A lot can unfold in casual conversations, even if it’s just over a cup of coffee. When it comes to larger corporate gatherings, having great food on the table can set the stage for productive discussions—and who knows, it might even lead to some big deals!

Let’s look at how quality food and catering services can boost the outcomes of any corporate gathering through this blog.

Enhancing Professionalism and Company Image

One may wonder – how does the food at an event help kick off anything official? Good food can set the tone of the event. Tasty food can be conversation-starters, and help you engage with people around you. With awkwardness off the radar, people can open up and talk about anything. 

Making a Strong First Impression

Imagine yourself attending a corporate get-together. If you find a well-curated menu that hits all the spots, wouldn’t you have a good first impression? 

A neatly arranged table with diverse food options makes choosing easy. You see the professionalism, you see the attention to detail. You wouldn’t have too many second thoughts of taking your business elsewhere. That’s how a great catering service can work wonders.

Strengthening Brand Identity

The food you serve at a company event is not simply to treat your guests. They show your values, they reflect what your brand stands for. A menu that caters to versatile lifestyles points to inclusivity. 

If your company is big on sustainability, a menu that avoids animal products or supports local produce reflects that through zero words. If there are novel combinations that taste heavenly, your attendees know you love to innovate.

Boosting Employee Morale and Engagement

Food has a universal appeal and connection. From small group meetings to large corporate gatherings, quality food can unite people for the better. 

The Connection Between Food and Workplace Culture

Why do most team meetings have refreshments during or after them? 

A workplace that takes care of its employees and clients knows how important good food is. It is not just about helping your team maintain its energy levels, but about fostering good relations and collaboration. People connect on a personal level over food breaks, as work discussions take a backseat. Effective collaboration leads to productivity, and of course, results!

Catering as an Employee Perk

Well, we’ve heard of Pizza Fridays, but doesn’t your work family deserve more than that? Many companies mention free food as an employee perk in job descriptions, so why not make it worthwhile? 

Quality food means a lot during group meals. Take a count of preferences and decide whether your company should be catering fast food or healthier options. Also, offering choices makes employees feel seen and heard, and they’d love Mondays if Fridays are fun!

Accommodating Dietary Needs and Preferences

Each individual is unique, with their own tastes and preferences when it comes to food. That’s why it’s essential to ensure your catering menu reflects this inclusivity.

Why Inclusive Menus Matter

Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, allergen-friendly – as diverse as your team is, so are food preferences. For events on a larger scale, you’d have guests with all kinds of dietary requirements. It’s best to gather food preferences beforehand, but if that’s not feasible, ensure your catering provides a variety of options that accommodate everyone’s needs.

Customization for a Diverse Workforce

Most corporations today run on the efforts of people from all over the world. Cultural diversity is an asset to any company, which they need to value. Many cultures follow unique diets and may have some restrictions. With good catering, you can be sure of meals that are accommodative of cultural preferences. A company that values its employees’ cultures will have a happy and productive workforce.

When you cater with Balance Grille you get both diversity and quality. We source fresh ingredients from local markets to ensure nutrition and taste in every bite. Corporate gatherings don’t have to revolve around greasy hamburgers—delicious and healthy alternatives work just as well.

Streamlining Event Planning and Logistics

No one wants stress, especially when business is involved. So, plan ahead and collaborate with responsible caterers to ensure the smooth running of your event. Here are a few things to consider: 

Reducing Stress for Organizers

Planning and executing large-scale corporate gatherings is no small feat. When you hire professional corporate catering with experience, that’s one big task taken off your plate. Whether it’s fast food or gourmet meals, professional caterers manage everything seamlessly.

With preparation, delivery, setup, and serving all handled, you can focus on perfecting that big pitch!

Ensuring Efficiency and Punctuality

Experienced caterers do not just serve yummy food, they make everything function like clockwork! 

They value their time and yours and will prepare in advance to be in tune with your planned schedule. Timely delivery and seamless service will ensure that there’s fresh food laid out when your guests are ready to eat.

At Balance Grille, we understand the importance of your time. So, you can order online and relax while we curate the most delicious plates for your colleagues and business leaders. 

Promoting Health and Wellness

Walk the walk and talk the talk! Be the person who sets the right eating habits and choices for your company. Opt for a healthier food menu rather than the age-old fast-food mediocrity. 

Encouraging Healthy Eating at Work

We may feel that catering fast food for in-house corporate get-togethers is fun. But it should not be the case every time. If you’re a brand that has contracted a caterer for daily refreshments, you need to ensure that the food options are healthy and make for balanced diets. They help your workforce remain energetic and healthy— no more surprise sick leaves!

The Shift Toward Nutritious Catering

Many studies and surveys have highlighted the need for fresh and nutritious food for corporate employees. Regular consumption of heavy, ultra-processed meals can lead to lifestyle disorders like obesity, cholesterol, and diabetes in corporate employees. People of all ages, with different dietary needs, attend corporate events. Therefore, choosing a catering that specializes in whole foods, without compromising on taste can elevate your events and your lifestyle.

