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

Hi Tony, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I’ve always wanted to start my own business, although the type of business and the reasoning behind it have changed more times than I can count. Fresh out of culinary school it was opening a fine dining restaurant for the prestige, which came from a place of adolescent arrogance. As my career went on, the style of cooking constantly evolved but more importantly the reasoning became more ethical and community based. Supporting farms, helping people, and collaborating with other small businesses became the driving force. I never thought I’d be in food production, but it seems to fit me well. I can create products that make it easier for people to cook delicious vegan food for themselves. Educating people has become a cornerstone, sharing knowledge for the betterment of the whole community. At this point the thought process is maintaining my ethics. Paying my workers well, keeping my prices low, and being someone a younger me would want to work for.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
There are plenty of vegans that decide to be chefs, but far fewer chefs that decide to be vegan. Scratch House is running in a different direction using the history, culture, and technique of the culinary arts and finding ways to adapt to plant based foods. Why would a vegan chef learn about duck confit if they don’t think it applies to them? They’re missing out, because you can use those same methods and techniques to confit fennel bulbs, tomatoes, even watermelon. It’s important to understand everything about cooking, not just what you think applies to you. All of our cheeses are made using a mixture of traditional cheese making, lactofermentation, and brand new techniques. This isn’t to clone dairy cheese, it’s to keep tradition alive with the goal of making something new and delicious. Vegan food shouldn’t be limited to a “vegan version of”, it should be its own branch of the culinary arts that creates new and exciting things that will eventually become traditional in their own right.

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?
I would definitely take them to the Hillcrest Farmers Market right across from my house so I could introduce them to the massive amount of incredible local produce and foods we have. San Diego Tempeh Co is there, J.R. Organics Farm, etc.

A trip to Oceanside would be another must, just to eat at The Plot and Wrench and Rodent Seabasstropub. The pier up there is also one of my favorites.

Balboa Park is on everyone’s to do list for the museums, foliage, and general vibe.

The Convoy is one of my absolute favorites though. H-Mart, 99 Ranch, Book-Off, Nishiki Ramen, just so many incredible cultural foods to eat in our beautiful Asian district.

And of course everyone that comes to visit gets to tour the Scratch House kitchen in Rolando. It’s still crazy to me that I’m pulling this off and even crazier that people want to listen to me talk about it.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’ve had a lot of help and mentorship in my career. Some jobs teach you what you want to learn, others teach you what you don’t want to be around. Chef Ed Matthews was really the one who created pivotal change in my outlook and career. For 7 years we ran One Block West together in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, his incredible little restaurant with a daily changing menu and daily changing 7-12 course wine pairing. He took me beyond the ingredients and techniques to the philosophy behind them. His whole style is based on learning all the rules so you can break them in newer and more interesting ways. I like to think I’m carrying that torch into the vegan food scene.

Website: www.scratchhousevegan.com

Instagram: @scratchhousesd

Other: I’m thinking about starting a youtube channel in the future so I can just talk about food more

Image Credits
@lindsaykphoto_ @melissamcclure.co

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