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<v Speaker 1>Teddy Saraphine Leonard, owner of real In. You can find

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<v Speaker 1>out all about them at real i n Malibu dot

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<v Speaker 1>com reel in Malibu dot com. Teddy, welcome to the

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<v Speaker 1>Fork Report.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you for having me.

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<v Speaker 1>So please tell us tell us where about For those

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<v Speaker 1>that don't know real In there in Malibu, tell us

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<v Speaker 1>about that? Uh and uh? What's what? Where you are

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<v Speaker 1>left right now? After the horrific circumstances of January and

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<v Speaker 1>the fires.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, the reel in where we were located was right

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<v Speaker 3>just west of Topanga Canyon on Pacific Coast Highway, and

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<v Speaker 3>my husband has had the store for thirty seven years

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<v Speaker 3>and we had a big, you know, old neon sign.

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<v Speaker 3>We were a fish shack across the street from a

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<v Speaker 3>very popular surf spot on Topanga and we had puns

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<v Speaker 3>on the sign. Every day we would change the puns, yes.

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<v Speaker 1>And if you are local, you know.

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<v Speaker 2>Them quite well exactly.

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<v Speaker 3>And what was funny was, you know, each day, different

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<v Speaker 3>screenwriters going into work. People would call us and give

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<v Speaker 3>us ideas for the puns for the sign, and if

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<v Speaker 3>we used one, we would buy them dinner. And it

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<v Speaker 3>was really fun because people would say, I mean, some

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<v Speaker 3>people weren't even customers. They just said they knew when

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<v Speaker 3>they saw the sign they were out of the city.

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<v Speaker 3>They were heading into Malibu. It was like we were

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<v Speaker 3>sort of the gateway to the Malibu and that sign

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<v Speaker 3>meant a lot to a lot of people. In fact,

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<v Speaker 3>the firemen after everything burnt down were adamant about can

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<v Speaker 3>we get up there and change and put up some signs.

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<v Speaker 3>We just want to give people that hope again, like

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<v Speaker 3>that it's going to come back. Because it was a

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<v Speaker 3>iconic place. It was a place where a lot of

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<v Speaker 3>families came. They celebrated birthdays, they celebrated death, they celebrated weddings, births.

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<v Speaker 3>It was one gentleman send in a picture of himself

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<v Speaker 3>as a baby with his father on the reel in deck,

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<v Speaker 3>and then he sent in a picture of himself that

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<v Speaker 3>his baby on the real in deck, and generations knew

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<v Speaker 3>the restaurant and knew it well, and we were blessed

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<v Speaker 3>to be a part of the community in a bigger

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<v Speaker 3>way than we even knew. In an odd way, the restaurant,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, burning down as quickly and as visibly as

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<v Speaker 3>it did, opened just these gates of people telling us

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<v Speaker 3>what a profound impact the restaurant had had on their

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<v Speaker 3>family and people called us crying, and we immediately started

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<v Speaker 3>to go fund me for our kitchen crew because most

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<v Speaker 3>of our crew has been with us over thirty years.

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<v Speaker 3>Think about that, over thirty years. I mean they were

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<v Speaker 3>family and they actually were family. They were all interrelated

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<v Speaker 3>from a small town in Wahaka who did a weaving

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<v Speaker 3>for us that was hanging in the restaurant that said

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<v Speaker 3>real in because you know, we funded the town, I

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<v Speaker 3>guess they just so that was our main concern and

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<v Speaker 3>when everything happened, we had to evacuate our home as

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<v Speaker 3>well here in Tapanga, so we found ourselves in Airbnb

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<v Speaker 3>and mar Vista, not really knowing what to do in

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<v Speaker 3>The first call that came in was the BBC London

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<v Speaker 3>and that was within hours of the burning, and we

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<v Speaker 3>started to gofund me and today we have raised over

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<v Speaker 3>two hundred thousand dollars for our crew and every penny

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<v Speaker 3>of it has gone into their pockets. And Wow, I'm

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<v Speaker 3>really so touched and grateful. From all around the world.

