by TM Petaccia

The day Counter- chef/owner Sam Hart hires a new employee, he’s planning for them to move up or move out — in a good way. “We want people to be here for really no more than three years, unless they become one of our employee owners,” he says. “This isn’t a restaurant where we’re going to be hiring people just to work here. We’re taking the people we currently have who need to develop certain things and help them make it to their next step.”

Typically training and nurturing employees is done as part of the normal work experience, preparing for and executing the day’s service, but Hart is formalizing the process with Scapegoat, a new restaurant coming to the former Biblio space, where groups of 4-6 employees will design, develop, manage, cook, and serve diners with their own unique concepts that will change on a rotating basis.

“Every element of the restaurant will be created by them,” Hart says. “It’s a space where our staff can learn everything they’re not usually taught in culinary school: Ordering, receiving, scheduling, costing, wine education, the menu, the concepts, the turn times, certifying the DBA, getting the ABC license, basically how a restaurant really works. They’re learning how to open a restaurant without the fear of failing.”

Scapegoat’s primary purpose isn’t profit, it’s development. “We announced on our fifth anniversary that the majority of ownership will be spread out amongst our employees over the next five years,” Hart says. “This space helps non-executive staff develop the skills they need to earn an ownership percentage, or go out into the world and make their achievements there.”

Slated to open sometime in November, Hart, wine director Michael Myers, and pastry chef Faith Morley will make a few contributions to the inaugural menu, but after that, the selected staff subgroup will take full control. In addition to the food and culinary concept, the physical space is also up for changes depending on what the intended concept is. “Our staff is talking about changing paint colors, moving the curtains, changing the physical diagram of the space, everything. We’re also bringing back the bar seating. It’s one of those things where if someone’s has an idea, the rule is going to be, ‘Let’s try it.'”

Kitchen operations will be handled by long-time Counter- chef Kenny Do, and Tyler Maney, formerly with the Indigo Group and Haymaker. “Kenny and I will be doing most of the cookery for each service,” Maney says, “but that will be split up between some of the other cooks as well.”

The one thing diners can expect from Scapegoat is the unexpected, as the food concepts may change drastically every few months or even every few weeks. “One time it could be a tasting menu, or it could be à la carte tapas,” Hart says. “It’s all up to the staff. If they feel comfortable serving only 18 people in a night, then we’ll only do 18 people in a night. If they feel comfortable increasing that number, they can. It’s all up to them. We expect some very interesting Google reviews.”

Experimentation is the focal point of Scapegoat. “There are a lot of reasons behind the name,” Hart says. “If things screw up or things go well, whatever it may be, this is our scapegoat. Instead of having an idea that you’re afraid to try out or invest a bunch of money into, this space is their scapegoat.”