Why Balance Grille is a Great Corporate Catering Option

Here’s why Balance Grille should be your go-to corporate caterer:

Fresh, High-Quality Ingredients

Balance Grille is an award-winning restaurant offering a menu specializing in Asian-fusion food. Our delicious range of customizable bowls, snacks, and beverages is made from farm-fresh ingredients, sourced locally. We’re transparent in how we grow, prepare, and cook our food, ensuring that nothing but high-quality meals reach your plates and taste buds.

Fun fact: We have our very own indoor aquaponic farm!

Diverse and Customizable Offerings

We’re not afraid to experiment, and our menu offerings are as diverse as they come!

Build-a-Bowls
Our customizable bowls are a crowd favorite for their flexibility. You can choose all your favorite ingredients from a range of healthy options and make your bowl. With our signature sauces on the side, your guests are in for a ride that combines health and taste!

Tacos
Our tacos offer an innovative twist, blending Asian flavors in a fresh tortilla shell. With a variety of options and countless ingredient combinations, they’re sure to satisfy all your guests who love exploring new tastes.

Snacks
For those times when it’s something low-key but necessary, our light bites are the perfect choice. Your midday meetings don’t need heavy meals that leave you feeling sluggish—just some simple snacks to keep you going as you work through the day.

Bubble Tea
Your clientele is likely tired of the same old water and sodas at events. Give them a fresh dose of surprise with our flavorful bubble teas. The flavors are spot on, and we take pride in creating unique experiences too.

Reliable and Convenient Catering Services

If you’re looking for a catering service that serves fresh, high-quality meals, cool snacks, or beverages, look no further than Balance Grille. Our Pan-Asian menu promises a burst of flavors that will leave your clients and employees happy and full. 

We have many locations to explore, including in Cleveland and Perrysburg, Ohio. Our drive to experiment and innovate continues, and we’d love to craft great meals for your corporate gatherings!

Cater With Balance Grille

If you’re tasked with executing a corporate event attended by major stakeholders and employees, make sure to choose your caterer well. Catering services that prioritize quality, fresh ingredients, customization, and timely deliveries will elevate your guests’ experience. Experienced caterers like Balance Grille ensure that they deliver only the best by all means – be it taste, punctuality, or the overall experience!

Elevate your corporate events with Balance Grille’s bold flavors and fresh ingredients. Let’s cater your next gathering!

Our mission is to create heartfelt and nostalgic Asian-influenced customizable bowls that will infuse and inspire your events. This blog will provide strategies for planning successful corporate event catering. From setting the event goals to deciding on the best menu, we got it all for you! 

Planning is Key: Setting the Stage for Catering Success

Planning makes or breaks the entire event, and catering is one such segment where planning is utterly important. Here are the introductory steps you can set for an event that could be a culinary blockbuster.

Set Up Your Event Goal

First things first, what’s the purpose of your event? Is it to network, commemorate a milestone, build team dynamics, or launch a project? Your goals will dictate the entire event and its catering.

Know Your Audience

Understanding your guests’ likes and dislikes is an important step. For example:

• Dietary Restrictions and Preferences: Are there vegetarians, vegans, or gluten-sensitive folks? We at Balance Grille in Toledo are here to cater to a wide array of dietary needs, offering customizable dishes as colorful and tasty as ever.
• Demographics and Tastes: Think of the cultural backgrounds and age groups your attendees represent. An eclectic mix will never fail you when it comes to catering.

Identifying Costs

A specified budget early on will narrow your options for decision-making. Here’s how to go about it:

• Catering budget: Understand how far you can allocate catering from your overall event budget to aid in your menu selection and service style.
• Include all costs: This includes the service staff, linen or tableware rentals, delivery, and gratuities, to say the least. 

Headcount

You need to count your numbers accurately so you’ll find it easy to plan. When you know how many people, you’ll be assured of enough food and drinks and limit waste. 

It gives you a springboard to base your critical thoughts on for successful events where the guests will resonate with the event while you achieve your objectives.

Choosing the Right Catering Style: From Bowls to Bento Boxes

Choosing the right catering style is about setting the tone for your event. Let us explore different kinds of catering styles and how they can suit the feel of your event:

Formal Sit-Down Dinner

Recommended for galas, awards ceremonies, or formal corporate gatherings, a sit-down dinner gives a structured dining experience where plated meals are served to guests, enabling careful portion control and presentation.

Food suggestions include:

• Appetizers: Egg Rolls or Wontons, these taste receptor starters keep your guests whetted.
• Main Course: Grilled chicken with stir-fried vegetables or Tofu with Lentils and a medley of fresh, green herbs.
• Dessert: These can consist of bubble teas infused with matcha or a variety of fresh fruit flavors for delightful closure.

The Buffet Style

This works well with big groups and less formal buffets to choose self-service and variety of this nature lets them have a relaxed time.

