Local Eats: Cafe Icon
Cafe���� Icon offers an invitation to slow down and enjoy a meal with the people around you. In a city where counter service and fast food are plentiful, Cafe���� Icon is a gem. Late into the evening after most restaurants have closed or have begun to clean up, Cafe���� Icon’s soft lights glow. The why behind Cafe���� Icon is what makes it true to its name, an Edmond icon.
Owner Patrick Mock is no novice restaurateur. He and his wife Joanna began their venture into food service with their former restaurant, Tropical Cafe����. Decades earlier, Patrick’s first taste of hospitality was on the bustling streets of Hong Kong. His grandparents were the owners of a grocery store and modeled the importance of quality products and exceptional service.
He moved to the United States in 1991 to attend the University of Oklahoma. He soon met his wife and has called Oklahoma home ever since. The couple opened Cafe���� Icon 8 years ago with intention. Patrick says, “We’ve somehow lost the value of connecting around the dinner table. Walk into any restaurant and you’ll find a family of six, all with phones in their hand. It’s different here, by design.”
Patrick speaks of the importance of values, in work and life. For him, personal values overflow into the way he leads business. Patrick is highly involved, ensuring high standards at every step from selecting the best fish from Hawaii at auction or choosing the perfect cut of steak from Chicago to simmer on signature lava rocks. The menu offers something for everyone with masterfully-prepared sushi, sashimi, katsu, hibachi, salads, creative cocktail menu and more.
Investing in the lives of his team is important. Patrick goes above the call of management and engages with his employees. One is his own child and many of them are college students. He offers financial management courses, guidance, and prepares a shift meal, sometimes offering the crew Mexican or Italian. His staff loves the opportunity to gather around, talk and eat family style before or after their shift.
As he prepares for his oldest child, Vivian, to go to college and his younger son, Kenneth, to graduate middle school, Patrick reflects on the importance of their primary education. He believes a strong foundation is built in the elementary years. As a result, Patrick has built in a way to support elementary schools through Cafe���� Icon. The restaurant is a great place for moms’ groups, formal or casual, to gather. Patrick hosts “Moms’ Night” and donates 10% of the group’s order to the school of their choice, writing the check on the spot. He also gives businesses the option to designate an elementary school to which he will donate 10% of the cost of their catering order.
Patrick has a loyal base of diverse customers. Although it’s a great spot for a date night or college students, families love that their young children are welcome at Cafe���� Icon. In a world of many choices, Patrick invites Edmond families to dine with intention and has provided the perfect place to do so.
Visit www.thecafeicon.com to learn more.
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