News

Urban Eats Cafe owners recognized for business diversity

October 17, 2010

The owners of Urban Eats Café have been named to the St. Louis Business Journal's 2010 class of Diverse Business Leaders. The awards promote diversity in the business community around race, sexual orientation and disability.

Urban Eats and the Urban Arts Collective are owned by John Chen and his business partner and wife, Caya Aufiero.

Chen grew up near Shanghai, China, and came to the United States in the early 1990s for graduate school at Washington University. Chen and Aufiero -- a St. Louis native -- have been living and working in the Dutchtown neighborhood for five years.

The couple's Urban Eats Café also received a Bronze Level Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB) award. The official announcement was made at Interbike in Las Vegas on September 23 during the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) Industry Breakfast.

“Urban Eats Café is making simple changes to their transportation policies to encourage biking to work and incorporating bicycling events into their overall marketing plan. They are setting a community-wide example,” said Andy Clarke, League president, in a news release.

Businesses that apply for the award are those that contribute to creating a more bicycle-friendly lifestyle for their employees.