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<v Speaker 3>We've gotten donations from Istanbul, from South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, France, Ireland,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, one man sent in a thousand dollars from

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<v Speaker 3>the UK and he said, it's my first stop when

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<v Speaker 3>I get to Los Angeles. I always make sure that

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<v Speaker 3>I get to you guys, And so we had it

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<v Speaker 3>was just I said to my husband, after thirty seven years,

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<v Speaker 3>what a wonderful way to find out that something you've

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<v Speaker 3>given so much of your time in your life too

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<v Speaker 3>has had a good impact on the world. You know,

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<v Speaker 3>you like to know that at this.

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<v Speaker 1>Age, at your own funeral kind of exactly exactly.

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<v Speaker 3>And we're in our seventy I just turned seventy and

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<v Speaker 3>my husband's seventy six, and you know, people could say

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<v Speaker 3>you're going to rebuild, and we wanted to come back,

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<v Speaker 3>and we've had set in I er say, oh, we

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<v Speaker 3>can come and make it look exactly as it was. Sure, yeah,

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<v Speaker 3>but thirty seven years later. I mean a lot of

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<v Speaker 3>the old surfboards he had in the raptors were from

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<v Speaker 3>over one hundred years ago, like the first lifeguards in

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<v Speaker 3>Santa Monica. I mean, he collects that kind of stuff.

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<v Speaker 3>But now it's gone.

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<v Speaker 2>You can't.

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<v Speaker 3>I don't know that we'll be able to rebuild. We're

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<v Speaker 3>still waiting to hear from the State parks what their

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<v Speaker 3>plan is for Lower to Panga and for the Pch area.

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<v Speaker 3>They don't even know. I think they're still staging. They

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<v Speaker 3>were staging the EPA clean up by the end of April,

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<v Speaker 3>they're supposed to be done with that. They were staging

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<v Speaker 3>it at our site where the restaurant was. And then

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<v Speaker 3>now the Army Corps of Engineer Years is going in

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<v Speaker 3>and we don't really honestly know what's going to happen next.

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<v Speaker 3>So we were really truly so grateful to everyone who

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<v Speaker 3>gave money for our crew, because a lot of these folks,

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<v Speaker 3>with the current climate, even though they're legal, are terrified

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<v Speaker 3>of going out and applying for jobs. Sure, and they've

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<v Speaker 3>had this job for over thirty years. A couple of

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<v Speaker 3>people have never worked.

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<v Speaker 2>Anywhere else in their lives, and we take care of

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<v Speaker 2>our family.

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<v Speaker 3>They took care of us during COVID, and we took

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<v Speaker 3>care of them. The PPC we got the loan and

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<v Speaker 3>we gave that to them because we were okay.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, I'd like to give that out teddy to

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<v Speaker 1>those people. Is it still is the GoFundMe still active?

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, it is.

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<v Speaker 3>They're still active, and you can I think there's a

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<v Speaker 3>link on our website realin maildu dot com. So if

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<v Speaker 3>people would like to donate to our crew, we're still

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<v Speaker 3>dispersing funds to them. It's been going on since the

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<v Speaker 3>data fire started, and these a lot of our guys

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<v Speaker 3>that have not been able to find work. This is

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<v Speaker 3>how we, you know, we've been able to keep them

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<v Speaker 3>the rent paid in the food.

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<v Speaker 1>Real in Malibu dot com obviously R e e l

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<v Speaker 1>in Malibu dot com. You can also go to go

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<v Speaker 1>fundme and just search for real in Malibu Fire Recovery,

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<v Speaker 1>but it's very easy to go to reel in Malibu

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<v Speaker 1>dot com. Teddy Saraphine Leonard, owner of real in you

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<v Speaker 1>know it there in Malibu. The website is Real r

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<v Speaker 1>e E l in Malibu dot com. If you haven't

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<v Speaker 1>been there, it's hard to think of you as a Southlander.

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<v Speaker 1>There is a go funder go fundme page rather as well.

