The Root Cafe's Sundell Family Dish on Food, Family and Forging Relationships
Thinking outside the proverbial prepackaged food box is right up the Sundell family’s alley. Jack and Corri Sundell own The Root Cafe in downtown Little Rock and are parents to sons Ethan, 18, and twin 20-month-olds, Billy and Benji. It’s not just a way to make a living, but a way to make a life. Their food and family philosophies were germinated as youngsters, have grown over time, and are now being shared with their own children as well as many, many other people.
Jack Sundell grew up in Monticello, but also had family in New Orleans and New York. He says family vacations and holidays revolved around foods like lox and bagels, shrimp boils and French toast. “We would keep eating until we were stuffed, then roll over to the couch and watch Saturday cartoons or Sunday football,” Jack muses.
Like Jack, many of Corri’s fondest family memories revolved around food. She shares, “I would spend most of my summer breaks at my grandparents’ homestead in a tiny East Texas town where they had lots of animals, including geese, chickens, cows, and rabbits. They had a beautiful grove of fruit trees—plums, peaches and figs. My grandfather had a huge garden, and I loved riding the tractor with him, through the pastures and down to the garden, to pick the best watermelon. Or we’d pick tomatoes or potatoes, cantaloupe, green beans, peas, and corn, and bring it all back to the house where we’d all sit together at a table outside and shell the peas, snap the beans and shuck the corn. We’d visit and have a great time.”
Jack and Corri incorporate those early inspirations into their current home life. They have a garden and chickens at home. They place an emphasis on eating dinner together as a family, playing games, taking trips and investing in quality family time.
Staying connected as a family can be very challenging, especially with twins and running a business, but the Sundells continually work to carve out meaningful moments. Jack says, “We try to talk on the phone once or twice during the day. We use FaceTime so I can see the babies and they can see me. Ethan is a wonderful older brother. He loves to play with the babies and he’s old enough to be a huge help in taking care of them. We can also already see that they look up to him. It’s exciting that they’ll grow up with that positive influence.”
Corri shares, “We do now have two days off each week together. Jack and I also work together at home one day a week. That’s a great way for the two of us to stay connected creatively in the business. We are also trying to establish a regular date night. That’s really important too.”
“I want our children to grow up in a warm and loving household where we spend time together as a family. I had a great example to follow in how my parents raised my brothers and me. Always kind, always loving, and always supportive,” Jack says.
Corri describes their parenting style as “parenting with love and intention.” They share that same level of care and attention with their customers and co-workers.
Their Inspiring Recipe for Success
“I remember having dinner with my parents at Acadia in Hillcrest and telling them about my dream of opening a local foods cafe,” Jack says. “I’d fallen in love with the idea of opening a cafe when I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco. Cafes were one of the centers of Moroccan social life, and I thought how great it would be to create a similar space in the U.S.—vibrant, active, intimate—the kind of place that gives you a sense of the surrounding community.”
Corri says, “Thanks to my grandparents, I got to grow up with an appreciation of where my food was coming from. I love to think about the hard work and love that’s put into the food that ends up on our plates every day. I think about the people and the families involved in getting it there, and I’m so thankful to them. It makes me feel connected to my community.”
Jack says, “We have the most magical, energetic, and enthusiastic staff on the planet. Our customers are the most curious, flexible, and accommodating of any we’ve ever had the pleasure of serving. And of course, the farmers and producers we work with are a never-ending source of inspiration. We can truly say that we love what we do!”
In the fall of 2014 The Root Cafe was featured in an HLN documentary called “Growing America: A Journey to Success.” They were voted most inspirational business on the show and awarded a $25,000 prize. Then, in January of 2015, The Root Cafe received a $150,000 Mission Main Street Grant from Chase Bank. It is a program that provides funding for community-minded businesses to expand their operations.
“It was a huge honor to receive both of these awards. As business owners it’s easy to toil in the trenches without looking up, so it’s very validating when the universe says, ‘Good job!’” Jack shares.
Favorite Parenting Advice
- “‘Love your children for who they are, not who you want them to be.” –Jack
- “Praise effort over intellect.” –Corri
Little Rock Family readers can make one of The Root Cafe’s prized recipes at home.
Check out Real Food Tips for Real Families from The Root Cafe for all the details on their yummy homemade sauerkraut. It’s the perfect addition to bratwurst, sandwiches and more!