The Highlights: Balance Grille’s bowls are a great hit in buffet affairs. Picture a build-your-own-bowl where the guests build their meal with:

• As a base: White or brown rice, mixes, or mixed greens.
• For proteins: Options like grilled chicken, wok-fired steak, lentils, or tofu will also do the work.
• For toppings: Signature sauces to add together with a bunch of colorful fresh vegetables.

Food Stations

Food stations are interactive and allow guests to walk around and visit to socialize. 

Suggestion: Get a taco station; try Balance Grille’s handmade tacos! 

• Proteins: Wok-fired steak, grilled chicken, and/or tofu.
• Toppings: Fresh cilantro, pickled vegetables, and house-made sauces.

Passed Appetizers

Passed appetizers are your best bet for cocktail parties or networking events, where servers move around the room with trays of bite-sized offerings so guests can mingle without requiring a seat.

Some Ideas:

• Shareable delicious snacks: Like crispy creamy wontons, and edamame with sea salt.
• Mini Tacos: Our full-flavored tacos in toddler portions are served easy for eating with a partner standing while chatting.

Individual Bento Boxes

For hygiene or timing, solo here are visiting good periods.

Bento Boxes consist of Balance Grille’s Bowls:- 

• Main: An assortment of grilled chicken or tofu as a protein.
• Sides: Accompaniments of fresh vegetables either with rice dishes or separately.
• Sauce: One serving of our signature sauces to balance the flavors.

Menu Magic: Crafting a Delicious and Diverse Spread

Choosing a catering style is important in terms of event formality, the guest experience, and logistic elements. With the right catering style in alignment with your event goals and audience preferences, you will ensure that the affair stays etched in their memory.

Different Flavors and Variety

A simple yet successful menu will play with contrasting textures and colors to titillate your palate. Here is how to do it:

• Delicious Balances: Drink flavor into the mix with sweet, savory, spicy, and tart notes. 
• Textures: Combine crunchy, creamy, and tender bites for a fun experience. 
• Use Bright Colors: A colorful plate not only makes your mouth water, but it is also a reflection of all the nutrients it has to offer. 

Showcase Balance Grille Menu Items

Thanks to a delicious and convenient menu that guarantees something for each guest, Balance Grille happily stands out. Here are some definite classics:

• Customizable Bowls: White or brown rice, quinoa, or mixed greens work well as a base. 
• Handmade Tacos: These bite-sized jewel pieces are fun little snacks to serve at events that want to give the vibe of fun and casual.
• Shareable Snacks: Start the event with something an appetizer is great for.
• Bubble Teas: Offer freshly made bubble teas for a different and refreshing beverage interesting opportunity.

Don’t Forget Dietary Needs

As inclusivity is key when it comes to making sure all guests are comfortable in your space, take note of the following on how to serve diverse dietary needs: 

• Clear Labeling: Label every dish and include the vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and allergen-free markers.
• Customizable Options: The menu at Balance Grille is completely flexible.
• Open Communication: Remind the guests about telling you ahead of time what dietary restrictions they have.

With a balance of spices and flavors, along with taking care of all possible dietary preferences, you create a setting for an unforgettable dining experience.

Drinks that Delight: Quench Your Guests’ Thirst

Beverages play a key role in complementing food and creating an overall good experience. Ensure your drink options are as exciting as your menu:

• Beyond Standard: Water and soda are great staples, but consider adding Iced Teas, Milk Teas, and Lemonades to surely kick off your event.
• Signature Drinks: Having your signature drink is the icing on the cake in making your event memorable. Event-theme beverages or Balance Grille specials can be great add-ons.
• Delicious and Interactive Bubble Teas: Our hand-shaken bubble teas are a vibrant and delicious way to add a pop of color and flavor to your event.
• Hydration is the Key: It is important to keep your guests hydrated. Thus, water stations or self-service options will work as magic.

Presentation Matters: Making Your Catering Look as Good as It Tastes

The presentation of your catering could create a great difference for your guests’ dining experience. To guarantee that your array of foods is as tempting and visually inviting as it is tasty, here is how: 

• Try elevating your display with serving ware matching theme, and utilize stands or risers for a variety of heights on your buffet table, the theme decor should match the company’s brand voice.
• Add visual appeal by garnishing dishes, serving color plates, or incorporating a variety of texture contexts.
• Consider the layout to be arranged strategically like logical sequencing of dishes easily accessing the food or creating interactive sessions with cooks, chefs, etc. 
• Subtle branding of the company will reinforce its identity. Incorporating company logos in napkins, themed menu names, or brand signs to level dishes will surely leave a long-lasting impression.

Why Choose Balance Grille Catering for Your Next Event?

• Fresh, High-Quality Ingredients: We take pride in using only the freshest, highest-quality ingredients in our dishes.
• Customize your menu: We will create a tailor-made menu to suit your event’s requirements and budget.
• Unique and Flavorful Options: Modern Pan-Asian fare provides a refreshing change from regular catering cuisine.
• Reliable and Professional Service: We ensure that we provide the highest services from the beginning to the very end and make your evening a successful one.
• Catering Options: A range of different catering for corporate events & other socially significant celebrations. Customized options include vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and just about any kind of diet.

