But equally impressive
is the concept behind EDWINS Leadership and
Restaurant Institute. It’s more than a place for
Shaker residents to enjoy a stunning meal:
It’s also a place where formerly incarcerated men
and women spend 26 weeks learning the ins and
outs of the restaurant business. The reward for
their hard work? A shot at a second chance in
life with an education in a field with a high
workforce demand.
EDWINS is the nonprofit brainchild of Brandon
Chrostowski, a 34-year-old restaurateur and advocate
for social change who has carefully crafted the concept
for the restaurant and its institute ever since he was
given a second chance after his own troubled youth
and run-ins with the law in Detroit.
Chrostowski, the former general manager,
sommelier, and fromager at L’Albatros – one of
several area restaurants owned by Shaker Square
resident Zack Bruell – went on to graduate from
The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park,
New York and work at some of the world’s leading
restaurants, including the Michelin three-star
Lucas Carton in Paris, as well as Le Cirque,
Picholene, and Chanterelle in New York City.
EDWINS – a play on “Education Wins”
and Chrostowski’s middle name – is
an homage to all of Chrostowski’s life
experiences and his passion for French
food, and is his way of paying it forward
for some of society’s overlooked and
rejected citizens.
36 SHAKERONLINE.COM | SUMMER 2014
“Our mission is guided by what’s best for our students,” Chrostowski
explains. “We have a concise message. From the board of directors, to the
funding we take. That way, we can keep the message very clean and clear. It
takes more work and it’s taken twice as long, but it’s better this way.”
Now seven months into its operation, Chrostowski says EDWINS
represents the beginning of what he hopes evolves into a model for
reducing recidivism not just in Ohio, but across the country.
EDWINS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit,
so there’s a donation line instead of a tip
line on your dinner receipt, and donations
are fully tax-deductible.