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Save Mart to pilot guest chef program at flagship store

Western grocer’s The Tipping Point restaurant to host chef John Surla

Russell Redman

November 5, 2020

2 Min Read
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In the guest chef program's debut, Save Mart's The Tipping Point restaurant will serve a brunch menu.Save Mart

This weekend, The Save Mart Cos. plans to test a guest chef program to help support local restaurateurs hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Save Mart said yesterday that chef John Surla, owner of Asian fusion restaurant Surla’s in Modesto, Calif., will take the reins at The Tipping Point restaurant inside its flagship supermarket in Modesto to serve a brunch menu on Nov. 7 and Nov. 8 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.   

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Save Mart opened its flagship store in Modesto, Calif., which houses the company's The Tipping Point restaurant, in October 2019.

Surla’s pop-up menu will include stuffed french toast for $10, eggs benedict for $12, and steak and eggs for $15. Each entree will come with country-style potatoes and fresh fruit on the side. Save Mart said all of the brunch sales, except purchases of alcoholic beverages, will go directly to the restaurant, which has had to temporarily close because  of public COVID-19 restrictions.

“Our intent with this pilot program is consistent with our evergreen focus on the local communities we serve, and we’ve extended that approach to neighborhood restaurants impacted by the pandemic,” Hal Levitt, senior vice president of retail operations at Save Mart, said in a statement. “We developed a program to assist local chefs and their restaurants; at the same time, our guests can enjoy some of their favorite dishes, discover new ones and share in helping our local restaurants.”

Related:Save Mart transitions nearly 700 temp workers to full-time jobs

Save Mart said it plans to announce more restaurant participants for the guest chef program in the coming weeks.

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“This Save Mart pilot program means the world to my staff and me and we can’t thank Save Mart enough,” Surla (left) stated. “It will help us financially, keep our staff employed, and keep us busy while we get to share our culinary creations and flavors with more people.”

Save Mart opened its 54,000-square-foot Modesto flagship store in October 2019. The opening also marked the launch of the company’s first fast-casual restaurant concept, The Tipping Point. The in-store eatery features a signature entrée of tri-tip barbecued steak served in a wet or dry sandwich, torta, taco or salad, as well as whole. The menu also includes street corn and other side dishes, handmade churros with chocolate and caramel dipping sauces, soda, water and a range of local beers and wines on tap. There’s seating for 63 people, including 22 indoor and 41 outdoor seats.

Overall, The Save Mart Cos. operates 206 supermarkets in California and northern Nevada under the Save Mart, Lucky, Lucky California and FoodMaxx banners.

For our most up-to-date coverage, visit the coronavirus homepage.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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