By Tricia J. Capistrano

After 16 years as a federal prosecutor, Marisa Seifan was looking for a change in her life, though she didn’t think that would mean switching careers.

For one thing, she was at the top of her field. “I was chief of my unit–a real prosecutor’s prosecutor,” said Seifan.

Then a chance conversation with her brother-in-law, who is a neurologist, led her on a surprising new life path.

“He was telling us that Alzheimer’s disease can appear in the brain 20 years before a person exhibits any symptoms,” she recalled.

That struck a nerve with Seifan and the rest of her family, who  began wondering if diet could help keep the brain healthy.

That led to what Seifan initially assumed would be a  side business: a restaurant funded by family and friends that focused on nutritious food that would be good for the body and the brain. They called it “Honeybrains” because honey is a natural sweetener and healthier than refined sugar. It also happens to be a term of endearment for a loved one. 

But Marisa quickly learned that if she wanted the restaurant to succeed, she needed to be there full time. Her colleagues were surprised by her decision; her mother even more so.

“Imagine telling your Filipino mom, who is a doctor, that you are going to quit being a lawyer to open a restaurant!” Marisa shared. “I don’t understand what you’re telling me. That doesn’t make sense to me,” her mom answered.

Marisa’s mom, 85 and originally from Davao, is now fully on board. She also makes it a point to eat at Honeybrains regularly–and to pay each time she visits. She says she has so many friends in the Philippines who used to own restaurants. “I say ‘used to’  because they kept feeding their friends  for free and their restaurants closed!”

Going for it

Once Marisa left her prosecution job, she made it her mission to learn as much about the restaurant world as possible, applying for and gaining acceptance to a women’s entrepreneurship program run by the James Beard Foundation. “That  gave me a lot of skills on how to run restaurants in a very supportive environment.”

Through that program, she was also introduced to the late Michelle Gauthier, who owned Mulberry and Vine, also  a fast casual restaurant. Gauthier became her mentor.

Honeybrains now has three branches in New York City–one in the Flatiron neighborhood, another in Noho, and a third location at Saks Fifth Avenue, with two more spots on the way.

So sarap!

Marisa says that their food is different because each bowl they put together is thoughtful, like the Power oatmeal with tri-color quinoa and warm spiced coconut milk, one of their breakfast staples.

“When you come to Honeybrains, we’ve done all the hard work so you can trust that our bowls are nutritious and delicious. We want you to feel like a weight has been removed from your shoulders,” she said.

The Chirashi Sushi bowl– brown rice, nori, shallots, avocado, cucumber and wasabi sauce– is a popular dish. It has a kick–but not so strong that you end up with a shooting pain in the nostrils. If you’re not a bowl person, there’s the hearty grass-fed steak with two eggs on the breakfast menu and turkey bacon cobb salad and  grilled “kim cheese” sandwich for lunch.

Like many restaurateurs trying to stay open during the pandemic, Seifan had to think creatively and learn to pivot.

“Business was slow, but our customers who lived in the neighborhood came to pick up food and expressed their gratitude that we were still open. We also lowered our prices so non-profit groups could order food for seniors and people working on the front lines, like health care workers.”

Perhaps because of her high stress career as a prosecutor, Seifan has learned to take the ups and downs of the business in stride. Her motto, taken from her favorite self-help  book, The Four Agreements,  is “Don’t take things personally.”

“I constantly tell my employees a customer yelling is not about you, it’s about whatever they’re going through.”

Mostly, though, she feels grateful.

“I’ve met so many more people now that I’ve gotten out of the legal world. So  many interesting customers, really interesting employees, lots of people in lots of businesses, it’s expanded my universe. Basically, I’ve never looked back!”

This article originally appeared in Tutong Newsletter that highlights the risks and rewards of being a Filipino American entrepreneur.