Yoke Social Table Opens with Hopes to Change the Restaurant Industry
What do you get when three 20-somethings join forces with a shared passion for bettering the community and the restaurant industry?
TKP Photo | Heidi Pruitt
Yoke Social Table is located at 1928 S. Washington St., Kokomo
Yoke Social Table opened its doors for to-go and carry-out orders on Dec. 21 with indoor dining opening at a later date. Located at 1928 S. Washington St., Kokomo, this new restaurant has bigger dreams than just bringing delicious food to Kokomo.
With over 20 years of combined experience, restaurant partners Anthony Walker, Layne Rider and Elvin Gutierrez have witnessed first-hand some of the problems the restaurant industry face when it comes to turnover rates, employee well-being, food waste and more.
“We’ve all worked in restaurants our whole lives. So our ultimate goal is to create a nice restaurant where we can serve fresh food, improve the employee quality of life, and really dive into things that restaurants are lacking right now,” said Gutierrez, a Monticello native.
The restaurant will feature a staple menu of sandwiches, salads, protein bowls, and small bites, which include sharable items as well as a few desserts.
Included on the list of sandwiches on Yoke’s menu are a chicken and pesto sandwich, a turkey and bacon sandwich and a grilled beef smash burger.
TKP Photo | Bree Bragg
Goddess Salad spring lettuce mix, features roasted poblano and tomato, fresh cucumber, chimichurri sauce, roasted sliced almonds, grilled chicken and red onion.
“Experimenting is also something we want to do with our menu. Sundays we’re planning on being closed to the public and whoever from our staff wants to can come in, cook food and try out new recipes,” said Gutierrez.
During the curation process of this diverse menu, partners Walker, Rider and Gutierrez spent time with a five-star chef in Indianapolis to understand and perfect the menu. One of the dessert items, a croissant beignet, was a hit during the menu selection process.
On the sizable list of things Yoke wants to accomplish is sourcing food from local farmers, continuing education and training for its employees, forming connections with local schools, including Indiana University Kokomo, and partnering with other local restaurants to help make a positive impact on the industry.
“We’re trying to change it one day at a time. We want to be so embedded in the community that it’s hard to get rid of us, plus our food is really good,” Walker added.
Gutierrez, who has worked in a restaurant setting since the age of 13, was inspired to open his own restaurant by his deeply-rooted passion for being in the kitchen.
“When you cook, you’re making someone happy,” he said. “Being able to share that in a restaurant environment, that’s what kept me going.”
TKP Photo | Bree Bragg
The hot honey chickie sandwich features breaded chicken, hot honey sauce, chipotle ranch, melted cheese, bacon and crispy fried onions.
“At the end of the day, restaurants are stressful and it’s high volume and quick, but if you’re able to put systems in place and make the environment cool and fun, it alleviates that stressor,” said Gutierrez.
The three partners all share a passion for wanting to join together with other local restaurants in the community to share knowledge and practices.
“A lot of restaurants open one shop and stay to themselves instead of coming together. Ultimately that’s why chain restaurants have the upper hand on small businesses,” said Walker.
Visit https://www.yokesocialtable.com/ to view the full menu and to learn more.