IN HOSPITALITY’S HIGHEST CIRCLES, power isn’t measured by Instagram followers or TikTok trends. It’s brokered in eight-figure deals, tables no one can book, and the transformation of entire neighborhoods with a single lease. Observer’s Nightlife & Dining Power List celebrates these players: cultural architects who understand that true luxury isn’t about price tags—it’s about making the extraordinary feel effortless.
Over the past 18 months, these honorees proved themselves by mastering the art of expansion without compromise, turning bold ideas into global phenomena while preserving the magic of their first endeavors. Their ventures, from Michelin-starred sanctuaries to private clubs where connections trump cash, have redefined modern hospitality and exclusivity.
While others chased fads, they set the rules. These are stories of power and precision—how timing, taste and tenacity shape the way we drink, dine and define the good life. These are the visionaries behind the tables and dance floors we’ll never forget.
A project of this scope requires immense collaboration and dedication. Thank you to the following individuals for their contributions: Morgan Halberg (Observer Lifestyle Editor), Sonia Rubeck (Observer Editorial Assistant), Naisha Roy (Lifestyle Intern) and Merin Curotto (Observer Head of Content Strategy).
Chef Niven Patel and Mohamed “Mo” Alkassar have turned Florida’s dining scene into their personal sandbox, with Feal Hospitality emerging as the state’s savviest—and most ambitious—restaurant group. Their James Beard nominations for Best Chef: South and Best Restaurateur signal they’re playing a different game entirely, juggling an ever-expanding empire that spans Indian, Italian, Mediterranean and Islander cuisines without ever breaking a sweat.
“Each of our restaurants tells a story about our life, our travels, our family and our upbringing,” they tell Observer. Their debut, Ghee Indian Kitchen, redefined Indian dining in America before sprouting a Wynwood sibling and an Atlanta outpost on the horizon. Coral Gables’ Erba followed suit, landing on Esquire‘s Best New Restaurants list faster than you can say “carbonara.” Then there’s Paya, their latest masterstroke: a $75 tasting menu that feels like discovering Hermès at a thrift store. “Building and running a restaurant shouldn’t sacrifice affordability or quality,” Alkassar says, offering a glimpse into the rare blend of idealism and pragmatism that’s become their signature.
Patel’s Homestead farm, Rancho Patel, supplies their kitchens with hyperlocal ingredients, while Alkassar grows talent with the same devotion—Jessica Brady, for instance, climbed from intern to managing director under his guidance. “I live to mentor,” Alkassar says. As Ghee plots its national expansion, Patel and Alkassar are proving that authenticity can scale—if handled with care. “You don’t have to be just one thing,” Patel notes. Alkassar adds, “But at the heart of it all, our love for hospitality ties everything together.” With every new venture, they’re setting the standard for what’s next.
With 26 venues stretching from Paris to Dubai, Beverly Hills to Doha, chef Akira Back has done the impossible: turned his name into hospitality’s most exportable luxury brand without losing an ounce of its edge. This year alone, Back has pulled off a series of power moves that would send most restaurateurs into early retirement. He transplanted his Michelin-starred Dosa from Seoul to London’s Mandarin Oriental, debuted Norikaya, a hand-roll bar in Los Angeles, and unveiled AB Steak, a San Francisco steakhouse that proves his finesse isn’t confined to Asian fusion. By November, he’d topped off the Mandarin Oriental with ABar Lounge & Rooftop, where London’s skyline became his latest stage, complete with DJs and craft cocktails.
While others might pause to bask in the glow, Back is already sketching blueprints for his next ten conquests. Rome, Bali, Taipei and Florence are on his two-year docket—suggesting that his current roster of 26 restaurants is just the appetizer to a far grander feast. What sets Back apart isn’t just the scale of his empire but his consistent elevation of dining into theater. From Yellowtail’s high-octane Vegas allure to Dosa’s elegant London reinvention, every opening feels unmistakably Back—a daring feat when most chefs struggle to maintain their identity across even a single zip code.
In an industry where global expansion often waters down the magic, Back makes ubiquity feel like exclusivity.
Since stepping in as global CEO of José Andrés Group (JAG) in May, Sam Bakhshandehpour has hit the ground at full throttle, reshaping the culinary powerhouse and steering it boldly into the hospitality sector. While JAG’s restaurants are already fixtures in luxury hotels worldwide, 2027 will see the group’s first standalone hotel: Bazaar House. This 67-room Georgetown jewel, developed with Thor Equities, is set to be a José Andrés-branded fantasia, complete with a private membership club, multiple chef-curated dining venues, a wellness center, event spaces, and high-end retail. Ambitious? Of course. Excessive? Absolutely—and that’s the point.
