The stereotypical Hollywood behind-the-scenes restaurant atmosphere of tension you could cut with a knife interspersed with breakthrough yelling, culminating in inevitable degradation, shouldn’t be the reality.
That’s the belief of Black Cypress owner Nick Pitsilionis, who said while he once felt obliged to run his Pullman restaurant with high-pressure tactics, he’s proud to have left that mindset behind.
“I never wanted to perpetuate it to begin with,” he said.
Abandoning the drill sergeant approach for a more nurturing relationship with his employees, many of whom are college students learning their way through their first jobs, might be part of why his establishment is a semifinalist for an esteemed James Beard award.
“I want them to know they don’t have to take shit,” he said, of his young employees. “Having grit is one thing; being scared or intimidated — that’s not a good thing.”
The award for which Pitsilionis’ 14-year-old restaurant is being considered focuses on community, both within the restaurant itself and in the surrounding area. A James Beard Foundation news release announcing 20 “outstanding hospitality” semifinalists from throughout the country described a holistic category, with considerations ranging from excellent food to community-building:
“A restaurant, bar or other food and drinking establishment that fosters a sense of hospitality among its customers and staff that serves as a beacon for the community and demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations while contributing positively to its broader community.”
The restaurant’s connections to its locale, while present throughout its history, coalesced during the pandemic, Pitsilionis said.
“COVID slowed our roll,” he said of Pullman’s business community. “We looked to one another.”
They came together, he said, around the promise of federal infrastructure funding with which to transform downtown Pullman into a more sustainable business environment, through improvements such as bigger sidewalks to make it more pedestrian friendly.
He and other business owners worked with the Pullman City Council and Downtown Pullman Association to secure funds and plan improvements.
“It’s a testament to the work that we’ve done as a community,” he said of the momentum driving the project.
Pitsilionis said he envisions bypasses, walkways, a water feature by the South Fork Palouse River — changes that would attract foot traffic to downtown Pullman, enlivening shops and restaurants.
His restaurant’s engagement in the community isn’t new, though. The Black Cypress, known for its decadent pasta dishes and hearty entrees like roasted chicken and lamb chops, has long used ingredients grown close to home. That relationship with agricultural producers allows the restaurant “to honor and have a showcase for the local product.”
Now, it’s The Black Cypress being honored and showcased.
The James Beard semifinalists will be narrowed to a list of nominees at the end of this month, with winners announced in June.
Stone (she/her) can be reached at mstone@inland360.com.
