fantastic Asian food was truly ready for this.
I do have to note that I am most proud of our tenacity. It wasn’t easy creating a new concept no one knows about and/or are familiar with. We had to work hard to rally and educate our consumers. We had to really dig deep in our beliefs that this business was going to work. Go all in and don’t look back. It took some time and we’re proud to say that we really feel like we are a part of the neighborhood.
Most importantly the business really strengthen my relationship with my father, who day in/day out really support me. We have a very passionate and at times volatile relationship, but in the end- his devotion to my project inspires me and compels me to love him more and more. I think customers see that and they love coming to Bone Kettle because they understand that this is a place built upon a foundation of family and passion.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I do think that a successful operation is only as good as the people. On that note- we have an amazing staff that all leaves an indelible imprint. With every moments past, we get better, we get stronger and we empower one another to achieve. I love that we were able to build that community.
Contact Info:
- Address: 67 North Raymond Ave
Pasadena, CA 91103 - Website: bonekettle.com
- Phone: 6267955702
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/bonekettle
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/bonekettle
Image Credit:
Anthony Lu @eatswithanthony
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