“Much of our development is propelled by finding great hotel partners who share our belief that food has transformative and transportive power,” Bakhshandehpour tells Observer. This blend of culinary theatrics and luxury hospitality is JAG’s guiding principle, or as he calls it, their “north star.” The strategy is paying off handsomely.
In August, Bakhshandehpour and Andrés unveiled Bazaar Mar, the chef’s fifth Las Vegas restaurant, a surrealist spectacle where avant-garde cuisine meets performance art. By November, JAG had added a lounge at Reagan Airport in partnership with Capital One, proving they can deliver prestige as seamlessly as convenience. Next up are expansions into Los Angeles, South Florida and new ground in Arizona. JAG’s recent partnership with Hyatt at the forthcoming Andaz Miami Beach cements its foothold in high-end hotel dining. With food and beverage programs in five properties, it plans to reach eight by next year. Bakhshandehpour isn’t content to preserve José Andrés’ legacy—he’s here to amplify it, transforming JAG into a global hospitality juggernaut.
In a world where culinary empires often trade integrity for expansion, Nancy Silverton and Joe Bastianich have turned Osteria Mozza into the unicorn of luxury dining: a global brand that hasn’t sold its soul. The James Beard Award-winning Silverton, who famously sold La Brea Bakery for a cool $80–90 million in 2002, has teamed up with Bastianich to take Mozza from an L.A. insider’s favorite to an international powerhouse that still feels personal—no small feat in an industry littered with hollow franchises.
Their latest triumph? A 20,000-square-foot culinary stronghold in Georgetown, brought into existance with nightlife impresario Stephen Starr. The November debut marked Mozza’s Washington, D.C. arrival, complete with its signature mozzarella bar, private dining nooks, and a market so meticulously curated it practically begs for its own James Beard nod.
“Traveling the world, exploring new cultures, and sharing Mozza on a global scale have been the highlights of my career,” Silverton tells Observer. She says it without a trace of weariness, despite overseeing outposts from Singapore to Saudi Arabia. Her mission? To ensure that whether you’re in L.A., London, or D.C., Mozza feels consistently top-tier.
For Bastianich, their success comes down to one thing: partnerships. “We’ve been very fortunate to work with great partners who understand our vision,” he says. That vision continues to evolve, with the duo’s next experiment—a Korean-Italian pasta bar in L.A.’s Koreatown—already in the works. It’s precisely this kind of fearless innovation that keeps Mozza gleaming in a city—and an industry—where reputations fade faster than a souffle left unattended.
Since launching Noble 33 in 2021, Tosh Berman and Mikey Tanha have wasted no time planting their flag in North America’s hottest dining destinations. In just a few years, they’ve gone coast to coast—from Los Angeles to Toronto, Vegas to Miami—with a roster that reads like a who’s-who of A-list-approved restaurants. In 2024 alone, they unveiled a Miami outpost of Sparrow Italia, frequented by the likes of Alicia Keys, Serena Williams and Cameron Diaz, and brought their luxe Mexican steakhouse, Toca Madera, to Houston with all the fine-dining theatrics you’d expect.
“We’re extremely proud of what our combined team has accomplished,” Tanha, Noble 33’s CEO, tells Observer. And they’re not slowing down. This year, they announced 1587 Prime, a new American steakhouse backed by Super Bowl champs Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes, slated to open in 2025. Add to that the launch of Noble Noir, an ultra-exclusive membership program offering insider access to dining and events.
With new venues planned across Houston, Los Angeles, Dallas, Nashville and Miami, Berman and Tanha’s vision for 2025 and 2026 is ambitious but calculated. “We continue to be humbled by our guests’ loyalty as they follow us around the globe,” Tanha says. The real magic? Their ability to make each new venture feel perfectly tailored to its city—rapid growth without losing the personal touch. Noble 33 is creating destinations that keep the jet set coming back for more.
Eugene Remm and Mark Birnbaum reshaped the dining landscape in 2011 with the launch of Catch in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District, blending top-tier cuisine with an unmistakable sense of occasion. Their 2017 partnership with billionaire Tilman Fertitta—the Houston Rockets owner known for supersizing America’s most successful nightlife and establishments—propelled Catch into a national powerhouse.
