02/10/2022
Dear friends: As we look ahead at 2022, I’ve decided to begin looking for someone with fresh energy to carry Perennial into its next phase, or to take over our lovely turn-key space with another concept. The decision is partly a business decision—we’ve been hit extremely hard by staffing shortages over the past year and the real arrival of COVID in Maine this past fall—and partly a personal decision—my wife and I are excited to welcome another little one into our family in the spring, and after a few years of juggling farm, family, and restaurant—with a lot of the restaurant time being worked alone-- I simply need to consolidate and recharge. Although Perennial is poised to continue developing and evolving and there a several ways I can imagine doing that, the experience of the past few years has left me without enough left in the tank to make that next push. To make an obvious cider pun, it’s very bittersweet. I’m extremely proud of what we’ve offered over the past three years, even though three years is just a beginning. At times we’ve connected with and moved people; at times we’ve missed the mark. There are several things I wish I’d done differently and many things I wouldn’t change at all. In all, I’ve learned a ton. I’m grateful for all the opportunities Perennial has given me to become more deeply acquainted with cider, to share cider and my food with so many friends and strangers, to develop friendships with the cidermakers and apple folk in our community, to open new markets for others, and to express my creativity through cooking. I’m not done cooking--there will be more dinners and more gatherings at some point in the future, in some format, somewhere. But for now, Perennial (or the space) would benefit most from someone else carrying it forward. If you or someone you know would like to chat about the opportunity, DM or e-mail [email protected]. We’d love to make something happen as soon as possible so that whoever’s incoming has time to settle in before the upcoming season. With gratitude, Khris Hogg, Chef/Curator