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Chef Mark Estee (above) and restaurateur JJ Morgan opened Moody’s Bistro & Lounge a decade ago. Today, the business partners are opening a new door, with Chef Estee establishing a new restaurant in Reno, Campo, and Morgan making adjustments at Moody’s. Photo by Emily Dettling/Moonshine Ink |
Comments (33)The Next Chapter in the Adventures of Mark and JJ
Moody's revitalized, Campo established
By Julie Brown/Moonshine InkPublished: January 13, 2012
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A decade ago, a chef and a restaurateur joined forces and opened Moody’s Bistro & Lounge. They say their skill sets complemented each other — the chef’s fiery energy pushed the restaurant forward, while the restaurateur built the foundation of the business, managing the books, booking the music, taking care of the details. Together, they took Moody’s to levels of greatness that neither had expected — they served the rich and famous, made headlines, won awards, supported the community.
Ten years later, a new door is opening for chef Mark Estee and restaurant manager JJ Morgan.
Chef Estee, who is always driving forward, is always looking ahead, and is never satisfied, wanted to unleash his creativity on a new project — Campo, a restaurant that is inspired by the tastes and flavors of rural Italy and embraces Estee’s passion for local, sustainable, fresh ingredients, and “whole hog” cooking. Estee says that Campo, which opened in Reno this past November, reflects his own loud, boisterous personality and is the culmination of his entire career thus far. At the same time, Estee expanded his Truckee burger joint, Burger Me, to a second location in Reno.
Meanwhile, Morgan is going back to the roots of Moody’s with adjustments that will make the restaurant more sustainable and more approachable than it has ever been before.
When the economy soured, Moody’s felt the effect. And the downtown Truckee eatery hit a crossroads. But its founders, who both view Moody’s as a first child, were never willing to let it go. In a hard time, they found a way.
Over the fall, Moody’s shut its doors for some self-evaluation. The physical changes are mostly subtle, and enhance Moody’s original atmosphere and vision — a two-toned bar, a booth removed for more cocktail seating, mirrors, refurbished floors, new TVs, a film projector, an extended dining room, and an improved stage arrangement for live music.
One change, most patrons will never see. But they will taste it. Moody’s purchased a far-infrared oven to bring a more social entrée to its menu — pizza. Morgan searched high and low for this pizza oven, and it is one insane piece of equipment. It cooks a pizza in 90 seconds, doesn’t require a hood, is efficient on energy, and will produce a dish that is stamped with Moody’s reputation for good food.
The physical remodel, Morgan hopes, will accentuate the shift in Moody’s philosophy. Morgan knows that Moody’s is a place guests come for a nice dinner. But he wants patrons to experience Moody’s in more ways than one: as a place to gather with friends for quick share plates, a bar to stop by for a cocktail, and a venue to appreciate good music.
Both Morgan and Estee say there is only room for one of them at Moody’s, and that’s Morgan. But Chef Estee will always have his hand in Moody’s, even while he pursues the next project.
It’s a new chapter for Estee and Morgan. And it looks like the change is good. Read it straight from their mouths as we hand the microphone over to Estee and Morgan, so they can tell you their thoughts about this transition themselves.
Estee: The partnership was perfect. We complement each other. I’m loud and noisy. He’s quiet and reserved. I managed motivation. He managed money.
Morgan: When we opened Moody’s, we wanted to do what we do, but together.
Estee: For me, it was fresh, seasonal, simple, local. Those are the words we used. That’s the Northern California credo. We created this monster almost. It was high energy, high power, lots of fun, lots of work. It took on a life of its own … That was 10 years ago. I don’t think business was anywhere in my mind … I was thinking about cooking, creating, pushing the envelope.
Morgan: We were just trying to create the best spot going. I don’t think our goal was to be the best spot in Truckee or North Lake Tahoe. Our goal was to be the best spot, period.
Morgan: Paul McCartney — all this crazy shit happened, man. All these famous people were coming in. But when you’re in the restaurant, you don’t care about that. Because you work.