This year, Remm and Birnbaum expanded their footprint with precision moves: securing waterfront real estate in Miami Beach alongside heavyweights like Carbone and Joe’s Stone Crab, opening Catch in Dallas (their sixth market), and unveiling The Corner Store on Houston and Broadway. With Scottsdale next on the horizon for 2025, they’ve even proven seafood can shine in the desert. Their portfolio also includes Catch Steak, a meat-forward evolution that now dominates prime addresses in New York and Aspen. It’s a textbook example of how to build on success, delivering everything that made Catch a phenomenon while tapping into America’s insatiable appetite for steak. Understanding that atmosphere is as essential as the meal itself, Remm and Birnbaum have created lasting appeal.
Elizabeth Blau has spent three decades rewriting the culinary script of Las Vegas, never looking back after arriving to expand Le Cirque. As founder and CEO of Blau + Associates, she ushered the Strip’s transformation into a dining mecca, orchestrating landmark deals that brought chefs like Jean-Georges and Todd English to the Bellagio at a time when “celebrity chef” was barely part of the lexicon. She still recalls watching Steve Wynn and Andrea Bocelli test the Bellagio fountains—a fitting metaphor for Blau’s talent for staging grand moments. But her reach extends far beyond Vegas. From reimagining New York’s Rainbow Room to launching Wynn properties in the Middle East, Blau has left her mark on global hospitality, one glittering project at a time.
“It’s hard to believe that the past 18 months have brought so many exciting achievements for me professionally and personally,” Blau tells Observer. And her momentum is undeniable. Alongside her husband, Chef Kim Canteenwalla, she runs Honey Salt, a family-friendly favorite, and spearheads the Women’s Hospitality Initiative, mentoring women in an industry still playing catch-up on equity. In 2023, she unveiled Crown Block in Dallas, a steakhouse that Eater promptly declared “essential.” Back in Vegas, Blau brokered a blockbuster deal between Wynn and the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, putting Revelry Culinary Weekend on the map—a festival overflowing with tastings from the world’s top chefs, vintners, and mixologists.
“I can’t wait to see what 2025 has in store,” Blau says, a sentiment that feels less like optimism and more like inevitability.
For Daniel Boulud, food is more than sustenance—it’s artistry, accuracy and a little bit of audacity. Expansion, for this Michelin-decorated chef, isn’t a whim but a science built on foresight, where every location, concept and detail is a brushstroke on a larger canvas.
“The most important things I consider when expanding a new restaurant are location, cuisine, concept, partnership, budget and design,” Boulud tells Observer. Translation: nothing is left to chance. Despite juggling a portfolio that spans 22 restaurants across New York City, Florida, Canada, the Bahamas, Dubai, Singapore and even the high seas (thanks to a partnership with Celebrity Cruises), Boulud continues to push boundaries. His New York stunner Le Pavillon earned a Michelin star almost as quickly as it opened, a rare feat for any restaurant, let alone one launched during the pandemic. Then there’s Joji, his avant-garde omakase (in partnership with executive chef George Ruan) tucked inside One Vanderbilt. With only 10 seats and a $410 per person starting price tag, it’s a daring departure from the white-tablecloth majesty of his two-Michelin-starred flagship, Daniel. But that’s Boulud’s genius—constantly redefining indulgence on his own terms.
In the past year alone, Boulud has reopened Café Boulud on the Upper East Side, launched Maison Barnes on Park Avenue and unveiled his first-ever steakhouse, La Tête d’Or, in Flatiron. Whether reinventing Parisian elegance for Manhattan, coaxing diners into an omakase wonderland, or debuting entirely new concepts after decades of dominance, Boulud proves he’s more than a chef—he’s a culinary visionary who refuses to color inside the lines.
From personal assistant at Spago Hollywood in 1985 to President of Wolfgang Puck Catering, Pamela Brunson has spent nearly four decades quietly but decisively shaping how America’s elite dine. Her rise—from managing Puck’s Granita in Malibu to transforming a modest catering arm into a juggernaut—reads like a blueprint for modern hospitality dominance.
Brunson’s vision for delivering restaurant-quality experiences on a grand scale caught the eye of Compass Group, the world’s largest food service organization, sparking a partnership that turned intimate Hollywood dinners into stadium-sized spectacles. Today, her operation serves everyone from Oscar winners at the Governors Ball to Formula 1 drivers mid-race, proving that excellence scales whether you’re feeding 12 or 12,000.
Her latest flex? Creating menus for the Los Angeles Chargers at their new training facility, The Bolt—because why shouldn’t NFL players dine as finely as film stars? Under her leadership, Wolfgang Puck Catering has expanded into markets from Seattle to Atlanta, each location upholding the same meticulous standards that made Spago an icon.
