Today we’d like to introduce you to Hao Tran, Trent Shaskan, Dena Peterson Shaskan and Dixya Bhattarai.
This is a story where all the stars were aligned at the right time. Dena Peterson is an acclaimed chef in Fort Worth and spent many years at the executive chef at The Modern. Her husband Trent Shaskan is a former political science professor. She formed a catering company Mockingbird Food Co and Trent yearning for the authentic sourdough bread of his hometown San Francisco, created Icon Bread. Hao & Dixya duo was formed by Hao Tran, a high school science teacher, created Lost in the Sauce, a collection of her food creations and Dixya Bhittarai, dietician and food blogger of Food, Pleasure, Health where she shares visual recipes. Both teamed up and became known for their Asian influenced dumplings. We also have a resident taste tester Frankie, Dena and Trent’s youngest daughter.
The Shaskan team and Hao & Dixya duo partnered up to form The Table, Market, and Culinary Studio. The vision of The Table was to provide a platform for small, artisan food entrepreneurs to have a retail presence other than weekly farmer’s markets. In addition, the space would provide a stage for cooking classes, chef-driven collaborations, supper clubs, market dinners and other culinary events. The Table opened in September 2019 and is considered the modern bodega, where people, farmers and producers come to the table for a shared culinary experience.
Has it been a smooth road?
As they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained. The buildout of the space was certainly a challenge. Luckily, we had the help of Dixya’s partner Shaan Khaled, an architect, to draw up the plans and coordinated the project. The concept of the store is a different business model perhaps from others. Understanding that small businesses need to know their fixed expenses, Instead of wholesale purchase of products, the vendors pay a flat rate and they earn 100% of all their revenue. The Table is a small business in itself but there’s a wonderful feeling that it offers more than 30 other small businesses a retail outlet for their products.
Please tell us about The Table Market and Culinary Studio.
I think what sets The Table apart from others is that it carries 100% local products, each curated for its quality and designed to complement the other products in the store. In addition, each one of our vendors has a story to tell, whether it’s a family business or leaving the corporate world and pursuing passion or wanting to live life better They share in the struggle and joys of being a small business so there are much collaboration and support. We think it’s crucial to be ingrained in the community you do business in. We are infinitely grateful for our neighbors, friends, family and customers and our success has been shaped by the growth of the Near Southside of Fort Worth.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
A neighborhood bodega where you can find local artisan foods was much needed in the Near Southside. We expect the growth will not only include more local businesses but residential units, and many of which are within blocks of our store. In the new year, we plan to offer takeaway foods, bread/produce/meat subscriptions, cookbook supper clubs and a forthcoming The Table cookbook in 2020 to celebrate the culinary talents that come through our store. We can’t forecast what the demands might be in food trends, but we can aim to offer the best of the mainstays and offer stellar food experiences.
Contact Info:
- Address: Dickson Jenkins Lofts and Warehouse
120 St. Louis Ave,
Fort Worth, Texas 76104 - Website: TheTableMarket.com
- Phone: 817-919-9958
- Email: info@thetablemarket.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetablefw/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Table-268217697209048/
Image Credit:
Austin Crow
Suggest a story: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
