Marty Grims is the new operating partner for Judy Wicks' White Dog Caf�

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Marty Grims is the new operating partner for Judy Wicks' White Dog Caf�

POSTED: Thursday, January 8, 2009, 4:36 PM
Filed Under: Food News
Judy Wicks
Photo | Michael T. Regan

We were bugging Marty Grims and Judy Wicks prior to Christmas about this, but there was nothing set in stone to report at that time. Now it's official: Grims, who owns and operates Moshulu and Du Jour along with many other ventures, has become the new operating partner for Wicks' White Dog Café.

Grims, wisely, will maintain the local and sustainable credo of the 26-year-old West Philly institution, allowing Wicks more time to focus on her volunteer and charitable ventures, namely the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies and White Dog Community Enterprises. (Ralph Fernandez, Grims' corporate executive chef, will be collaborating with the existing White Dog staff to spearhead menu matters.) He'll also open a second location of White Dog, in Wayne, in "late spring."

Grims is a busy guy within city limits — we recently wrote about his plans at Commerce Square.


evan seplow
Posted 2009-01-12 18:20:19
the existing kitchen staff was fired as a group today. boycott. i have also heard that all farms have been told to stop delivering

bob
Posted 2009-01-13 16:09:47
Everyone should boycott that place..we all went there for the food but also because of what Judy stands for. This goes against everything. BOO!

P.M.
Posted 2009-01-13 17:24:16
As a former employee and friend of some of the kitchen staff, Im completely disappointed in this move and WILL NOT be setting foot inside there again.  All my best to those who have lost their jobs.  Truly an end of an era......

Angel
Posted 2009-01-13 21:49:14
"Grims, wisely, will maintain the local and sustainable credo of the 26-year-old West Philly institution

Angel
Posted 2009-01-13 21:56:39
"Grims, wisely, will maintain the local and sustainable credo of the 26-year-old West Philly institution

Angel
Posted 2009-01-13 21:57:28
But apparently Grims will not maintain White Dog's credo of treating employees with fairness and respect, as the entire kitchen was dismissed yesterday.  Why reach out to struggling migrant workers in Guatemala if you are crushing the financial life out of those who work under your own roof? "Grims

n.d.
Posted 2009-02-05 23:21:52
as a server who still works there the only thing i can say is that the restaurant is finally clean and organized. Everybody is chattering about how the whole kitchens taff was fired but they should of been because of the food they where serving and how they worked in that dirty kitchen. Fish rots from the head down and if it takes getting a new boss to fix the old problems well then i am for it and the hell with the old era of broken crap everywhere. Foods great and there is a new kitchen and the place is spotless and organized. the new era will be better then the old so hello for a very positive change!!!!!!!!

phillygrrl
Posted 2009-02-06 12:14:24
I refuse to go there.

phillygrrl
Posted 2009-02-06 12:14:46
Good reviews be damned.

phillyboi
Posted 2009-02-09 10:21:02
White Dog needs massive reorganization and rebuilding.  Last few times I was dragged there, the food and service was abysmal.  Who cares about where the food comes from or the ethics of the owner when the food was that bad, and the waitress clearly too high to handle her job?

cheez wit
Posted 2009-02-11 15:02:06
The kitchen staff did not want to work in those conditions. The were forced to work in that kitchen. Lack of reinvestment from the top caused all of the equipment in the restaurant to fall into severe disrepair. The kitchen staff was welcoming to new equipment and the promise all would better only to be lied to and have the rug pulled out from under them. Was the WHITE DOG PERFECT? Nope not at all. Did it do a great job with what they had to work with, HELL YES. Everyone stop pointing fingers, it was everyones fault for continuing to drink the Kool-Aide and work under those conditions knowing we where being set up to fail.

n.d.
Posted 2009-02-19 00:54:53
i think you where all drinking more then the Kool-Aide. or maybe that was the reason!!!!
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