What truly sets Brunson apart is her ability to make massive events feel intimate. Whether it’s the Grammys, the SAG Awards or an A-list movie premiere, she has mastered the art of making every guest feel as though they’re seated at Puck’s private table. In an industry where scaling up often means watering down, Brunson proves that quality and quantity aren’t mutually exclusive—if you’ve spent enough time in the trenches at Spago.
When Jeff Zalaznick, Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi opened Carbone in 2013, they minted a temple for the glitterati. On this high-carb holy ground, celebrities flock like moths to a candlelit rigatoni. Derek Jeter’s entire family (because one Jeter isn’t enough), Selena Gomez, the Kardashians, Tony Bennett and even President Barack Obama have all graced their tables. Truffle tortellini is, apparently, the great unifier.
As the masterminds behind Major Food Group (MFG), this trio has turned dining into a global sport, where the scoreboard includes over 45 restaurants, a luxury residential tower, private clubs, a Michelin star and a staggering number of rave reviews. In January, Major Food Group bought the expansion rights to Marea, announcing plans to take the iconic Italian restaurant worldwide. In February, they announced a partnership with Hard Rock International to bring dining experiences to Hard Rock Hotel & Casino properties worldwide. In November, MFG announced a partnership with Mat Ishbia, owner of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury, for a members-only private dining club in the sports teams’ arena.
In December, MFG will open VINO, marking the group’s ninth restaurant in Miami, a city that “thrives on energy and vibrancy—two qualities that lie at the heart of what we do,” chef and co-founder Mario Carbone tells Observer. “Miami has embraced us, and it feels like the perfect place to keep growing.” As for making Observer’s list for the second year in a row? “It’s a testament to the dedication and creativity that shape every concept we develop. Our approach has always been about storytelling. We don’t chase accolades, but this recognition affirms that the work we’re passionate about is making a real impact in the industry,” Carbone says.
In 2025, MFG will further expand its global portfolio—which already includes France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Korea and China. For Zalaznick, Carbone and Torrisi, the world is more than their oyster; it is their Michelin-starred, hand-rolled, impossibly chic clams casino.
After three decades of shaping New York’s culinary landscape, Andrew Carmellini still knows how to command attention. The two-time James Beard Award winner and NoHo Hospitality co-founder spent 2023 neither complacent nor predictable. At the end of last year, he opened Café Carmellini, a fine dining sanctuary anchoring Nomad’s Fifth Avenue Hotel.
“We are particularly proud of our return to fine dining with Café Carmellini,” Carmellini tells Observer, speaking of his namesake venue with the measured pride of someone who knows they’ve created something extraordinary. “Our prior restaurants were primarily neighborhood restaurants. Café Carmellini has certainly become a special destination.” The conquests didn’t stop there. Carmellini’s Portrait Bar emerged next door as a cocktail shrine for the artistically inclined, while his Bar Primi inhabited the Penn District (complete with an audacious indoor tree). Perhaps most notably, Locanda Verde expanded its empire to Hudson Yards, with Robert De Niro, Ira Drukier and Richard Born joining the victory lap.
“We’ve tried to keep a steady pace without cramming too many openings at once,” says NoHo Hospitality co-founder Luke Ostrom, explaining their methodical approach to expansion. Fellow co-founder Josh Pickard notes with characteristic insight: “What has been most important is seeing how we’ve been able to grow and provide opportunities for the people who work with us.”
Carmellini and his team have demonstrated that thirty years in the business hasn’t dulled their edge—it’s only made their aim more exact. “Neighborhood dining is stronger than ever,” Pickard observes, though with their track record, one suspects they’re already plotting the next evolution of New York dining.
Nick Jones has spent three decades turning exclusivity into a global commodity. Since launching the first Soho House in London’s artsy underbelly in 1995, the MBE-decorated impresario has transformed a single members’ club into a worldwide empire of cool—though he’ll be the first to admit the expansion wasn’t without its jitters.
“Most people come over and get spat out again, sent back to Britain,” Jones told Observer in an interview last year, recalling his ‘03 American invasion with the kind of candor that comes from surviving one’s own prophecy of doom. “I was convinced it was going to happen to me.” Instead, Jones orchestrated hospitality’s defining lesson in scaling. Under Jones’ stewardship and with CEO Andrew Carnie defining the next movement, Soho House has doubled its footprint in five years. The brand now boasts 46 Houses worldwide, with recent openings in Mexico City (last fall), Portland in March of this year and São Paulo this August.
