Reaching for New Heights
A new wave of restaurateurs discuss what it takes to succeed in the Big Apple.
Interior of C as in Charlie
For restaurateurs and chefs in New York City, if you can succeed in arguably the most competitive and demanding restaurant city in the United States, then you can likely succeed anywhere else in the country—and perhaps the world.
Restaurants in New York are faced with near-constant uphill battles: rents as high as its skyscrapers, complicated vendor permits and regulations, difficult contractors, expensive labor costs, increasing food prices and service-related goods, competition for diners’ attention in a saturated market, and new obstacles arising every day.
If opening just one restaurant is so difficult in the city given all these limitations, how are restaurateurs managing to scale up to two, three, and even more restaurants? These aren’t large, national restaurant chains or franchises with outside investments, rather smaller independent restaurant groups, sometimes family-run, that are deeply enmeshed with their team and the customers they serve.
These budding independent restaurant groups are flourishing, and also paving the way for their teams’ development. So, how are they doing it?
Kelly Mencin and Rafiq Salim of Rolo’s and Radio Bakery
David Yun and Steve Choi of C as in Charlie and Kisa
Opening in NYC
Opening a restaurant in New York can be both exhilarating and challenging. There is an extreme density of people in the city and a large audience to reach.
“The city’s diverse and adventurous dining audience provides an unparalleled opportunity to showcase unique culinary concepts to a global clientele. New York offers high visibility and a platform for widespread recognition,” says David Yun, co-owner of the Korean restaurants C as in Charlie and Kisa.
Another benefit is the quality of motivated staff in the city. “People move here to specifically work in the best restaurants in the nation, so there is always access to excellent talent. If you hit the right balance between seats, cover count, labor, and popularity, you can most definitely turn a profit and make a living,” says Rafiq Salim, managing partner of Rolo’s, Radio Bakery, and Hellbender.
The dynamic energy of the city and its potential for growth and creativity make it an incredibly rewarding place to operate, says Yun. “The city’s diverse population allows us to share [our cuisine] with a broader audience, blending traditional flavors with contemporary interpretations.”
Starting a restaurant business in one of the world’s culinary capitals is obviously not without its struggles. There is a high barrier for entry, and it continues to rise.
“The start-up costs to open a restaurant, the design, the lease requirements, kitchen equipment, contractors, and insurance are all really expensive, as well as the time one must put into their new restaurant. Building a restaurant from scratch in New York City takes at least eight to 12 months,” says Salim.
But, paradoxically, the long amount of time it takes to open a restaurant may feel shorter for those from other countries. “As Italians, we are used to much more complicated and longer bureaucratic procedures. The fact that obtaining a temporary wine license in just one and a half months is possible in the United States is a positive for us,” say Monia Solighetto and Alessandro Trezza, owners of the Italian concepts Terre, D'Antan, Spes, and Have & Meyer.
For some restaurant groups, other impediments to breaking into the culinary scene are fueled by lack of awareness. Over the past nine years, Ellia and Junghyun Park of NA:EUN Hospitality, the Korean-focused restaurant group which encompasses Atomix, Atoboy, and Naro, say a lot has changed when it comes to the popularity of Korean food in New York City. Atomix was first recognized on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2019.
“It felt like a milestone, not just for us, but for Korean cuisine. As Atomix has continued to receive recognition, it’s been incredible to see how it has sparked more interest in not just our restaurant, but in Korean food and culture, and even Korea, as a whole. That said, it’s still challenging compared to more globally recognized cuisines,” they say.
Other growing independent restaurant groups, rather than face a recognition problem, are facing a perception issue when it comes to their particular cuisine. For Chef-Founder Chintan Kiran Pandya and Founder-CEO Roni Mazumdar of Unapologetic Foods, which includes Indian food concepts such as Adda, Dhamaka, and Rowdy Rooster, it sometimes feels like an uphill climb “since the public perception of value and price are different for ‘ethnic’ cuisines…If the public perceives these cuisines as ‘cheap’ or ‘not high end,’ we address it by focusing on the highest quality ingredients,” they say.
Interior of Atomix
Chef/Owner Chintan Pandya of Unapologetic Foods
To Each Their Own Structure
There is no “one-size-fits-all” leadership structure for starting or growing an independent restaurant group. Some have clearly defined roles, others are more blended, some are family-run businesses or husband-wife teams.
There are more “classic” restaurant groups, like Unapologetic Foods, with clear-cut roles. The group is led by the partnership of Pandya and Mazumdar. Pandya focuses on product and operations and has an entire vertical under him, while Mazumdar oversees business growth and strategy. Unapologetic also has their own human resources, finance, business development, and maintenance teams to support the organization. All restaurant chefs and managers report to the Director of Operations who then reports to Pandya.
At NA:EUN Hospitality, the Parks, a husband and wife team, both guide the overall vision and direction of the group, while also clearly defining and delegating roles to their team.
“Supporting us are directors who help bring that vision to life and manage the finer details. Each director focuses on a specific area—operations, people and culture, or beverages—and they work closely with all of the restaurant managers to ensure our standards are upheld. Every two weeks, we meet with the directors and managers from all of our restaurants to review the business, discuss important topics, and make decisions together,” they say.
Others are family-run groups or romantic partnerships with less defined business roles, like Solighetto and Trezza.
“There is a very high commitment from all parts: Our business is our life, we enjoy the successes and support each other in the hard times. We are completely self-funded,” says Solighetto and Trezza.