Ready to elevate your next corporate event or celebration? Let Balance Grille in Ohio cater with innovative, flavorful, unforgettable food. 

Catering Confidence: Wrapping Up Your Event Planning

Careful catering is one of the cornerstones of successful events. With careful planning, the right presentation, and the right caterer, it is possible to treat guests to an experience that’s hard to forget.

And remember that Balance Grille is there for you all the way through the process. Fresh ingredients, customizable menus, and simply professional! 

Call us today and let’s talk about catering for your next event, and see how Balance Grille will take your next gathering to the next level. 

If you ever search for “high-quality food near me” in Toledo we are bound to be a top search result, as we truly believe in food that is not only wholesome and makes you feel good but also indulgent at the same time. This is only possible if you are selecting the best ingredients for your dishes. So, let’s dive deeper into how we source the best ingredients for your meal!

The Power of Fresh Ingredients

Fresh ingredients are the center of all delicious yet nutritious meals. We ensure every bite is packed with natural flavors and wholesome goodness. 

Why Fresh Matters

Fresh ingredients bring the vibrant flavors out and hold more nutrients. This brings out the best in the dish without any artificial help. This means the food is tastier without turning it into a science experiment or concoction of various chemicals. Freshness lets the ingredients do their magic in your dishes.

How We Source Fresh Ingredients

Our secret? We work with local farmers and distributors to get our produce at peak ripeness and in the best condition. We ensure that every veggie and fruit is at its flavor prime. Oh, did we mention we have an urban farm? This ensures we have a supply of fresh greens year-round. This saves the food miles and keeps things as fresh as possible.

High-Quality Proteins: Sustainable and Ethical Choices

Proteins are essential for your body. This makes your meals balanced and provides adequate nutrition required to repair and nourish your body. We ensure all our protein sources are both high-quality and ethically sourced. We have the best options for you whether you choose animal-based or plant-based proteins.

Responsibly Sourced Meat

We use antibiotic-free chicken, grass-fed beef, and sustainably caught seafood in all our dishes. There are no additives, just clean, high-quality protein that makes you feel good after eating. This keeps you full and helps you maintain your health goals and achieve a healthy lifestyle.

Plant-Based Protein Options

Not into meat? No problem. We have vegan and vegetarian options for you. Our organic tofu and lentils ensure that our plant-based dishes are as satisfying. All our bowls are made to fit everyone, where only the proteins are to be changed to make them vegan or vegetarian.

The Art of Handcrafted Sauces and Spices

Flavors make the food more interesting and exciting, and what better way to bring it out than sauces and spices? We craft all our sauces and spice blends in-house to maximize the taste and texture. This shows our love for a good pairing and brings out authenticity, freshness, and a taste you won’t find anywhere else.

Made-from-Scratch Approach

We make our signature sauces in-house with real, whole ingredients sourced from our local farmers. There are no artificial preservatives, just pure, authentic flavors to bring out the best in the dishes. 

The Magic of Global Flavors

We source flavors from all over the world in our Toledo kitchen. Think Chinese, Korean, Indian, Japanese, Thai, American, and many more tastes and textures all blended into one pan-Asian menu to make your mouth water while keeping your health on track.

Transparency in Every Meal

We believe you deserve to know what is going on in your dishes when you dine with us. Transparency is important to ensure that our community can trust every ingredient in the kitchen. There are no sneaky ingredients and hidden additives that go into your dish. Every dish on our menu has a detailed description of the ingredients, including the sauces they are paired with. We don’t hide anything, including our kitchen. 

We prepare every meal in an open kitchen so you can watch the magic happen. It is like a live cooking show, where you see every ingredient come together harmoniously to make the most satisfying meal that is not only delicious but also healthy.

Do you have any dietary restrictions? Are you gluten-free? Are you vegan? You name it, we have got you covered. Our bowls are unique where you can build your bowl from scratch and make it completely according to your taste. This works great if you get bored easily with the same dishes. Just to top it off, you can choose from a huge collection of bubble tea flavors to refresh yourself.

The Balance Grille Experience: A Community-Focused Approach

An amazing dining experience is not just food, it goes beyond that. It is about the people, the ambiance, the atmosphere, and the values behind it. At Balance Pan-Asian Grille, we are committed to supporting our community and team members to make your experiences that ensure we are your go-to “high-quality food near me.”

Supporting Local Communities

We love to give back to the cities we call home. We show up for our people by participating in local events, donating and helping people with food, supporting neighborhood initiatives, and providing jobs. It is this community that makes us special with their experiences and the connection.

Technology for a Better Dining Experience

We use tech to meet your expectations and make you satisfied with our treatment. We make dining convenient with seamless online ordering, curbside pickup, and a tech-driven kitchen that ensures efficiency and quality.

Visit Balance Pan-Asian Grille, Taste the Difference Yourself!

At Balance Pan-Asian Grille, we craft an experience with our feel-good food. From farm-fresh ingredients and ethically sourced proteins to handcrafted sauces and global flavors, every bite is a testament to quality, transparency, and passion. Our foundation is our commitment to sustainability, community, and innovation.

