Meet Jon Rhinerson | Restaurant Owner, Creative Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jon Rhinerson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jon, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
This is a great question and one that I was struggling with when things looked like they were coming to an end. I think having confidence in what you do and being aware of what’s working and why, that helps determine whether you keep going. The mistake is having blind faith that borders on ignorance, that can get you in trouble. Not being aware of the fact that your concept or design or product isn’t resonating, that’s the part of the “never give up” model of thinking that can sink you. Another thing that is important, once you know in your heart that the fatal flaw isn’t you, is believing that the universe will meet you half way. But you have to take the step in order for the road to rise to meet you. Half-measures don’t produce results.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I started off as a clothing designer in Los Angeles. That industry really informed how I view perceived value, self-esteem, branding, and marketing. Self-esteem you say? What I mean by that is how clothing can make you feel. How it can signal to your tribe or attract your tribe and create a sense of belonging all while feeding one’s self-esteem. These notions are a part of how I approached this restaurant. The beauty of a restaurant is that we can nourish the soul and create a sense of community. I like to think of Echale not as a restaurant, but as a fashion experiment. With design, menu, food, staff, sound, all contributes to a unique guest experience. An experience that, like fashion, can contribute to you feeling good, good about yourself, signal to your tribe that you belong, and, most of all, be a fun.

I ended up in the restaurant business after the Great Recession. Retail was wiped out so I had to get a job to make ends meet. I ended up bartending at a very sexy and beautiful bar in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles. It was there that I realized I could combine design, creative direction, vibe, and hospitality all in a single business venture. I could satisfy my creativity, utilize my personality, and create something unique and special for people to enjoy, and that could see that enjoyment in real time. I fell in love with the immediacy of the hospitality business.

Getting from dream to reality was very difficult and took almost ten years. I learned late that “proof of concept” is more valuable than some well put together Powerpoint deck. And more important than anything is personal relationships. No-one is going to give you money to open a restaurant because your numbers look good (They’re all projections anyway) or because you have pretty pictures in your presentation deck. People who write checks to fund your dream are investing in YOU. That’s a tough lesson for someone in school to learn. They don’t teach people skills in school. And yet it’s the most important thing in getting deals done.

Another important approach is operating from a place of confidence and not fear. Sean and I never set out to please a large group of people. We set out to please a very narrow group of people – ourselves. We believed our ideas and vision was unique and ultimately something that would resonate with a cool crowd. So far so good.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If your’e visiting from out of town and don’t know anything about Encinitas, or North County in general, I’d need a whole day to get you up to speed. This is paradise. A hidden gem on the west coast. It’s truly a surf community. I tell my friends this. “If you want to meet cool people and find your tribe in LA, you go to certain bars and restaurants on certain days and certain hours. If you want to meet cool people in Encinitas, you surf Pipes between 8 and 11am”. The food scene here is slowly moving beyond the classic coastal eateries that populate most neighborhoods along Coast HWY. We’d surf in the morning, grab a coffee and empanada at Bump before noon. Stop at Lou’s records in Leucadia and see if there’s any new vinyl there. Cruise up to South O and shop some vintage at Captain’s Helm. Maybe a 2nd cup of coffee at at Interim in Carlsbad. If the wind is dying down I’d probably grab a 2nd session at Beacons and watch the sun set with the rest of the locals. And dinner, of course, would be a couple of bar stools at Valentina – oysters and some skin contact wine. In terms of “fun” and “exciting”, I left LA to get away from the energy of that city. I prefer the slower life by the beach. If I had you for a weekend, we’d shoot down to Valle de Guadalupe for some wine and good food. And maybe a quick surf off the Mexican coast.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I couldn’t do this without my business partner and friend, Sean Yontz. He’s the creative genius in the kitchen but also a general. He’s excellent at setting up systems and getting the most out of a kitchen staff. He also kept me moving forward when I was questioning where we were going. It’s great to have someone who can remind you why we are taking the risk.

Website: www.echaleencinitas.com

Instagram: @echale.encinitas

Image Credits
Kai Diaz Jim Sullivan