But Carnie, who took the reins in 2022, is writing a different expansion story. Rather than maintaining the breakneck pace of ten new Houses annually, he’s choreographing a more deliberate waltz: two or three openings a year, with upcoming venues in Tokyo, Milan, Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester and Sydney reading like a passport stamp wish list. Even American suburbia gets its moment, with Rhinebeck set to join the club.
October brought Carnie’s most telling pivot yet: a declaration that the company would redirect its energy from new acquisitions to existing properties. This strategy honors Jones’ original vision while acknowledging a truth about exclusivity—sometimes, the most powerful move is knowing when to pump the brakes.
Thibaut Castet and Theliau Probst are carving a niche in New York City’s culinary and nightlife scene, effortlessly blending Parisian elegance with a ‘70s disco fever dream. Since their 2022 debut with Maison Close, a seductive ode to Parisian gastronomy behind rouge curtains in SoHo, the best friends-turned-business partners have been on a tear, opening one unforgettable venue after another.
Their ventures have quickly become magnets for cool-kid crowds and A-listers alike—think Matt Damon and Jemima Kirke. This year, they expanded their footprint to the Hamptons with two buzzy pop-ups: Talya, a Mediterranean-inspired spot with coastal French flair, and a second outpost of Maison Close. In the fall, they turned their attention back to the city, debuting Petit Disco, a Chelsea throwback to nocturnal decadence with crushed velvet interiors and disco ball chandeliers, and Monsieur Bistro, an Upper East Side haven for French food that promises to become a neighborhood staple.
In January 2025, Castet and Probst will bring a slice of Morocco to SoHo with Ayah, a concept inspired by their travels through Marrakech and beyond. “We’re focusing on authentic flavors and an atmosphere that transports guests to a different world,” Castet tells Observer. To do so, the duo enlisted Meryem Cherkaoui—a chef whose résumé includes cooking for King Mohammed VI of Morocco—to ensure every detail of the fare and atmosphere channels the spirit of her native land. With Ayah set to be their sixth concept in three years, Castet and Probst’s bold flavors, immersive atmospheres and effortlessly chic clientele are a recipe for success.
If you’ve ever sipped a cocktail in a gilded hotel bar or wandered through the luminous halls of a grand dame property, chances are you’ve unknowingly encountered Alexandra Champalimaud’s work. A member of the Interior Design Hall of Fame and one of the most influential women in hospitality design, Champalimaud doesn’t need to own a restaurant or hotel to shape how the world experiences them.
This year, her studio’s portfolio has grown with deeply significant projects, including the legendary St. Regis New York, where she oversaw the renovation of the hotel’s iconic lobby, the famed King Cole Bar and two new dining locations—all in honor of the property’s 120th anniversary. “Our renovation of the St. Regis wasn’t about new surprises so much as drawing out an uplifting, magnetic attractiveness from the space,” Champalimaud tells Observer. “Creating a place people would like to go to because it makes them feel well. That’s how we design.”
From the sprawling modern elegance of Halekulani Okinawa in Japan to the timeless luxury of Badrutt’s Palace in St. Moritz, Champalimaud has long been at the helm of hospitality design that creates memories. Her recent work at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills continues this tradition, where she transformed spaces into places guests want to linger, soaking up the personality she imbues in every corner.
“You want to be sure the room has a personality that captures people in a beautiful and exciting moment,” she explains. Champalimaud’s philosophy—one of radical creativity tempered with a deep respect for irreplaceable character—sets her apart. “One shouldn’t be afraid of moving forward with their own radical thought,” she says.
Champalimaud’s designs go beyond aesthetics to create spaces that feel alive, magnetic and undeniably special, and she continues to set the bar high for hospitality’s most exquisite interiors.
Four years after trading his Wynn Nightlife presidency for entrepreneurial freedom, Sean Christie has turned Carver Road Hospitality into the restaurant industry’s most sophisticated Rorschach test: where some see a steakhouse sports bar or a seafood spot, Christie sees 10 venues across four cities that sell something far more valuable than dinner. The portfolio reads like a hospitality Mad Libs: Carversteak’s leather-bound luxury, Flanker Kitchen’s elevated tailgate energy, Starchild’s rooftop revelry and Seamark’s coastal decadence. Yet, somehow, each venue feels inevitable rather than random, as if Christie’s playing three-dimensional chess while others arrange barstools. But Christie believes the magic lies in something more ephemeral.
“If you have a clear vision, put people at the heart of everything, and constantly learn and evolve with the market, you can build something extraordinary,” Christie tells Observer. As Carver Road approaches its fifth year, Christie’s doubling down on his theory that true hospitality is more psychology than service—a hypothesis proven by packed reservations from Salt Lake City to Boston. “Be nice. Be professional.” Simple advice that, in Christie’s hands, has turned into hospitality’s most effective marketing strategy.