So why settle for something ordinary when you can have something extraordinary? We believe that it is a form of self-care where you can prioritize yourself and have fun. Whether you’re craving bold flavors, a wholesome meal, or a dining experience that aligns with your values, Balance Pan-Asian Grille is the place to be. Ready to taste the difference? Come build your bowl today!

Balance Grille is proud to announce its recognition on Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers and Shakers list for 2024, placing at lucky 28! Demonstrating exceptional innovation and growth in the fast-casual dining sector, Balance Grille continues to set new standards in the industry. Co-founders Prakash ‘PK’ Karamchandani and HoChan ‘CJ’ Jang have also been honored as two of the Top 25 Fast Casual Executives of 2024, highlighting their leadership and vision in driving the brand’s success.

Recognition on the Top 100 Movers and Shakers list, an esteemed accolade in the restaurant industry, celebrates trailblazing brands that exhibit excellence in menu innovation, marketing prowess, and overall business performance. Balance Grille’s inclusion in this list underscores its commitment to delivering fresh, nutritious, and delicious food while fostering a unique dining experience that resonates with a diverse customer base.

Over the past year, Balance Grille has made significant strides in enhancing its operations and expanding its brand. The company updated its kitchen operations for greater efficiency and faster service, invested in the development of comprehensive brand standards and guidelines for design and marketing, and identified key efficiencies in its supply chain, design, and equipment. Additionally, insights gained from the opening of its first franchise location have been instrumental in refining the company’s pre- and post-opening processes, ensuring a smoother and more successful rollout for future franchises.

Co-founders PK and CJ’s recognition as Top 25 Fast Casual Executives is a testament to their strategic insight and dedication to cultivating a dynamic and forward-thinking company culture. Under their guidance, Balance Grille has expanded its footprint and embraced technological advancements, such as self-ordering kiosks and a robust loyalty program, positioning the brand as a leader in the fast-casual space.

To see the entire list, please visit: 2024 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers

In today’s competitive business environment, the success of any company depends significantly on the strength of its leadership. At Balance Grille, an industry-shaking, fast-casual pan-Asian restaurant franchise, we’re proud of the astounding impact of our leaders and co-founders, Prakash Karamchandani (PK) and HoChan Jang (CJ) and our staff alike. From setting the company up with an operating system built for growth, to creating a structure for employee success in a business that’s fully integrated through technology, theirs has been a game-changing, ahead-of-the-curve approach to the fast-casual industry.

An Industry-Disrupting Duo

In early 2010, Balance Grille co-founders CJ and PK—two college buddies-turned-business-partners—shared the same dream: to serve happiness through food. They combined their unique expertise to form the bedrock of the business, which ultimately created a recipe for the brand’s success.

CJ and PK joined forces toward the end of their college careers while studying at the University of Toledo. CJ, with a background growing up in restaurants, set out on a path to create a new Asian-fusion concept focused on feel-good food and fresh ingredients and was in need of a partner to focus on the business side of the restaurant while he maintained focus on all things culinary. Enter PK, an avid technology junkie, who had earned his degree in finance and would come to lead Balance Grille’s marketing and technology efforts with a forward-thinking, thought-leadership approach, earning him multiple accolades over the years. These include being recognized by Nation’s Restaurant News as one of 2022’s Most Influential Restaurant CEOs and being named a Top 24 Executive by Fast Casual consecutively from 2016-2022.

Born in South Korea, Balance co-founder CJ had a mother who was a firm believer in meals made fresh from scratch. After his father’s passing in 1991, the family moved to the US, where CJ’s mother opened a restaurant, working both front and back of house—equipping him with a front-row seat to the ins and outs of running a restaurant business. Today, CJ leads as a co-founder and the Head Chef for Balance Grille, executing skillful innovation into the brand’s fresh, pan-Asian cuisine. “There’s this stigma about Asian food…you either think ‘cheap Chinese buffet’ or ‘expensive sushi’,” CJ said. “I wanted to create something in-between.” A mastermind of design and development, he was recognized by Michael Simon from Iron Chef, featured as a top chef by Stella Artois, and previously named by Fast Casual as a Top 24 Executive and by Nation’s Restaurant News as one of the Most Influential Restaurant CEOs in the country.

The pair began working on building Balance Grille during the Great Recession of the late 2000s, and recognized that in order to succeed, they had to be strategic and innovative. After opening their first restaurant location in 2010, CJ and PK’s inventive spin on the fast-casual concept hit the spot for foodies and families alike. The endlessly fresh possibilities of their pan-Asian cuisine soon put Northwest Ohio on the map—and placed the duo at the culinary cutting edge.

With a team of under 10, CJ fine-tuned his Asian-inspired fare, achieving unique flavor profiles and food pairings, while PK refined kitchen efficiencies and the overall customer experience. Together, they worked to continuously perfect the details by prioritizing customer and employee feedback. Their forward-thinking experiments with menus and operations struck the perfect balance between wholesome food that makes you feel good and indulgent flavors you crave — made quickly without sacrificing an ounce of quality.