Chef Jeremy Salamon of Agi’s Counter and his second restaurant Pitt’s runs his restaurant group, Olive Juice Hospitality, with his boyfriend Michael Herman. There are really no clear roles or specific responsibilities between the two of them. Salamon manages the culinary side of things, but everything else is a true partnership, they say.
There are even conceptually defined roles when it comes to figuring out how to run a restaurant group. Yun thinks of their business infrastructure like this: he is the “offensive player” who oversees customer-facing initiatives, private events, new projects, and weekly and monthly management meetings. His focus is on maintaining company culture and enhancing the guest experience. His business partner, Steve Choi, is the “defensive player” who manages internal operations, including financial systems, compliance, and administrative tasks.
“The management team is divided into [those] offensive roles and defensive roles,” says Yun. “Chefs bridge these roles by managing BOH operations such as inventory, menu development, and food quality. This structure ensures efficient operations and a cohesive vision.”
And finally, there are unique independent restaurant group business structures that operate more independently and democratically amongst the group depending on the restaurant. Take Salim and business partner Howard Kalachnikoff’s collection of restaurants for instance.
“Our restaurant group doesn’t operate under a single ‘brand’ in the traditional sense. We don’t have a public-facing name, website, or Instagram. Instead, we’re a collection of independent food businesses that share ownership, management, and resources. We want each location to have its own distinct identity, shaped by the staff who work there and the guests who visit,” explains Salim.
Since ownership varies slightly between all the individual businesses, it is a collective effort where the chef-partners lead each of the restaurants together. They put high-level management in place and have empowered them to make decisions about the day-to-day operations of their respective establishments.
“We all liked each other before we became business partners and continue to make high-level decisions together. If we ever don’t agree, we take a vote and respect the outcome. We all have a mix of responsibilities and trust each other to hold one another accountable,” says Salim.
Chef/Owner Jeremy Salamon of Agi’s Counter and Pitts
Menu Cards At Atomix
Growing with Integrity
How do restaurateurs know when it is time to open their next restaurant? There really is no agreed upon specific point that determines “when” restaurateurs should open their next establishment.
NA:EUN Hospitality actually planned their first two restaurants at the same time. Their third came during the pandemic. With their first restaurant, they didn’t know much and learned everything as they went. By the time they opened their fourth, they had a lot more experience and a clearer process they could rely on and share with their team.
“Honestly, we don’t believe there’s ever a perfect time to feel ‘ready.’ It’s about taking the chance and making it happen, even when the timing feels uncertain…no matter how much experience we gain, opening a restaurant is never easy” the Parks say.
Pandya and Mazumdar feel similarly: “We were never fully ready, we took a chance. By the third one, it became a bit more calculated because the basics of running the business were being covered. The first [restaurant] is about how hard you work, and the fifth one is about how smartly you can enable others to work and believe in the vision,” says Mazumdar.
For some, opening subsequent restaurants is a little bit more calculated. For example, Yun says that they knew they were ready to open a second restaurant when their first location achieved operational stability and their team demonstrated readiness for new challenges.
“The success of our first restaurant attracted talented individuals, and we realized that expanding would provide more opportunities for their growth. This ‘bigger pie’ approach ensured our team had room to develop and thrive, ultimately strengthening our organization,” says Yun.
Growth for independent restaurant groups means different things to each owner and operator. Across the board, though, there’s a mix of familiar factors: consistency, competitive salaries, a menu and wine list based on their philosophy, team-work, excellent service, memorable environments, and customer loyalty. But growth isn’t just about opening more restaurants for these groups. Above all, people and relationships are key.
So, how exactly are these leaders supporting their teams as they grow? It means investing in people and systems, and being mindful about resource management.
“By resource management, we mean strategically allocating and optimizing our financial, human, and operational resources to ensure sustainability and profitability. This includes managing food costs by minimizing waste, negotiating with suppliers for quality ingredients at competitive prices, and efficiently scheduling staff. It also involves maintaining a healthy cash flow to meet high operational costs and reinvesting in areas that drive growth, such as marketing, equipment upgrades, and staff training, ” says Yun.
Unapologetic Foods invests in better systems from point of service to payroll and makes sure that growth is accelerated by proper systems and procedures in a disciplined way.
“It may not seem immediately necessary, but yields significant results long-term. For instance, having an in-house HR team. Many might think it’s something you can get by without, but we believe it’s essential for sustainable growth,” say Pandya and Mazumdar.
And yes, competitive salaries and a flexible schedule are a factor.
“We offer bonuses to the entire staff—not just management—during the holidays as a way to personally thank everyone for their hard work and dedication,” says Yun. They also promote from within, fund culinary training programs, and provide flexible working schedules.
Sometimes, their team’s growth can be something as overlooked as providing well-organized recipes and guidelines, like the Parks of NA:EUN Hospitality do, to help their team members learn and grow, while also encouraging them to understand the nuances of ingredients and flavors that change with the seasons.
Investing heavily in training and mentorship, and ensuring everyone has a clear path to advancement are key to Yun and Choi. Additionally, with two different concepts, they encourage their management team to rotate between the locations to allow them to gain insights into the strengths and challenges of each restaurant.
“We also keep open lines of communication with our staff, taking time to listen to their goals and what they seek in this chapter of their lives. By creating these pathways for growth, we ensure our team members feel valued, empowered, and deeply connected to the restaurant’s success,” says Yun.
