Recently a new business called The Notorious Potato Company GR contacted us to give them a try…
I have to admit…I originally assumed I’d be tasting some sort of baked potato with toppings.
When I went to their Instagram page I saw photos of beautiful looking pastries! My curiosity was sure to peak at that moment. There were berries, creme, and even chocolate in these interesting looking pastries!
A few days later, I picked up not just one, but 4 beautiful pastries to try, including a special gift just for us 🙂
We asked Igor to share his story about how Notorious Potato Company GR came to be, and their vision for the future.
The idea was born in Belgrade in 2016, and for a long time, it remained just a dream.
Fast forward to 2020, Christmas time, Falls Church, Virginia, USA. While sitting at the dinner table I shared with my mom what had been brewing in my mind for years already, and she was immediately up for the challenge!
A few months and many eaten knedlas later (we had to taste everything, of course!), we had “the” recipe for the dough. This meant a lot of trips from Washington D.C where I live, and Grand Rapids, MI where my mom lives. We got together often to taste and test everything.
When the COVID 19 pandemic hit and caused the world to come to a stop, we found time to start working on our project intensely, which meant every day. We chose our logo so easily. It was love at first sight. The name was born during a brainstorm with our friends, and it was their pitch.
We realized what kind of company/brand we want to be. We read a few books that inspired us even more and helped us shape our mission statement. The one that made the biggest impact was “Start With Why”. On our way back from one of the tastings in Grand Rapids we were listening to the audiobook which was such an inspiration and stirred up so many passionate discussions, arguments, then reconciliations, and then arguments again. The three hours of the book that we had left to finish on our way back to Washington D.C, took us 14 hours to complete. BUT WE FOUND OUR WHY!
I will never forget that moment. It was somewhere on the highway, in the middle of the night. It became so clear, so easy, and it just felt right.
We decided to start our business in GR because that’s where it all started. That’s where we had all the tastings, where our friends and family tried everything, and most importantly- that’s where our creative Chef, Igor’s mom, lives. We should never forget where we come from.
We will honor that and start there. We are searching for a storefront and the plan is to open a small cafe in GR, and then in DC as well.
CHANGING CONVENTIONAL TO EXTRAORDINARY
Why Knedle?
We all have that one dish that’s close to heart. It might be because it evokes dear memories, because of who cooked it for us, or because it tastes like home. My grandma, who was one of the most important people in my life, used to make this comfort food for me. Knedle means home and family to me. My family takes pride in where we come from and our tradition, so we want to share those feelings and our story through the food that warms our hearts and bellies.
Knedles are good for everything. We also have savory ones! They are great for gatherings, birthdays, baby showers, family dinners. Anywhere where friends and family gather and make good memories. People will be able to grab one a go once we have a storefront. We are planning to have a breakfast knedla (eggs, bacon) that could be picked up with a cup of coffee in the morning! ?
Visit us and try for yourself!
Radakovic Family
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Sounds good to us! Visit @notoriouspotato_gr and click their link in Bio to learn how you can order! Trust us, you will not be disappointed. I just finished another one for breakfast. I think there is a knedle for every time of day!