A Forward-Thinking Operating System

PK and CJ have always been ahead of the curve in developing business foundations that led to the development and refinement of the brand. They have a consistent commitment to continuous, careful improvement in every area of Balance Grille’s business strategies. In an interview with Modern Business Podcast, PK shared the duo’s forward-thinking approach to brand development. “With operations, we view our training as the software and the way we build out our stores as the hardware,” PK said. PK and CJ have consistently been solving problems in the operational space before they were apparent to the rest of the industry. They’ve found tools and strategies that have increased efficiency and refined business procedures, while simultaneously mitigating labor challenges experienced by many in the industry today. PK and CJ’s focus on good-for-you ingredients served transparently and fresh every day has kept them top of mind with consumers as trends in healthy eating continue to evolve. Continuous operational improvement of the balance menu has also grown and improved, adapting to customers’ ever-changing preferences to customize and curate personal menu suggestions  through technology.

Creating Leaders, Not Managers

With each new location, the foundational leadership at Balance Grille has been a key factor in driving the company’s success. Co-founders CJ and PK have been instrumental in shaping the company’s culture, vision, and strategy, with a focus on developing an innovative and unique “managerless” business model.

Balance Grille’s managerless model is built on a foundation of operating with a “people-first” approach. PK and CJ’s skills of being forward-thinking, receptive, intuitive, and staying on top of industry trends are apparent in the way they’ve executed their employment model through a values-based mindset.

Whether it’s franchise owners, customers, or employees, Balance Grille’s company values stem from prioritizing efficiency and “serving happiness with food.” When it comes to building a connected, successful team, PK lets employees know from day one at Balance Grille that they strive to create leaders, not managers. Each employee begins training in the same position, and everyone is eligible to train for all roles that Balance Grille offers once the initial training is complete. With each new position, employees can receive increased pay and opportunities to work, allowing for more control over how often they want to work based on the shifts they are eligible for. Shift leaders, a position that would normally be considered alike to a “manager” role, follow the same approach, ultimately leading to the creation of empowered employees who are strong team players that value their roles and choose to train into levels of leadership and accountability that match their personal goals.

This strategy has been effective in creating a work culture that promotes innovation, collaboration, and employee satisfaction—so much so that Balance Grille boasts an unheard-of turnover rate. “Other restaurant chains measure a 150-200% employee turnover rate, meaning they are hiring and retraining for the same positions multiple times in a short amount of time. Due to this, tenure in the restaurant industry is typically measured in months, while Balance Grille’s tenure has been measured at 2.46 years after the first 60 days of employment,” says co-founder PK.

These strategies have resulted in a motivated, happy, and empowered team that’s passionate about delivering exceptional customer experiences, and where members feel confident and in control of their individual careers and futures. The co-founders have also been intentional about building bench strength that supports new growth by promoting leaders from within the brand for high-level positions. PK and CJ have built out the Balance Grille Specialist team, who are responsible for training new franchise owners at the company headquarters and in the fields of their new store locations. The strength of this team is apparent through the success of new owners, who receive constant support from these Balance Grille specialists.

Immersive Technology for Customer Experience

In addition to the managerless employment model, the leadership team at Balance Grille has also successfully driven technology-based innovation to enhance the customer experience and make data-driven business experiences. Since starting Balance Grille, navigating consumers’ ever-changing preferences for ordering and overall brand experience has always been top-of-mind, along with incorporating technology into the business decision-making process.  

Balance Grille co-founders have improved those experiences through the integration of an award-winning customer app. From ordering and online pickups to individual customer in-app preferences, everything is curated toward building a memorable and consistent brand experience.  In-store kiosks are also used to add to the sleek, simple branding that fills the space of each Balance Grille location.

Employees also utilize app-based technology to schedule and select their shifts, request time off, clock in and out, and more, creating an efficient structure that doesn’t require an in-person manager to complete vital tasks. The managerless employment model also utilizes technology for tracking employee performance, selecting shifts, and creating precise measurements for food and drink stations that employees use to execute their work. “Our goal has always been to incorporate technology into every layer of the business,” PK said. Through this mindset, Balance Grille developed and built a loyal customer base through an innovative approach to using technology in business.

Through confidence in strong relationships with franchisees, foundations of values, and a strong integrated system of technological operations, Balance Grille’s founders have gone above and beyond in setting their business up for success. The result is a growing franchise network that is profitable and sustainable and one that customers, employees, and franchise owners love.

There are many important factors that contribute to business success in the fast-casual space, and as the industry continues to grow and change through the decades, it’s important to adapt procedures and approaches to offer the best possible service and experience. Balance Grille co-founders Prakash Karamchandani (PK) and HoChan Jang (CJ) are constantly innovating and developing their business strategies with a focus on a people-first mindset. We prioritize creating an immersive experience for customers led by a strategy of meal transparency, design, and technology—creating a multi-sensory experience that engages and leaves a lasting impression. 