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<v Speaker 1>GoFundMe dot com look for real in Malibu Fire Recovery

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<v Speaker 1>or you can find a link at the real in

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<v Speaker 1>Malibu dot com website, and that is going entirely to

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<v Speaker 1>those that work there, the crew, the family that Teddy

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<v Speaker 1>was talking about. So Teddy you're wrestling, you and your

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<v Speaker 1>husband wrestling with rebuilding. You talk about, you know, the

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<v Speaker 1>things that were that hung on the walls, the things

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<v Speaker 1>that have been collected over the many years that reel

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<v Speaker 1>In has been there. I would, you know, respectfully say

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<v Speaker 1>that everything up on those walls was new at one

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<v Speaker 1>time or went up you know, went up there.

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<v Speaker 3>Yes, some of them one hundred years ago, but yes.

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<v Speaker 1>But you know what I'm saying, It was new to

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<v Speaker 1>you guys, or you gathered it and you put it

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<v Speaker 1>on the wall. And I see it more personally, being

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<v Speaker 1>kind of a philosophical guy, I see that place as

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<v Speaker 1>a mirror of you guys, and the people that have

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<v Speaker 1>worked there and the people that have frequented it, and

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<v Speaker 1>and that it's really you guys. All those things were

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<v Speaker 1>things that brought joy to your husband or to you

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<v Speaker 1>that made you think, oh, it's put it up on

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<v Speaker 1>the wall or somebody sending something in, and.

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<v Speaker 3>Oh, yeah, it's not.

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<v Speaker 1>It's the spirit of that family you guys created there,

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<v Speaker 1>and not the walls themselves anymore than a church, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>is God. So it's like, I hope whatever you guys

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<v Speaker 1>end up doing that those places are important. They they're

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<v Speaker 1>important to see. They're important to know that they exist

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<v Speaker 1>and that families are in there. And I'm not saying

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<v Speaker 1>corporations are bad, but you.

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<v Speaker 3>Know, I know I think the small business, You're correct.

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<v Speaker 3>I think the small business, the mom and pop shops

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<v Speaker 3>are what makes a community unique. It was one of

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<v Speaker 3>the things that made Malibu, it.

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<v Speaker 2>Makes Malibu so unique, is that there aren't.

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<v Speaker 3>Big corporations coming in. There are few now, but you

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<v Speaker 3>have you know, people come in, they know our crew,

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<v Speaker 3>they've been there thirty something years, and they say hello

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<v Speaker 3>to them, and they you know people, we have celebrities

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<v Speaker 3>that stand in line with surfers, that stand in line

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<v Speaker 3>with executives. You know, it was all walks of life,

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<v Speaker 3>and everybody was comfortable there and everyone was It feels

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<v Speaker 3>like it's theirs, you know, like like they belong there

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<v Speaker 3>and it's their home. I did have one funny thing, well,

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<v Speaker 3>a couple of funny things happened, and I think it

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<v Speaker 3>was Bordon Ramsay came through, David Beckham Broun through and

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<v Speaker 3>he mentioned the cooks, would you like me to come

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<v Speaker 3>back and cook? They didn't know who he was. They

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<v Speaker 3>like that, I'm liking you. No, we're not letting you

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<v Speaker 3>back exactly exactly, and then you know, you know, and

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<v Speaker 3>then similarly that time, you know, I said to our manager,

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<v Speaker 3>we had cameras in the restaurant, obviously, and I happened

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<v Speaker 3>to be looking at them. I said, just guys reaching

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<v Speaker 3>in the window and grabbing cups and things. You might

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<v Speaker 3>want to keep an eye on him. He goes, you

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<v Speaker 3>want me to keep an eye on David Beckham. I said, no, no,

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<v Speaker 3>he can have all the cups. He wants to know

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<v Speaker 3>that's mine, but.

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<v Speaker 1>You call me, I will punish him personally.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it was.

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<v Speaker 3>It was really cute. It was really cute because you

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<v Speaker 3>would have you know, there was a booth, a certain

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<v Speaker 3>booth in the restaurant that from time to time Dylan

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<v Speaker 3>would sit in and he would bring someone with them,

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<v Speaker 3>and they were very nondescript, and they would the person

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<v Speaker 3>would stand in line for them, and you'd stand in line.

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<v Speaker 3>You'd order your food, and you'd go back to your place.

