00:00Talk to us about, you know, what led to this book. Why put this out now?
00:04Because I feel it's so important to do it now, not after I retire, because there's so much they don't
00:07teach you in school about my business and in life.
00:10So I thought, why not put it down now and just have a blueprint for people to live their life?
00:16Absolutely. Well, let's talk a little bit about your life and your business.
00:19As I said, you know, hospitality titan here.
00:22Wow.
00:24Great word.
00:24I love that.
00:25Well, talk to us about, you know, how you sort of built up that business.
00:30And when you look into the future, you think about expanding at this point where your mind goes.
00:35I mean, you know, my mind definitely goes to overseas.
00:38I want to expand the brand, not just in America, but overseas as well.
00:42And just take in the concepts that we have in Miami that do so well and in Vegas and bring
00:46them global.
00:48So when you bring these brands overseas, how do you think about that?
00:52Because every consumer is different, every country, every nation.
00:55So do you do your research first?
00:57Do you have a team?
00:57How do you differentiate?
00:58So, of course, you want to partner with the best in class in that market.
01:02And to learn the landscape is very, very important.
01:04And what about the pricing power of consumers?
01:07I mean, a dollar goes a long way.
01:09And, like, my family is in Asia.
01:10That's what they say.
01:11How do you know how to price?
01:13What premium is there?
01:14And maybe talk to us about the trends of the consumer today.
01:17So, I mean, as long as you're in an experienced entertainment space,
01:20people always want to have fun and just enjoy themselves.
01:23So I think the dollar stretches a little bit farther for something like that other than, you know, smaller concepts.
01:30But I think at the end of the day, people really want to have fun and experience.
01:32So we try to give that to them but also give them great food at the same time.
01:36Yeah.
01:37And I wonder, I mean, do you find yourself leaning towards one area versus another when you're thinking about different
01:43locations, experience versus the food itself?
01:46I mean, what does that look like in Vegas versus Miami?
01:50Or can you kind of paint with a similar book?
01:52I mean, I think Miami and Vegas are very similar with people are there to let loose over the next
01:56couple of days and stuff like that.
01:58But, listen, as we look at other markets, you know, like Scottsdale, Nashville, is there $20 million restaurants there?
02:03Do they have room for big, big places?
02:06Do they?
02:08I mean, yes, yes, they do.
02:12There you go.
02:13Well, let's talk a little bit, too, about, you know, your strategy as it pertains to partnering with celebrities.
02:19I know that, you know, you recently teamed up with Bad Bunny.
02:22I mean, how do you approach a relationship such as that?
02:26It was the opposite.
02:27So that relationship, as he did his Live Nation deal, put in there that I would have to do a
02:31restaurant with him.
02:32So I was so happy and honored to be able to do a space with one of my friends.
02:36When you look across your portfolio, is there any one clearer signal you look at to tell you whether the
02:41consumer, high-end consumer, rather, is still healthy and alive and well and willing to spend?
02:45Yeah.
02:46As long as I wake up in the morning, I don't see red, I think I'm doing okay.
02:50But that's, I mean, that really, we have so much data now, different than back in the old days of
02:55being a restaurateur.
02:57We have so much data and we can tell the trends ahead of time, which is great.
03:00So in your world, you have so much pricing power, especially in your restaurants.
03:04Are you still able to push your prices up like in Kamado or other of those hotspots?
03:09As long as they feel like they're still getting a value, like Poppy Stick, we sell a $1,000 beef
03:13case, but people think it's a value.
03:15So as long as you're giving the guest that experience and they think it's priced right, yes.
03:20You want to put it in your house.
03:20Yeah.
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