Meeting the Demand for Transparency 

Customers care about the quality of their food, and at Balance Grille, we pride ourselves on using transparently clean ingredients to create meals that are fast, fresh, and completely customizable. 72% of restaurant diners in the US rank high-quality food as the top factor in determining where they’ll go to eat, and we make sure those visiting Balance Grille are confident not only in our food’s amazing taste, but also in its quality. Restaurant News wrote that we have “a refined focus on clean eating, a literal approach to menu transparency, authenticity, and ahead-of-the-curve tech integration.”

Our Kitchens and Tea Bars are open and visible in every one of our restaurants. Our customers can see every step of the process, from how our top-tier vegetables, proteins, and sauces are stored, prepped, prepared, and served. The visual of an open kitchen allows customers to see the quality of their meal being made in real time, inspiring a confidence and comfort in knowing exactly where their food comes from. Our transparency through fresh, clean food, combined with a pan-Asian-inspired restaurant interior and integrated technology, allow customers to experience Balance Grille in a fun, immersive, and transparent way. 

We Live our Brand  

We believe a strong brand translates to strong growth, and a customer’s ability to connect to the brand and its values is key. Authenticity is also incredibly important to consumers as it represents genuineness, transparency, and honesty. Consumers want to feel confident that they are getting what they pay for, and they often prefer to do business with companies that are authentic and have integrity.  Moreover, authenticity can help build trust between businesses and their customers, leading to stronger relationships and increased customer loyalty. When consumers perceive a brand as authentic, they are more likely to engage with it, recommend it to others, and continue to support it over time. 

With people as our focus, Balance Grille has curated a close knit employee experience in an upbeat and inclusive environment. Our commitment to serving others can be seen through the provision of a living wage for employees, menu transparency, and the sustainable use of biodegradable packaging to positively impact the cities we call home. 

Every one of our fast-casual restaurants has a unique interior designed to reflect the heart of the brand, and at Balance Grille, we’ve interwoven our identity into a bright, high-contrast color palette, natural materials, and clean lines inspired by harmony and balance. Our restaurants are also bright and fresh, just like our menu, with big windows and plenty of lighting that uplifts the customer experience. Living green walls bring in oxygen as a high-flow HVAC for easy breathing, so customers don’t leave wearing our flavors for the rest of their day.

Our interiors combined with positive, edgy music result in a space that visually emulates Balance Grille’s core, one that’s inviting, relaxing, and innovative, setting a tone that customers love.   

Providing our customers with an engaging, personalized experience is key to building a strong and loyal customer base. Co-founder, Prakash Karamchandani notes that “We want our customers to not just eat our food, but to have a complete experience that they can remember and share with others. By creating an immersive experience, we are able to stand out in a crowded market and connect with our customers on a deeper level.” 

A Tech-Forward Approach 

Technology has transformed the way businesses operate and similarly impacts what customer interaction looks like. The full integration of technology into Balance Grille’s operational systems is an extension of how our customers use their phones when thinking about where, what, and how to order their food. 

Balance Grille has developed an award-winning loyalty app that serves as a powerful tool for franchise partners and creates an exceptional user experience. Customers can use it for integrating online ordering, customization, and curbside check-in. However, its real strength lies in its experiential data collection capabilities, which are fully integrated into marketing and the point of sale, enabling Balance employees to receive customer feedback and satisfaction in real-time.  

The app’s complex rewards campaign mechanics and guest segmentation provide the ability to launch customized campaigns down to the individual. Reporting capabilities allow for campaign analysis, facilitating necessary tweaks to better understand what customers want. Our commitment to create and deliver the best customer experience possible is emulated through the personalization every app user receives. 

Balance Grille also provides a seamless in-store experience via iPad-based kitchen operations, kiosk ordering, and automated administration, offering efficiency and ease throughout the customer’s stay. Balance Grille’s app success was recognized by Loyalty360, earning us the 2018 Technology and Trends Silver Award for building lasting and profitable relationships with customers. At Balance Grille, we remain dedicated to leveraging technology to enhance the customer experience and build meaningful connections with those who love our brand. 

Loyal Growth

Our efforts toward implementing an immersive customer experience have been a success, resulting in a measurable increase in customer loyalty and engagement. In 2022, Balance Grille was listed on QSR’s 40/40 list of hottest fast-casual concepts and has continued to hold a seat on Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers and Shakers for six consecutive years. As our business continues to grow and learn through our customers, we’re thrilled to create and offer a connective brand experience to all who visit our locations or order via our loyalty app. “We are thrilled with the response we have received from our customers. By creating an experience that is not just about the food, we are able to build a stronger connection with our customers,” notes Balance Grille co-founder CJ. 

Since our inception, we’ve held a personal commitment to ensuring our staff is paid a livable wage with opportunities for growth and development. Our people are our focus – growing together, we offer a family-like employee experience in an upbeat and inclusive environment. Jobs and careers for all personalities.