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<v Speaker 3>You'd get your drinks and you go back to where

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<v Speaker 3>we're sitting and we'd call your name. And it was

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<v Speaker 3>great because our system was so bad that if you

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<v Speaker 3>could recognize your name, you knew you were a regular

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<v Speaker 3>when the cook would say that your was ready, it's

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<v Speaker 3>like your orders ready. And people knew, they just knew.

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<v Speaker 3>And it was so much a part of the community

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<v Speaker 3>that I felt sorrier for our customers than I did

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<v Speaker 3>for my husband and myself, because this is where we

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<v Speaker 3>had people that during COVID too, came every local loyals

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<v Speaker 3>came every week and they got their food, they said,

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<v Speaker 3>in the parking lot. And there was someone sent us

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<v Speaker 3>a video of a seagull trying to pack its way

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<v Speaker 3>through the windshield to get the food off the dashboard

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<v Speaker 3>of a car that was eating in the parking lot.

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<v Speaker 2>And you know, to give you an idea.

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<v Speaker 3>Our crew the first thing during COVID when we were

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<v Speaker 3>paying them out of our savings because there was no

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<v Speaker 3>PPPs or any of that yet, and they said, we

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<v Speaker 3>want to give you our money, our salaries back. We

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<v Speaker 3>don't want to take money from you. Guys. Well, this

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<v Speaker 3>is happening, and I just broke down because I also

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<v Speaker 3>sell real estate. You know, We're fine, and it's just

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<v Speaker 3>that is the kind of heart these people that work

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<v Speaker 3>for us half that's their soul. They when this happened,

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<v Speaker 3>the restaurant burned it down. They found out where we

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<v Speaker 3>were at our you know Airbnb. We weren't at home,

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<v Speaker 3>and they came there and they said, what can we

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<v Speaker 3>do for you? Can we come to your house?

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<v Speaker 2>Can we take care of you somehow?

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<v Speaker 1>Right now we're talking with Teddy Seraphine Leonard. She's the

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<v Speaker 1>owner of real In. You must know it there in Malibu,

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<v Speaker 1>seeing it as you drive the coast, which we are

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<v Speaker 1>blessed and incredibly lucky to have here in southern California.

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<v Speaker 1>It's the only thing worth the Texas, let's be honest.

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<v Speaker 1>And I wanted her to talk a little bit more

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<v Speaker 1>about the reel In because this is and has been

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<v Speaker 1>an important part of the food scene and the comfort

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<v Speaker 1>that food brings to southern California. Keep in mind, you

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<v Speaker 1>can find out more at reel in Malibu r e

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<v Speaker 1>e l in Malibu dot com. There's a link there

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<v Speaker 1>for a GoFundMe page that goes directly to the workers

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<v Speaker 1>that have been working there for a long time. You

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<v Speaker 1>said some like thirty years.

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, and fair too.

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<v Speaker 3>The employees were there when my husband got the restaurant

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<v Speaker 3>thirty seven years ago.

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<v Speaker 2>Wow, And so they've been there longer.

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<v Speaker 3>Than he has, and they're all sort of she's married

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<v Speaker 3>to each other, and it's just it's kind of a

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<v Speaker 3>unique story and that it is family.

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<v Speaker 1>So you were telling you one of the things that

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<v Speaker 1>stood out that was very sweet to me, Teddy. You

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<v Speaker 1>were talking about how, you know, the famous, the rich,

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<v Speaker 1>we're standing next to surfers and you know, politicians and whatever,

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<v Speaker 1>and food is the equalizer in that. I love that.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, it's not a fancy place, but equalized everyone.

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<v Speaker 3>Oh, it really did. And it was funny because we

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<v Speaker 3>would also get people that were going to you know,

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<v Speaker 3>large galas and Malibu and they'd say, oh, we're stopping

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<v Speaker 3>here to eat first, because they just you know, have

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<v Speaker 3>these little finger things at the gatherings and we want

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<v Speaker 3>a plate full of food, and our crew we would

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<v Speaker 3>have to kind of say, guys, you don't want to

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<v Speaker 3>keep throwing food away. They would overheat people's plates like

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<v Speaker 3>they were at their own home in Mohaka. You know,

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<v Speaker 3>we tried everything this long now, like okay, two scoops

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<v Speaker 3>of that and two scoops of that with this particular spoof.