Steven Cook and Chef Michael Solomonov have elevated modern Israeli cuisine to new heights, turning their Philadelphia flagship, Zahav, into a culinary icon. As co-owners of CookNSolo, the duo has built an empire that extends far beyond the City of Brotherly Love. With a James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant in America, Zahav is not only a standout but also a benchmark for excellence.
Cook and Solomonov’s influence spans eight distinctive dining concepts and 24 locations, ranging from Abe Fisher’s upscale, Israel-inflected small plates to Federal Donuts’ addictive fried offerings. Their reach includes 18 Philadelphia locations, three in New York City and one each in Miami and Las Vegas. This year, they’ve focused on mentoring their teams and expanding their footprint while maintaining the warmth and authenticity defining their success.
“We feel lucky to be a part of the renaissance happening in our industry,” Cook tells Observer. “The spirit feels very optimistic right now, and we can feel that throughout our staff and guests.”
Next up? Taking CookNSolo beyond the bustling city centers and into the suburbs. “We’re looking forward to exploring additional opportunities around the Philadelphia suburbs,” Solomonov tells Observer. Cook and Solomonov’s optimism is contagious, reflected in their innovative concepts and the communities they create. With Zahav as their cornerstone, CookNSolo continues to set the bar for hospitality and modern Israeli cuisine. Their unique blend of flavors and culture resonates everywhere—from the heart of Philadelphia to the lights of Las Vegas.
Leave it to Daniel Patterson and Keith Corbin to prove that profitability and social conscience aren’t mutually exclusive. The duo behind Alta Adams has uplifted Los Angeles dining, ensuring every reservation doubles as an investment in neighborhood transformation. Their latest moves read like a textbook in culinary activism: resurrecting LocoL in Watts as a non-profit incubator for local talent eight years after the stop first challenged assumptions about affordable dining in South L.A. Meanwhile, Patterson (with Corbin at his side) is making his fine-dining comeback with Jaca, claiming Beverly Grove’s former Son of a Gun space for a prix fixe concept that promises to be both ambitious and accessible—a fitting return or the chef who walked away from Michelin-starred Coi in 2015 to pursue something more meaningful than stars.
“This last year has been challenging in LA,” Patterson tells Observer, displaying the understated pragmatism of someone who measures success in changed lives rather than cover counts. “We’re happy that we’ve been able to grow our businesses while remaining true to our values of community and hospitality.” While their peers perfect plating techniques, Patterson and Corbin are busy with something far more challenging: making fine dining feel like community service without sacrificing an ounce of excellence.
Since their 2015 debut with Williamsburg’s Llama Inn, Juan Correa and Chef Erik Ramirez have transformed Peruvian cuisine from a culinary footnote into Manhattan’s latest obsession. The Llama Group duo has methodically built an empire that spans three capitals—New York, Madrid and London—each outpost more ambitious than the last.
Their next act, slated for February 2025 in Hudson Yards, is Papa San: a Nikkei izakaya promising to blur the lines between Lima’s street food swagger and Tokyo’s minimalism. “It’s a remote place in our heads that triangulates between Lima, Tokyo and New York,” Correa tells Observer, describing their latest venture with the enthusiasm of someone who knows they’re about to shift the culinary conversation yet again.
The expansion began with 2022’s Llama Inn Madrid, followed by London at The Hoxton in 2023. Each new location serves as both embassy and laboratory for their vision of modern Peruvian cuisine—one that’s earned them the ability to command attention in cities already drowning in culinary options.
For Ramirez, success tastes sweeter when shared. “It’s been rewarding to create a platform that elevates Peruvian cuisine and culture in a city where the second highest population is our Latin-American community,” he says. With an approach rooted in intentionality, each concept reflects cultural influences while pushing boundaries to reimagine what Peruvian cuisine can be. Beyond creating extraordinary dining experiences, Llama Group is telling a story that resonates across cities and cultures.
Tiffany Derry is inspiring a culinary revolution. The Top Chef “Fan Favorite” has transformed from television darling to industry changemaker, proving that social justice and duck-fat-fried chicken aren’t mutually exclusive. In November, Derry launched Shef Food + Wine, a Texas-based festival designed to crack open the culinary world’s traditionally closed circles. It’s exactly the kind of bold stroke you’d expect from someone who’s collected James Beard nominations and Eater Dallas’s “Chef of the Year” title while simultaneously reshaping what a restaurant group can be.