We are happy to announce that as we enter our next phase of growth, we have awarded a few internal promotions within our Balance Fam. We are excited for and looking forward to seeing our staff continue to grow alongside the brand and just as thankful to have the support of our amazing customers in order to continue to expand and provide these opportunities to our employees.

Promotions

Promotions

Promotions

Congratulations again to our newest class of leaders. We are thankful for you and thrilled to have you on our team as we take Balance to the next level.

“2021 was perhaps even more dynamic than 2020, in terms of how it shaped the future of fast casual,” QSR editor Danny Klein says. “While the category had a steep hill to climb at COVID’s onset, it didn’t take long for innovative and forward-thinking brands to deliver the experience, technology, and product consumers wanted. What’s left is perhaps the most resilient group on record, and one we believe will thrive for years to come.”

For the last decade, fast-casual restaurants have sprung up all around the U.S. serving high-quality food in a casual setting, pushing the envelope on what is possible in a counter-service format. And since 2017, QSR magazine has recognized those emerging concepts with the 40/40 List, a report on 40 exciting fast-casual brands with fewer than 40 locations. Visit QSR Magazine for the full 40/40 list.

Making a name for themselves in Northwestern and Northeastern Ohio, the Balance Grille operation has grown to four locations, in addition to an 8,000 sq.ft. urban aquaponic farming operation dubbed “Balance Farms” and created by the brand’s co-founders.

A self-taught chef and significantly influenced by his previous career in personal training and education in nutrition, Balance Co-Founder HoChan Jang (CJ) is the mastermind behind the Balance menu which includes Asian bowls, tacos, snacks and bubble tea. Also recognized by Michael Simon from Iron Chef and featured as a top chef by Stella Artois, HoChan has become an innovative leader in his own right.

With a technology and software programming background, Balance Co-Founder Prakash Karamchandani (PK) brings to Balance a forward-thinking spin on technology within the restaurant industry. He manages all Marketing, Finance and Technology for the brand and has become an innovative leader in his own right as well, developing his own proprietary technologies and together with HoChan, pioneering a peer management operational model and creating an employee-centric, Balance Family culture rooted in technology and good-will.

“To be recognized by Nation’s Restaurant News is such an honor,” said Prakash Karamchandani, CEO & Co-Founder of Balance Grille. “I am humbled and beyond blessed to be on this journey with my business partner and best friend CJ and the amazing team we’ve put together over the last 12 year. Yet this acknowledgement proves that we are just getting started.”

Looking ahead to 2022, Prakash and HoChan have set their sights on a targeted, phased growth and development plan, teaming with the industry-experienced leadership team at Pivotal Growth Partners in order to position the concept as the preeminent Asian fast casual concept nationwide, while continuing to deliver on a commitment to their mission each and every day by constantly innovating, challenging the status-quo, and providing customers an experience which cannot be duplicated elsewhere.

We are pleased to announce that our Balance Farms facility has achieved a Gap 3.0+ Harmonized Certification for food safety and manufacturing processes by the USDA in conjunction with the FDA.

One of just a handful of Urban Indoor Farms to have achieved this certification, and one of the first Aquaponic Operations in the country, we’re proud to bring this accomplishment home to Toledo. This certification allows us to move our products into major food distribution hubs like your favorite grocery store or your favorite restaurant’s food supplier.

About the Audit

The AMS Specialty Crops Inspection (SCI) Division offers voluntary independent audits of produce suppliers throughout the production and supply chain. Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Handling Practices (GHP) audits focus on the use of best agricultural practices to verify that fruits and vegetables are produced, packed, handled, and stored in the safest manner possible to minimize risks of microbial food safety hazards. USDA GAP & GHP audits verify adherence to the recommendations in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables and industry-recognized food safety practices.

About Balance Farms

Founded in 2019, Balance Farms is an 8,000-square-foot aquaponics farm vertically integrated into the multi-unit fast casual restaurant Balance Grille, and located in the heart of Downtown Toledo. The brainchild of Balance Grille restaurant chain Co-Founders Prakash Karamachandani and HoChan Jang, Balance Farms provides transparency to Balance Grille customers on how their food is produced, how it’s grown, how it’s handled, and where it comes from 365 days a year. Through the farm, fresh vegetables and herbs are supplied to Balance Grille restaurants, as well as other Toledo-area businesses and the local healthcare system, providing customers quality products right from the heart of the city. For more information, visit:https://www.balancefarms.com.

About Balance Grille

Balance Grille is an Asian-Fusion fast-casual restaurant chain, featuring a diverse menu of build-a-bowl bowls, tacos, snacks and bubble teas. Since its founding in 2010, Balance Grille has successfully reinvented both the fast-casual concept and Asian Fusion cuisine with a refined focus on clean eating, a literal approach to menu transparency, authenticity and ahead-of-the-curve tech integration. With 4 locations open and operating throughout Ohio, and its first outside of its home state in Colorado, Balance remains committed to serving happiness through food with a focus on community-minded, customer-centric craftsmanship, from farm to kitchen to taste buds — and a real appreciation for both those enjoying and those serving its feel-good food.