Jackson Heights Life

Seem to me like Stew wants his restaurant to fail

Which of stew's establishments have you frequented? To form an opinion about his talent, I mean...

I wonder the same thing.  'Tis the season.......

It was this comment:

Also, I think it's important to not buy into the Jackson Heights food hype.

For example, there are lots of media outlets that are promoting the idea that Arepa Lady's arepas are orgasmic. In fact, they are not only unhealthy, but they are greasy, poor imitations of a well made crepe. What I've just said doesn't fit the PR narrative behind Arepa Lady, nor the narrative being sold by the people involved in her expansion, but it's the truth.

I'd also suggest that you go to South America, where you will discover that there are restaurants offering highly interesting food, none of which is being offered by the latin restaurants in our neighborhood. There is great food in Bogota, Medellín and Cartegena, but not here. South American food in Jackson Heights is 20 years behind South America.

Tacky. Very tacky.

nobody messes with the Arepa Lady!

That's become glaringly obvious.  It brings out all kinds of malevolence in her faithful fans.

By the way, I've never been to the Arepa Lady's restaurant.  I don't even like arepas.  I just think certain comments cross the line and need to be responded to.

i think some of it also harks back to the incessant drumbeat of "perhaps you're not worthy to eat in my restaurant," "you like street carts? guessing my place is not for you," and so on and so forth. frankly, patrons are doing restaurateurs a favor by eating in their establishments, restaurateurs are not doing patrons a favor by deigning to cook for them.

i don't wish Stew and his investors ill by any means. i want him to prove himself worthy of patronage. and i hope he does.

Back to my original point.  Stew expressed his opinion of the "Arepa Lady" and other neighborhood food establishments.  Many on this list disagree and take umbrage at the directness of his words.

Does it naturally follow that he's a terrible human being whose business deserves to fail miserably? 

I don't know Stew and I have never eaten the Arepa Lady's fare because I'm not a big fan of arepas.  I still, at this advanced age, get surprised at how quickly anger and ill will arise in human hearts over seemingly insignificant things.

That is just part of it. The entire time he has been condescending and this was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Spewing negativity about places in the very same neighborhood you are opening a restaurant in is no way to gain rapport with the community, especially in a thread that has nothing to do with your place.

It is not insignificant in the slightest. Demeaning potential customers by saying "perhaps you should eat somewhere else" and attacking restaurants that they may enjoy is not a smart way to build support. It sounds absurd as I type this, as restaurants are generally unsuccessful and you are already wiping out business before you had the chance to show what your place is all about, not to mention the word of mouth that already has and will spread. It is truly BAFFLING.

If he had approached his venture from the start in a positive way by showing some humility and not bashing establishments that many have come to know and enjoy, this would not be an issue.