To paraphrase an old saying, you have to break a few eggs to build a restaurant that specializes in omelets. Or something like that.
First Watch, the Florida-based “Daytime Cafe” chain with locations across the country, officially opened its newest restaurant Monday with an egg-cracking ceremony instead of the more usual ribbon cutting. On hand were Orange County mayor Jerry Demings; Betsy Gardner Eckbert, president and CEO of the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce,; Greg Higgerson, chief development officer of Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida; and First Watch president and CEO, and UCF graduate, Chris Tomasso. Also included, for some reason, was Shades, the mascot of the Orlando Solar Bears hockey team, who’s decidedly better at breaking the ice than some eggs.
Over the weekend, invited guests dined at the new restaurant to allow kitchen and serving staffs to become familiar with the new surroundings. Proceeds from the weekend sales were donated to Second Harvest with Tomasso, right, presenting Higgerson with a check for $6000.
The new restaurant, at 120 N. Orlando Ave., Winter Park, replaces the Maitland location, which was one of the oldest First Watch cafes in Central Florida. It will serve as a flagship and prototype for future restaurants. Among its features are an indoor/outdoor bar, which will serve the new line of crafted brunch cocktails; an outdoor patio; a separate entrance for customers and third-party delivery drivers picking up to-go orders; and a separate cooking line in the kitchen dedicated to preparing takeout.
First Watch has more than 365 restaurants in 29 states and specializes in made-to-order meals using only fresh ingredients. It is open for breakfast, brunch and lunch daily from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.