www.FoodieGems.com: The Beginning

Hello, Fellow Foodies!  This is the first of many, many blogs that we will post for you as part of the beginning of what we believe to be the next great website for Foodies everywhere!  Now, before I get into that, I do want to caution you all:  I AM NOT A BLOGGER.  I have no writing experience, no form, and I read at least at a high school level.  I'm kidding!  But seriously Foodies, my intentions are to write to you from the heart.  What we all hope to do for you as our Foodies is to stir emotion in you; to give you a different view of food (in most cases it will be a simple, different view); to share out thoughts around food and everything associated with food.  I am open to your thoughts, your feedback, and opinion.  Without it, we won't succeed as a brand.  I am a firm believer in that it is critical to connect with your audience; but a connection requires TWO ends to meet together.  So it's equally as necessary for me to bring my thoughts to you as it is to listen to you views and see things from your perspective, as well.


I cannot promise you all that we will be the best blog on the web, or that we will have the most incredible website known to man.  But I can promise you that we will be close, and it will be because of what YOU offer us in terms of feedback and what we do with your feedback.


So what is FoodieGems.com all about?  Simple.  We are all about FOOD!  A website that wants to showcase the unique aspects of food.  Whether it be in sharing of unique recipes, showing great pictures of your successes (or failures we like to call Foodie fails), and the social network we will create around people just as passionate about food as you are!  One key area where we will have great impact for you is to showcase PRIVATELY OWNED restaurants all across the Unites States.  We will start locally in Texas first, but then plan to expand throughout the US.  Today, all websites related to finding restaurants have every type of restaurant, including the CORPORATE chains.  Nothing wrong with what they offer the public; many chain restaurants are personal favorites of mine.  But how many times has it happened where you are hit with the proverbial question:  "Where do you want to go eat?"  How many times have you traveled to a strange city and wanted to find a local "GEM" to have lunch?  How many times have you just discovered a restaurant in your local city that you never heard of that's been open for over 30 years and has the best pasta you've ever tasted?  How do you learn about these GEMS?  That is where we come in.


I've been in the restaurant industry for nearly 20 years and have worked for chains my whole life, but on the Franchise end of things.  The way you operate as a Franchisee is very similar to you owning your own business, except you have to follow a bunch of rules and pay a royalty.  Oh, and you are the same as the other 8000 locations across the US.  I've always admired people who work in the restaurant industry; it takes a special talent to do this work and be great at it.  I also admire the people that put it all on the line to open up that taco shop to get a piece of the American Dream.  That is who we work for.  And it is our responsibility to bring these restaurants to the front of the line and make them known to everyone.  Businesses like these cannot afford to spend the $5000+ to have a billboard for a month, or spend $60,000 to be on television.  But through the power of our website and the power of social marketing, we can bring these restaurants to the front of the line where they will be on a list where their only competition are restaurants that are cut from the same sheet; chasing the same American Dream; looking for their niche.


I know I've said a lot; I have a lot to say.  But let me go ahead and end it here today.  My next blog, I will go into more detail about what your responsibilities are as a FOODIE.  The good news is that it is FREE to sign up.  And no, there is no BAD NEWS.  But I am getting ahead of myself.  Let's wrap it up here for today.


I want to thank you all for taking the time to read our first of many, many blogs.


Take care, Fellow Foodies.  Here's to each of us beginning what will be a wonderful relationship.  And you are part of the beginning of FoodieGems.com.


Thank you and God Bless.

Thomas Quiles aka Chile Quiles