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<v Speaker 3>None of it worked. They just did it like it

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<v Speaker 3>was their mother trying to fatten them up, and it

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<v Speaker 3>was hilarious.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, we couldn't.

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<v Speaker 3>That was one thing. And just they everything was fresh,

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<v Speaker 3>Everything was made on site every day. The fish was

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<v Speaker 3>delivered fresh every single day, the same fish vendors that

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<v Speaker 3>were delivering the Maestro's and Thenovu and the other restaurants

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<v Speaker 3>the same fish, not the same price when we solved it.

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<v Speaker 3>But we didn't have table claws or waiters or any

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<v Speaker 3>of that. But we had really good fresh fish. And

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<v Speaker 3>they made up the chipotle sauce, they made up the salsa,

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<v Speaker 3>they made up all the spices for the caju and

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<v Speaker 3>they did that. We were laughing, and I so I'd

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<v Speaker 3>love to get the recipes. We talked about doing a

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<v Speaker 3>cookbook and putting the recipes and raise more money.

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<v Speaker 2>For the crew.

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<v Speaker 3>And you know, they would grab handfuls of spices and

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<v Speaker 3>you can't really quantify that.

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<v Speaker 2>So I was trying to find them.

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<v Speaker 3>If we do a cookbook, we need to have actual

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<v Speaker 3>measurements on what you put in. And that's not how

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<v Speaker 3>I mean. It was all very It was very much

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<v Speaker 3>like I said, a mom and pop place. People knew us,

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<v Speaker 3>they knew our crew, our crew knew them, and everybody

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<v Speaker 3>felt like they owned it. You know. That was one

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<v Speaker 3>thing my husband loved. It's a culture he set up.

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<v Speaker 3>This belongs to the community, and you know, people would

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<v Speaker 3>walk in and decide with their group, oh, we're going

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<v Speaker 3>to move these tables over here and move those chairs

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<v Speaker 3>over there, and you know, they would do whatever they

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<v Speaker 3>wanted to do. They'd bring their dogs out on the

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<v Speaker 3>patio on the weekends and it was just it was

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<v Speaker 3>lovely to have that kind of culture in that kind

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<v Speaker 3>of gathering place for the community. And I hope even

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<v Speaker 3>if we don't do it, I hope someone else does.

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<v Speaker 3>But our crew has all come back to us and said, look,

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<v Speaker 3>we're going to you know, I said, I want you

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<v Speaker 3>guys to get jobs because we don't know how long

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<v Speaker 3>this is going to take, and I don't know how

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<v Speaker 3>much more I can raise the GoFundMe.

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<v Speaker 2>And we've got a way to.

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<v Speaker 3>See because our income obviously stopped when the restaurant down.

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<v Speaker 2>And that they work for some of them.

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<v Speaker 3>A couple of them. We have them coming up and

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<v Speaker 3>doing yard work for us, just to keep people yeah yeah,

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<v Speaker 3>and paying and being able to pay them. All of

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<v Speaker 3>our crew was legal. Over the years, we had helped

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<v Speaker 3>them get their green cards and their citizenship, but still

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<v Speaker 3>they're concerned with what's happening, and I'm concerned for people

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<v Speaker 3>with what's happening right now.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, we're hearing a lot of that obviously, and that's

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<v Speaker 1>been something that has been throughout the food industry for

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<v Speaker 1>a long time. And as I said earlier on the show,

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<v Speaker 1>if there's people you don't want here because they're bad,

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<v Speaker 1>then there should be people that you do want here

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<v Speaker 1>because they're good, and you know, and being able to

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<v Speaker 1>decide and have a system is the best way, in

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<v Speaker 1>the reasonable way. Just one more moment here, Heaven forbid.