With business partner Tom Foley, Derry has turned her eponymous company into hospitality’s most purpose-driven experiment. January saw them unveil a franchising model for Roots Chicken Shak that reads less like a business plan and more like a manifesto for industry-wide change. Their strategy combines streamlined menus and zero-waste policies with a mission to create economic opportunities for traditionally overlooked communities.
May’s debut of Radici Woodfired Grill added another jewel to her crown, while Roots Southern Table continues to prove that neighborhood transformation can start with a perfectly executed menu. Between her growing restaurant portfolio (Roots Chicken Shak, Roots Southern Table and now Radici) and her never-ending list of philanthropic and political contributions, Derry has mastered making impact look effortless.
Derry is building a blueprint for how restaurants can serve spectacular food and social justice in an industry often criticized for its lack of inclusion.
Alain Ducasse has spent half a century amassing something far more precious than the typical celebrity chef’s collection of restaurants. With 21 Michelin stars twinkling in his constellation of 33 restaurants, the French maestro’s domain reaches far beyond the kitchen to encompass culinary schools, artisanal bakeries and retail.
Ducasse’s year has been defined by his culinary takeover of Paris’s historic Maison Baccarat, launching a Neapolitan venture at Hotel ROMEO, and exporting his Manufacture de biscuits to Tokyo’s discerning masses. Ducasse joined forces with Daniel Humm to present an eight-course vegan spectacle at Le Meurice and Eleven Madison Park. As chairman of Teritoria, he continues to shape luxury hospitality across Europe with the same meticulous attention he brings to plating a soufflé. His culinary prowess earned him the honor of preparing the International Olympic Committee President’s dinner at the Louvre—a fitting prelude to the Paris 2024 Olympics. Did we mention he also wrote a book?
“Fine dining has become an intensely mediatic hobby—for the best and the worst, but what motivates me hasn’t changed since the beginning,” Ducasse tells Observer, with the steady conviction of someone who has spent 50 years perfecting his craft. “The passion for taste, and the passion for sharing it.” In an era where trends flare and fade faster than a flambé, Ducasse’s unwavering dedication to excellence is refreshingly constant.
In an industry obsessed with artisanal everything, Tilman Fertitta trades in bulk. The self-made billionaire—dubbed both “the richest restaurateur in the world” and the “Billion Dollar Buyer”—has assembled a collection that makes monopoly enthusiasts blush: 80 restaurant brands spread across 600 locations, each acquisition another piece in his master plan to own not only the board but the whole game.
Fertitta’s latest shopping spree reads like a mogul’s Christmas list: dropping $30 million on Keens (Manhattan’s temple to mutton chops since 1885), upping his stake in Wynn Resorts to nearly 10 percent (making him the largest individual shareholder), and casually acquiring 4.3 acres to expand Houston’s River Oaks District into a luxury labyrinth (that Fertitta has already lured luxury tenants like Azumi and L’Agence suggests he sees this play as more than somewhere to park his restaurants). The portfolio itself induces vertigo: Mastro’s, Morton’s, Del Frisco’s, The Palm, Strip House, BR Guest’s entire New York empire and, yes, even the kitschy but profitable Rainforest Cafe all dance to his tune. The numbers tell the story: restaurants that regularly gross over $20 million annually, a hospitality empire valued in the billions and a seemingly endless appetite for expansion.
Fertitta’s partnership with Catch Hospitality keeps spawning hits like The Corner Store, which earned Taylor Swift’s benediction faster than you can say “prix fixe.” For Fertitta, each deal isn’t just another addition to the empire—it’s another step toward his apparent goal of owning every restaurant worth having. While others might see a saturated market, Fertitta sees room for seconds.
In an industry besotted with meat-forward machismo, John Fraser built his reputation doing the unthinkable: earning Michelin stars at Dovetail and Nix while proving vegetables could command center stage. But Fraser’s most revolutionary move might be his quietest: Since 2023, the chef has reserved one table nightly across his empire for industry workers, who dine at 70 percent off menu prices. It’s a gesture that feels particularly poignant from someone who’s mastered both vegetable cookery and steakhouse excess—proof that true innovation isn’t about what’s on the plate but who gets to enjoy it.
This year, he unveiled Bar Tontine at The Wall Street Hotel, transforming the 15th floor into a Parisian fever dream, complete with artisan glass panels and tropical foliage. It’s exactly the sort of sophisticated sleight-of-hand needed to make bankers forget they’re in FiDi—though the 180-degree views of Manhattan’s skyline provide a glittering reminder. June saw Fraser export his culinary diplomacy to Boston’s Winthrop Center, where Vermilion Club (named for the Dale Chihuly sculpture hovering above its bar) serves up chophouse classics alongside 65 different cocktails. The tower also houses his ambitious food hall, The Lineup, where five distinct concepts—from vegan Mexican to Mediterranean small plates—adapt to the erratic rhythms of post-pandemic office life.
