With bills due and a stocked pantry, upscale Novel restaurant in KC holds a bake sale

Novel’s owners did what they could to prepare for the downturn in the restaurant industry.

They began paring down their inventory earlier this month. But when restaurants were told to close their dining rooms starting March 17, there remained a pantry stocked with bulk purchases.

On top of that, bills were piling up ... 14 days out, 30 days out, then 60 and 80.

So they came up with an unconventional way for an upscale restaurant to get rid of its inventory, raise much needed funds and remind fans just how good their food is — an old-fashioned bake sale.

The sale will be in the bar area of the restaurant at 1927 McGee St. from 2 to 6 p.m. March 25 and 26. Customers are already placing orders online. They can walk in and order, or have it delivered curbside.

“We’re trying to cover some of the bills that are coming due with no more cash coming in,” said Ryan Brazeal, chef and co-owner of Novel with his wife, Jessica Armstrong. “Support your local restaurant. We worked really hard to create a culture here in Kansas City and we don’t want to lose it.”

The couple made 100 meals to give to employees and they plan to sell 250 entrees at the sale, including beef stew and pearl barley, jerk chicken and black beans, and eggplant curry and lentils for $12 each.

Armstrong, pastry chef at Novel, will offer several desserts such as matcha tiramisu, chocolate cream pie slices, chocolate chip cookies, carrot cake cupcakes and lemon bars.

Bottles of wine will be discounted 60 percent off list prices. They also will sell Novel T-shirts.

Brazeal said one of the hardest times in the last couple of weeks has been to meet with his 25 employees and tell them they would have to file for unemployment. He hopes they will all return when the restaurant reopens.

“There are restaurant companies with more lawyers, more investors, more money who will make it through,” he said. “I’m a chef. I’m a cook. I don’t really know how to deal with things regarding negotiating with insurance companies. We hope to come out stronger on the other side.”

This story was originally published March 25, 2020 at 12:14 PM.