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<v Speaker 1>But you guys deserve your time too. You put in

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of love, so you deserve your time too

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<v Speaker 1>and are allowed for that. And hopefully someone takes that

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<v Speaker 1>legacy with your guidance. What do you want people to

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<v Speaker 1>remember or think? What do you I know we right

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<v Speaker 1>now go to really in Malibu dot com click the

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<v Speaker 1>link for the GoFundMe to help pay for the workers.

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<v Speaker 1>It's not going to you and your husband, it's going

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<v Speaker 1>to your workers. But what do you want them to

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<v Speaker 1>think about when they think about that neon sign of

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<v Speaker 1>the you know, the fish jumping and something that we've

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<v Speaker 1>seen in Malibu forever what do you want them to

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<v Speaker 1>remember and think about.

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<v Speaker 3>The spirit of Malibu, the community of Malibu, and to

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<v Speaker 3>Panga and the palisades that if you go to I

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<v Speaker 3>hopefully still on our Instagram or our website. Many many

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<v Speaker 3>people came forward with so many stories that I'd say

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<v Speaker 3>the first two days, three actually two weeks after it

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<v Speaker 3>burned down, I found myself I could only read two

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<v Speaker 3>a day because I would just start crying. I was

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<v Speaker 3>so moved by what other people felt they had lost.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, I know what my husband and I lost,

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<v Speaker 3>but it was more impactful to us that all these

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<v Speaker 3>other the community lost. It was a community loss.

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<v Speaker 2>And yeah, so if.

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<v Speaker 3>We get to rebuild, We're hoping our son, Jack, my

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<v Speaker 3>step son, my husband's son, Jack is in the food industry.

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<v Speaker 3>We're trying to convince him to come down and maybe,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, take the lead on this because he does

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<v Speaker 3>manage restaurants in Seattle. But not sure, not sure. I mean,

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<v Speaker 3>I don't know what's happening. And I feel very badly

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<v Speaker 3>for the restaurants in Malibu. And if people your listeners

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<v Speaker 3>get a chance somehow they get to Malibou, or that

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<v Speaker 3>they take the one on one to Malibu canyon and

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<v Speaker 3>go over. There are wonderful restaurants that really need your

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<v Speaker 3>patronage right now that are going through such a hard time.

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<v Speaker 3>Their businesses are down by like eighty percent from last year,

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<v Speaker 3>and ours burned down in a weird way. We were

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<v Speaker 3>blessed because we had insurance and you know, otherwise we

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<v Speaker 3>would be going through our savings like we did during COVID.

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<v Speaker 3>And I think that's something that if people go to

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<v Speaker 3>the beach, it's lovely. You know, maybe not in the water,

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<v Speaker 3>but look at it.

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<v Speaker 1>Look at it, take pictures, don't stip in it.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, you know, I'm not. The reports are great, but

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<v Speaker 3>you know there's some lovely places like oh see that.

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<v Speaker 3>Just these restaurants really they need us right now. It'd

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<v Speaker 3>be nice to see people go out and patronize them.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, it is my job to ring that bell every Saturday,

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<v Speaker 1>and I'll continue to do it. My friend, I appreciate

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<v Speaker 1>you that you came on and took the time. I

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<v Speaker 1>know you've got a lot going on. Please keep us

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<v Speaker 1>posted on any changes, and my producer and I will

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<v Speaker 1>make sure that everybody knows what's happening. And if I

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<v Speaker 1>can say, one last tip is to your step son.

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<v Speaker 1>Every time it's raining there and it's sunny here, Colin,

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<v Speaker 1>Oh my gosh, it's so beautiful right now. Oh it's raining.

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<v Speaker 1>Oh my god, honey, that's so horrible. It is. It's

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<v Speaker 1>eighty five here right now. Well, oh, why are you

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<v Speaker 1>coming through your windows? Oh my god, that sounds horrible.

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<v Speaker 3>And then that's hilarious. It's true. Well, he grew up here,

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<v Speaker 3>so he knows what the weather's like here.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I don't remind him, you're right.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, thank you so much for that, and thanks for

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<v Speaker 3>having me.

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<v Speaker 1>Teddy A. Seraphine Leonard, owner of reel in and again.

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<v Speaker 1>You can find everything out at real in Malibu dot

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<v Speaker 1>com reel in Malibu dot com