Morgan: Since 1999, we worked together every single day. We saw each other more than anyone else. You see each other more than your wife or your kid, every single day.
Morgan: We have this crazy work dynamic. If we were to work together on a daily basis right now, we would kill each other. Back when we were younger, we had the energy to put up with each other’s [issues]. But putting up with each other produced that product.
Estee: I was the driving force of the push, the push, the push. I was never satisfied. I’m still never satisfied. It was only natural as time went on to try to grow a few more things. But Moody’s was always the home base. Even now … To me, it’s the greatest restaurant ever. And because of what had happened there, it’s like your first child.
Morgan: Mark always wants to do shit from day one. You can’t keep the guy — he’s never satisfied, ever. That’s what makes him.
Estee: I’ve been working on Campo for a good two years. Culinary-wise, it was time for me to grow. And I think, like JJ said, after a period of time of us being together every day, it was — we had gotten to that 10-year period where we’re still great friends and we’re still business partners, but he’s going his way and I’m going my way. And we respect each other enough to know that it’s time to grow and excel.
Estee: He’s got Moody’s. He’s had Moody’s. He’s taken it through a rough patch, making it happen … And I took my thing through a rough patch. But, at the same time, we’re always going to be connected with each other.
Morgan: When I came back to work, it got to the point where there was only room for one of us at Moody’s. And I was out for a long time taking care of my wife [who passed away in 2010], and when I came back, he was like, ‘There’s only room for one of us. You got this, let me go do that.’
Estee: For me, Campo, the first month has been phenomenal. We’ve got a lot of work to do, but we’re beating projections. I’m using all the things I learned back in 2002 [when Moody’s opened] to hopefully make strides in all areas of the business.
Morgan: For the most part, right or wrong, people have always thought of Moody’s as a dinner house … We want to be known for lunch, après, bar, dinner, music … We’re still going to be able to provide that great dinner, but we’re going to have a lot more sharable and social items on the menu. We’re really expanding our price point — out. Down.
Morgan: The perfect scenario — and this is aggressive — if you were to go to Moody’s three times in one week, one time you could go in for a carafe of wine and a pizza in the afternoon, one time you could stop by for a drink and a bar snack, and one time you could come for dinner.
Morgan: In life, you take shots on the chin. And you have a choice. Mark and I both chose to take the shot and stand back up.
Estee: Campo was always the chance to pull it all together. Take in the lessons learned. Make it a restaurant that fits my personality now — pasta, pizza, loud, bustling.
Estee: It’s kind of cool. I have two restaurants on the river. You think about it, you can put a bottle in up here and it’ll float all the way down.
Estee: If it’s seasonal it means it should be eaten now. You’re not buying things from across the country, across the world. If you’re buying things locally, you’re supporting local people.
Estee: It’s pretty simple … The idea is it’s good for the environment. It’s good for your body. It’s good for the local economy. It tastes better. And that’s the way you should eat.
Estee: Using whatever is there. Anyone can grill a pork tenderloin or a pork chop … You can also get a ham, and a front shoulder, a half a head, a bunch of belly, loin, and chops, and bones, and skin, and fat.
Estee: The idea is instead of buying a rack of pork and eight chops, use it all, so you’re doing your part. If I showed you a half hog, it’s 100 pounds. The tenderloin is two pounds. So what are you going to do with the other 98? If you just cook tenderloins, you’re screwing up the world in my book.
Morgan: People have been talking rumors about Moody’s since the day we were open. A lot of local people thought that we were this bourgeoisie [place] … but man, Mark and I dived into the community big time. And there are some lasting things that we created at Moody’s.
Morgan: I’m 46 years old. It’s what I do … It’s all I know. I’m stuck in it forever. It affords me a great way to raise my son. I do love the restaurants.
Morgan: Actually we changed the name — JJ’s. I’m kidding. Are you ready for the name? Moody’s Bistro Bar & Beats.
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