At The Table With: Emily Shaya
We sat down with Dame Emily Shaya at Safta's Table in Lakeview to talk schnitzel, spritzes, and what it takes to open a restaurant.
Scroll to the end for hours and catering details…
Q: You're Co-Founder and Director of New Projects for Pomegranate Hospitality. What does that actually look like day to day?
A: I find new ventures for us to do, but I also oversee the management and operation of our other restaurants. We have Safta in Denver, Saba in New Orleans, and now Safta's Table. My day to day depends on what we have going on. If we have a new restaurant coming up, I lead the different people we hire to help us design and construct it, and I oversee the legal and the financial side of everything. The not fun stuff. Well, fun to me. But what I really love is working with creative people and directing them to bring our branding vision to life, to make the spaces feel like what we want people to feel when they walk in.
Q: What did you want people to feel when they walked into Safta's Table?
A: We had a lot of iterations, but we knew what we wanted it to feel like. We wanted a neighborhood restaurant where you feel welcome. It's casual. You can come in and grab a bite, or you can sit down, stay a while, order a few cocktails. You can come in with your family. You can come on a date night. A versatile space, but still design forward and a beautiful place to be.
Q: I'll admit I didn't realize Safta in Denver was still going. Shame on me.
A: Safta's been open almost nine years, and Saba has too. This one is only a few months old. This is our most casual foray into a fast casual restaurant, which is new for us. It's been really fun to bring it to life and be connected with the community out here in Lakeview. We're still just getting started.
Q: How did you get started with Les Dames, and how long have you been a member?
A: I don't know exactly how long I've been a member, but I think I joined one or two years after it started. It's been an amazing organization. A group of women who all really support each other. It's nice to have that group to go to with any issues you might be having in the business. If you need to bounce ideas off of someone who's not in your company but is in the same realm, it's great. And it's a diverse group of people who are in all parts of food. It's not just restaurateurs. It's food writers, it's food photographers, it's people who work in media. Having that brain trust at your fingertips is pretty cool. And all you have to do is show up to an event, and Les Dames does great programming all the time.
Q: Name a woman who's shaped the way you work.
A: I'm always inspired by Ti Martin. She's an amazing person, and every time I'm in the same room with her I feel energized. She runs this amazing historic restaurant, but when you talk to her you feel like you're on the same level with her. She's really awesome about connecting and giving advice. Whenever I have a question about something they're doing, she's always very willing to share. Being open and willing to share with people in your same business can be intimidating, but she has always done that and been open and helpful for me. (Ti Martin is co-proprietor of Commander's Palace, which her family has run since 1969.)
Q: We have food in front of us. Walk us through it.
A: This is the ginger basil spritz. It's a gazoz, a fizzy water we make in house with our own syrups. It's non-alcoholic, but you can add a spirit if you want to. This one is the pomegranate rose spritz, same thing. They're pretty neutral that way, and they're fun and refreshing. Then we have our chicken schnitzel sandwich, which is our bestseller, and the chopped salad, which is right there with it. That's different from Saba and Safta, where hummus and pita go out to every table. I think it shows that people want things that are familiar to them. They know they can come here and get a really awesome hearty sandwich and a great salad that will make you feel good for the rest of the day. You can add chicken, salmon, falafel, or chicken salad to the bowl too.
Q: What's coming next?
A: We just recently started catering online, so sandwiches and salads can be delivered for your party or your office. We're going to do more programming in the restaurant too, like offering mahjong sets for people to use at the tables during our off hours. We've done that at Saba and it's been really successful, and we've done some classes there too. It's a way to further engage with the community, the people who are around and looking for that third space
Safta's Table is open daily at 129 Allen Toussaint Blvd. in Lakeview, serving breakfast, lunch, brunch, and dinner, Sunday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Catering is now available online for offices and parties. Follow along at @saftastable for mahjong nights and upcoming programming.
Interview by Dame Stephanie Forrer of Eat, Drink, Travel Y'all
Interview by Dame Stephanie Forrer of Eat, Drink, Travel Y’all