Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Umami Burger Owner Wants To Bring 150 Locations To The World
Photo courtesy of Umami Burger on Facebook
()
Umami Burger is the homegrown business success story that everyone loves to hear. What started out as a small shop on La Brea Avenue has grown into a rapidly-expanding international business. There are currently 20 Umami Burgers around California, plus locations in New York and Florida. The New York location was so successful in its opening that there were lines around the block, and someone even tried to create a cronut/Umami burger hybrid. Nightlife impresario Sam Nazarian of SBE caught on and invested in the company a few years back, too.
The L.A. Times discusses the company's founder and owner Adam Fleischman's big plans for expanding his empire:
How big could Umami grow? Fleischman's five-year plan is to open 150 locations worldwide. The same goes for 800 Degrees, the build-your-own-pizza restaurant concept he helped create. 800 Degrees is in Westwood and at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX, with locations on the way in Santa Monica, downtown L.A. and Las Vegas.
In addition to Umami Burger and800 Degrees, Fleischman also has his hands in several other food and beverage businesses, including an invite-only food/music/art hybrid pop-up series called Truffl. Other projects in the works that weren't mentioned include therevamped Papoo's Hot Dog Show in Burbank and an international BBQ jointwith Robbie Richter of New York barbecue destinations Hill Country and Fatty ‘Cue. Fleischman is working on a restaurant called Smoke.oil.salt in the Fairfax District in Evan Klieman's former Angeli Caffe space slated to open soon.But the road to global expansion has had some bumps along the way, which the Times glossed over in its profile of the chain's big plans.
Support for LAist comes from
Not all his concepts have been successful; the mega-deli dining hall UMAMIcatessen that opened on Broadway in Downtown L.A. -- which included a coffee shop, donut shop, and a charcuterie station run by SF's celeb chef Chris Cosentino -- simply didn't draw in enough customers to support the multi-concept space, and was also looked over in the Times' profile. The space has since been rebranded as a Umami Broadway, going back to the chain's roots of selling burgers fries, and beer and capitalizing on that age-old idea of the fifth taste.
Fleischman actually trademarked the word "umami," attempting to own the savory flavor that's found in miso, soy sauce, Parmesan, anchovy, cured meats, fish flakes. However, when the company filed a case against Umami Mia Pizzeria in Austin, the court pushed back on the trademark claim: "Umami, along with sweet, or sour, or bitter, or salty, are common, defined words found in almost every modern, English-language dictionary. One company cannot own a monopoly on these words."
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons Thursday after suddenly shutting down six months ago. -
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake.
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
-
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
Best of LAist