and then we were featured in San Diego Union Tribune
Dear friends,
I’m sitting on the same couch where plans were sketched and revised, where doubt and confidence took turns sharing space, where a small idea learned how to stand on its own. Today, I’m holding a two-page spread in the San Diego Union-Tribune, and for a moment everything feels slower, as if the world itself is pausing to acknowledge how far that idea has come.
Those pages carry more than recipes. They carry the long days and the good nights, the laughter from the dining room, the smiles of guests who return, the small gestures of encouragement that remind us why we keep the doors open, why we keep creating, why we keep building. They carry the work of a team who shows up with care and pride, and the faith of a community who gave us a chance from the very beginning and never stopped believing in what this little neighborhood place could become.
This story is also carried by the people who work alongside us, often behind the scenes but never out of heart. Our farmers and ranchers who grow and raise food with integrity, our vendors and wine merchants who guide us toward bottles with soul, the contractors, electricians, plumbers, and technicians who keep the lights on, the ovens hot, and the doors open when something inevitably breaks. allmine exists because of a web of skilled, generous people who believe in what we are building and show up with the same care we try to put on every plate.
This feels like a milestone. A moment of recognition and validation for years of effort, learning, adjusting, and staying the course. Hard work and tenacity really do add up, and moments like this remind me that every early morning, every long night, every leap of faith was worth it. More than anything, it feels like momentum. A deep breath before what comes next.
I also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Caron Golden, who managed to capture not just our recipes, but the rhythm of our kitchen and the spirit of our team. The way you saw and shared our food, our values, and especially chef Sid’s presence in these pages feels both generous and true, and we are deeply grateful for it.
And if you are in the messy middle of building something right now, carrying an idea that feels both fragile and stubborn, uncertain and full of possibility, I hope this moment reaches you too. The small steps, the long days, the steady showing up, they all matter. Even when it feels like no one is watching, even when progress feels slow, you are shaping something real. One day, you may look up and see it reflected back at you in ways you never expected.
Thank you for being part of our story, for supporting our team, and for continuing to believe in what we are building together.
With gratitude,
Roxana
