As I mentioned recently, I attended Amplify, an event in Boston hosted by Branchfood. One of the local food companies there was New Grounds Food, makers of the CoffeeBar.
At the event, I was able to sample a CoffeeBar and (full disclosure) was given some to go. They are pretty good!
For those of you who don’t have time to drink your coffee in the morning, but still want the caffeine, you might just want to try one.
Johnny Fayad is a co-founder of the company that he started with Ali Kothari when they were freshman business students. They wasted no time!
So let’s learn a little bit more about Johnny in the 13th interview in the series, You Pick Six.
What is a favorite dessert?
Trader Joe’s chocolate lava cakes with vanilla bean ice cream! Super quick and super delicious.
What is a favorite snack?
Pita bread with tomatoes and some veggies dipped in my mom’s iconic hummus with a little olive oil on top.
What is a favorite food movie?
Jiro Dreams of Sushi. I want to go there to eat one day (hopefully, while Jiro is still at the helm!)
What is a favorite quote?
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
– Dr. Seuss
What is the best meal you ever had and where was it?
Whenever my cousin comes to Boston for work, he’ll typically spoil me with a really nice dinner. One of the best ones was at a sushi restaurant called Oishii in the South End where we had so many amazing dishes from squid ink pasta to different preparations of uni. So good.
How did food become an important part of your life?
Food has always been a huge part of my life. Starting with my mom who is a macrobiotic chef and all she does is cook, so we were raised where delicious food was the norm and rarely went out to eat. My love for food definitely grew as I started serving at a sushi restaurant in high school and a seafood restaurant in my first couple years of college. More recently, after starting New Grounds Food, I’ve been able to see and experience all of the work that goes into bringing food to life, which has given me a deeper appreciation for the food in our lives.
Thank you so much for participating Johnny!
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Photos: Provided by Johnny Fayad.
*Updated 9/22/2020* The company name and website changed, so several links in this interview were updated.
