JONES DAIRY FARM RECOGNIZES

AMERICA’S BEST RESTAURANT FAMILIES ™ FOR 2006

Klopcic Family, Owner of The Fireside Dinner Theatre, Named Grand Prize Winner

in Nationwide Search For Country’s Top Family Owned Restaurants

FORT ATKINSON, Wis. ( July 24, 2006) – Jones Dairy Farm , a sixth-generation family business that produces high quality breakfast sausage, ham and Canadian bacon, announced the results of their nationwide search for America’s Best Restaurant Families, a new award program recognizing accomplishments of today’s leading foodservice families, said Philip Jones, president, Jones Dairy Farm.

“Family owned restaurants often hold a special place in the hearts of many Americans because of the unique attributes and time-honored traditions that help make customers feel at home and part of the family,” said Philip Jones.  “As a successful, 117-year-old family owned and operated business, Jones Dairy Farm felt that honoring the best of the more than 250,000 family owned restaurants in the United States was long overdue.”

Family businesses are the lifeblood of the United States economy.  According to an article in Family Review Magazine, U.S. family firms comprise 80 to 90 percent of all business enterprises, account for 12% of the Gross Domestic Product, employ 15% of the workforce and contribute 19% of all new jobs.  However, sustaining a family enterprise like the Joneses have done through successive generations has proven more challenging.  That same article indicated that approximately 30 percent of family-owned businesses continue to the second generation, 12 percent to a third generation, and only 3 percent operate into the fourth generation.

Results of the program were announced in New York at a special America’s Best Restaurant Families awards reception.  Mr. Jones and Marc Silverstein, co-host of the Food Network’s “The Best Of,” introduced the four top families identified as “finalists” and then revealed the grand prize winner selected from that group of four. The results were as follows:

Grand Prize Winner

·         The Klopcic Family, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin

Dick and Betty Klopcic opened The Fireside as a 120-seat restaurant in 1964. Today, The Fireside covers two acres and has grown into Wisconsin’s number one year-round motor coach destination serving between 5,000 and 7,000 guests each week.  The Fireside offers a wide variety of fine dining options -- from their signature buffet to off-menu favorites such as Beef Wellington and Steak and Shrimp.  Much more than a restaurant, The Fireside experience also includes five gift shops, a bakery and candy kitchen, and a highly regarded professional theater-in-the-round venue presenting popular Broadway musicals and revues. The family has been honored by numerous awards over the years such as the Midwest Travel Writer’s Association’ Gemmy Award for being a “gem in the travel industry.”

Finalist Families

·         The Schnipke Family, Ottawa, Ohio

Richard and Paulette Schnipke established The Red Pig Inn in 1975.  The name originated from the idea that the restaurant would specialize in everything barbecue, such as pork sandwiches, ribs and pork chops.  In addition to its BBQ specialties, the Red Pig Inn now offers a full menu including chicken, steaks, seafood, pasta and sandwiches. The original location in Ottawa has grown to five dining rooms with seating capacity for 350. A second location opened this past January in Findlay, Ohio. Attracting customers from around Northwest Ohio, “The Pig” has a unique atmosphere and great food to back it up - boasting more than 60 Rib Cook Off awards plus awards for “most creative menu” from the National Restaurant Association and “Best Small Town Café” from Midwest Living Magazine.

·         The Seaser Family, Fort Collins, Colorado

Rayno and Patty Seaser, who founded the Egg & I Restaurants in 1987, have seen their restaurant concept expand to18 units throughout Colorado, Arizona and Texas.  Success, according to the family, stems from bringing a fine dining philosophy to the breakfast and lunch experience. In the restaurant business since the early 1970’s, the Seasers have won numerous awards from different organizations and media outlets as the best breakfast place everywhere their restaurants are located. Examples of other honors include the “Ethics in Business Award” from the Better Business Bureau and the “Restaurant Neighbor Award” from the National Restaurant Association. The Seasers remain committed to the community, supporting a variety of local programs and institutions from Read Across America to the awarding of college scholarship at Colorado State University. 

·         The Thanes Family, Chicago, IL

Founder William Mitchell would be quite pleased that his small, five-stool restaurant called Mitchell’s has grown to become a Chicago institution.  Since 1923, the restaurant has served everybody from U.S. presidents to sports celebrities to Chicago’s working class .  Cousin Kathryn Thanas, along with her children Nicholas and Heleen, keep the Mitchell family tradition alive.  Beloved for their fresh made omelets served in skillets as well as pancakes, waffles and hearty sandwiches, Lou Mitchell’s also carries on the time-honored tradition of serving donut holes to their customers waiting in line and Milk Duds for the ladies.  Whether it’s an “Excellent” rating by the Zagat Survey or the distinction of “Best Breakfast in Chicago” by CitySearch, Lou Mitchell’s continues to “wow” its fans.

The America’s Best Restaurant Families award was eligible to any family who currently owns and operates a commercial restaurant or non-commercial foodservice operation in the United States or Washington, D.C.  Qualified foodservice families were either self nominated or nominated by a third party.  According to Mr. Jones, the company received hundreds of nominations from across the country over a three-month period.  After a thorough application process, four families were selected as finalists by a judging panel that included faculty from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America and the Jones family.  The grand prize winner also was selected by that same panel of judges.

“Although each of the finalist families have different backgrounds and unique business stories to tell, they all share the same entrepreneurial spirit and loyal kinship that has resulted in an enduring and successful family enterprise,” said Mr. Jones. “We congratulate their accomplishments and are honored to have them associated with the America’s Best Restaurant Families award program.”

Jones Dairy Farm makes products with the old-fashioned quality and flavor one would expect from a company that’s been around since 1889.  The company produces high quality breakfast sausage, ham, Canadian bacon, bacon, liver sausage and scrapple that is sold worldwide.   Still family owned and operated, Jones Dairy Farm is committed to the same fundamental principals today as when the company was founded six generations ago.   

More information on the America’s Best Restaurant Families program, the winning families and Jones Dairy Farm is available at www.jonesdairyfarm.com.

Chef2Chef News DeskNews at Restaurant.OrgResearch and MarketsNation's Restaurant NewsSpecialty Eatery News