arts & life >> Out To Eat Eli Boy s a new restaurant concept in Corktown. Adam Finkel Special to the Jewish News reating a successful restau- rant is a tough nut to crack Eli Boyer knows it. Like the growing landscape of restaurant entrepreneurs in Detroit, he relishes the opportunity to cook up a new res- taurant concept that can raise the bar in his hometown. In December 2014, the 20-some- thing entrepreneur opened Gold Cash Gold in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood alongside sev- eral other partners, including Phil Cooley, founder of the famous Slow's Bar BQ in Corktown. Gold Cash Gold's vision is distinctly Detroit: "Conscientiously sourced, carefully crafted, uniquely Detroit farmstead fine food with a nod to the South, rooted in old world tradition: Each month, the restaurant partners with a charity focused on improving the education and wel- fare of Detroiters. We caught up with the grandson of the late Jewish News writer Bill Carroll to get inside the mind of today's millennial entrepreneur, part of a growing group of young adults bringing the skills they honed in cities like Chicago and New York City back to their home- town. DJN: How were you involved with the community growing up? EB: My family are longtime members of Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield, where I attended Sunday/weeknight reli- gious school through high school graduation. I was also a longtime camper and staff member at Camp Tamarack, as well as a member of BBYO/AZA in high school. I was 56 February 5 • 2015 also a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi (a Jewish fraternity) at University of Michigan. DIN: How do you see yourself as a part of the new energy of young people returning home and contrib- uting to the city? EB: I hope I can be an operator that delivers the kind of restaurant concepts that Detroiters are able to enjoy in NYC, Chicago, San Francisco, etc., but in their own backyard. I want people to visit for the holidays, come to Gold Cash Gold and beg for that kind of res- taurant in Williamsburg, the Gold Coast or the Mission District. DIN: What led you to move back to Detroit and pursue Gold Cash Gold in your hometown? EB: The day I left for Chicago — where I learned everything I know about restaurants — I made a commitment to return and share what I learned, when I was ready, in the city of Detroit. Like many other young people who've returned in recent years, I went to a city that was well-established in my disci- pline so I could hone my skills and eventually seize the great oppor- tunities we have here in Detroit. There are still plenty of unexplored niches in the food and beverage industry here. DIN: What led you to pursue a career in the restaurant industry? EB: I've known for a long time that I wanted to do something entrepreneurial. I just didn't know what. I've also had a deep love of food/cooking for as long as I can remember, so it intrigued me. In college, I landed a management internship with Myriad Restaurant Group in NYC (Nobu, Tribeca Grill) that really cultivated my love for restaurants. DJN: How long have you been interested in the restaurant indus- try? EB: 15 years or so? I'm currently 29. DJN: How did you choose the location for Gold Cash Gold? EB: A few of my partners chose the location. They're heavily invested in Corktown, owning sev- eral other businesses on the same block The building is large and was empty for a long time, making it a magnet for crime/blight. They saw an opportunity to not only revamp an iconic building that was priced to sell with retail and residential, but also improve the comfort and security of our growing community at the same time. DJN: How did you come up with the name Gold Cash Gold? EB: The name speaks to the gigantic signage that used to front Michigan Avenue, which was an advertisement for the pawn shop (Sam's Loans) that was here for so long. DJN: What is your current role with the restaurant? Are you focused on the day-to-day opera- tions? EB: I'm the managing partner. Along with Chef Josh (Stockton), who's also a partner, I provide a daily ownership presence in the restaurant, which manifests as a combination of high-level/long- term planning and attention to the details that make this place so special. DJN: What is a typical day like for you now that Gold Cash Cold has opened? EB: I try to "touch" as many guests as possible on a daily basis. I'm usually here an hour before we open for lunch and stay well into dinner so I can observe and interact with staff and guests on both shifts. Like any new small business owner, my day is consumed by making tweaks, putting out fires, mak- ing sure my staff is prepared (and happy!) and getting the word out as much as possible. DJN: How did you become affiliated with the other partners involved with the restaurant? EB: I first called Ryan Cooley (one of the partners who is also an owner of Slows BBQ and O'Connor Realty) when I was still living in Chicago to talk about available real estate for a restaurant in Detroit. We began talking in-depth about the business, and our philosophies and goals meshed very well. He was looking for someone of my back- ground to join the project, which was still very much in its infancy at the time, and I was happy to be that guy. We hope to do a lot of projects together in the future. DJN: What has been your impression since the restaurant opened last month? EB: We expected to be busy from day one, but the outpouring of support from the neighborhood and greater community has been overwhelming. This is my seventh restaurant opening in five years, and ifs been the smoothest one yet. I have to give credit to our staff. Everyone told us it would be diffi- cult to find good people, but I guess we lucked out.