Meet the Owner: Eugenie Woo of Brooklyn Commune

Each week, Windsor Terrace-Kensington Patch will feature the owners of some of the neighborhoods most beloved businesses. This week, we take a peek into the inter-workings of Brooklyn Commune with owner Eugenie Woo.  

Patch: How did Brooklyn Commune come to be? What's your background?

Eugenie Woo: Both Chris and I have an extensive culinary background with a combined 30-plus years of experience. I received my BPS in Restaurant Management from the Culinary Institute of America and went on to front of house operations working at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, and then Catering Director and Project Manager for Restaurant Associates. Chris' formal education was at the French Culinary Institute but the majority of his culinary experience is in fine dining where he worked alongside many prominent chefs and restaurateurs such as Marcus Sammuelsson and Stephen Starr. He then moved on to corporate dining here in NYC where he managed food service operations of several large companies such as Hearst, Lehman Brothers, and most recently as Executive Chef of CNN/Time Warner before opening Brooklyn Commune.

Patch: How did you wind up in this particular space?

EW: Chris and I were residents of Windsor Terrace before Before Brooklyn Commune was even the faintest thought. We loved the neighborhood but were frustrated with the lack of dining options and basic provisions such as good fresh bread, coffee, cheese etc. The space which is now Brooklyn Commune was closed for many years and since we knew the landlady, we asked what the space looked like.

At this point we still had no intention of opening our own business, but she seemed pleased with our curiosity and we started to entertain the idea of leaving the corporate world to do something more personal. The concept of Brooklyn Comune was specifically designed for this neighborhood to provide a space where people could come together and commune around food. 

Patch: You've done a lot of great projects, between kids cooking and working
with the Park Slope Women's Shelter, etc. What's next?

EW: The kid's cooking class has definitely been a big hit and we look forward to continuing to this on a monthly basis. Not only is it a great way to introduce new ingredients and healthy eating habits to young kids but the cost to join the class also supports our donation of a home cooked meal to the Park Slope Women's Shelter.

We've also been partnering with WebMD to promote healthy eating habits for families and young children.  We strongly believe that teaching children at a young age to appreciate wholesome food will not only improve their chances of staying healthy as adults, but will also have a positive impact on the nation's food industry overall.

Patch: How's business, in general?

EW: The food business is notoriously difficult but our main goal has never been measured by finances. If we can help to bring people together around food, show them how simple and delicious wholesome food can be, and have them enjoy the precious experience of sharing a meal with someone, we believe the rest will take care of itself. We are certainly fortunate and blessed to have had the continued support of our customers and neighbors and when we see that they not only enjoy our food but understand the larger picture of what we're trying to do, it makes the whole journey that much more rewarding.

Patch: What are your plans for the future? Any thoughts on expanding or
opening another location?

EW: As we are coming up to our 2nd anniversary this November, we are planning some exciting changes and additions to what we offer. The monthly Supper Club Dinners that we've had have been a huge success and we plan on expanding on the idea by starting dinner service on a regular basis later this year. For our dinner service, we will create seasonal menus that will change weekly based on the availability of local ingredients. More to come...