Between elevating office dining and democratizing fine cuisine, Fraser proves that true hospitality isn’t about exclusivity—it’s about making everyone feel like they belong at the table.
Ken Fulk’s signature blend of cinematic grandeur and layered storytelling has made him hospitality’s most sought-after designer, crafting everything from private jets to spectacular soirées. Fulk landed his most storied canvas this year: the Beverly Hills Hotel. It’s the first significant reimagining of the 1912 landmark—where Fred Astaire once danced and David Bowie held court—in seven decades. The pressure to preserve while innovating might paralyze lesser designers, but Fulk thrives on such delicate balancing acts.
Last year, he transformed Miami’s 1926 Women’s Club into Casadonna, a coastal Italian restaurant, for nightlife impresarios David Grutman and Noah Tepperberg. In Boston, he elevated the Four Seasons Hotel, where black-and-white tiles now echo European manor houses and a hand-painted mural inspired by Maxfield Parish has turned the lobby into a theatrical tribute to the Public Garden beyond its windows.
Fulk’s current portfolio reads like a luxury travel itinerary: a sprawling Wyoming ranch, a private residence in Provence, a Barcelona hotel and Major Food Group’s London edition of Carbone. Summer saw Fulk unveil the Klock Estate, a 160-acre sustainable farm and brandy distillery in Hudson Valley, where his interiors match the landscape’s grandeur. November was particularly prolific: Fulk opened a Los Angeles store inspired by fellow Virginian and “horticulture legend” Bunny Mellon while simultaneously unveiling a renovated space for Muttville—California’s first senior dog rescue and America’s first cage-free shelter. Between serving as keynote speaker at the Nantucket Historical Association’s design event and transforming landmarks coast to coast, Fulk understands that true luxury isn’t about objects but orchestrating moments that feel simultaneously grand and intimate.
For 23 years, Leticia and Miky Grendene have proven that exclusivity is best served with a side of pasta. Their Casa Tua, which debuted in Miami Beach in 2001, has evolved from a singular sanctuary into one of hospitality’s most whispered-about societies, with outposts in Aspen, Paris and, as of October, the Upper East Side’s revamped Surrey Hotel. The Grendenes have mastered making a 3,000-person private members club feel like an intimate gathering. Their latest New York venue follows the tried-and-true Casa Tua formula: a ground-floor restaurant that serves as a decoy for the real attraction: the members-only second floor, where the city’s power players can pretend they’re at a particularly lavish family dinner.
But the couple isn’t content merely feeding the elite. They’ve infiltrated Miami’s Nomad Wynwood with yet another outpost while simultaneously venturing into the residential realm with Ora by Casa Tua. The 460-unit luxury tower promises to translate Casa Tua’s brand of cultured comfort into vertical living, suggesting the Grendenes have cracked the code on scaling intimacy. While other hospitality groups chase trends, Casa Tua has spent two decades making exclusivity feel like a warm embrace. In a world where private clubs pop up faster than champagne corks, the Grendenes have built something far more valuable: a legacy that feels like home, even if most people will never get past the front door.
David Grutman traffics in fantasies. The mastermind behind Groot Hospitality has turned Miami’s signature decadence into a global commodity, crafting experiences where $1,000 steaks and poolside raves collide. His nine sprawling concepts serve more than meals and drinks—they sell admission to the kind of party that makes your other nights out feel like bridge club meetings.
Last year marked Grutman’s inevitable conquest of Las Vegas, where he exported four of his most successful brands—Komodo, LIV, LIV Beach and Papi Steak—to the glittering new Fontainebleau. Not content with dominating America’s pleasure capitals, he planted Komodo’s flag in Dallas and set his sights on Hollywood. Last year, Grutman launched DGN Studios with the same flair he brings to hospitality. With a documentary on LIV regular Black Coffee and a Hulu series about his own Papi Steak empire on the way, Grutman’s talent for creating memorable nights translates perfectly to the small screen.
“The future for our industry is bright. My goal is to evolve with the times,” Grutman tells Observer, sounding less like a hospitality mogul and more like an expert illusionist revealing just enough of his trick to keep you guessing. “It’s gotten much harder, but that makes success even more rewarding.”
As the dynamic duo behind inKind, Johann Moonesinghe and Andrew Harris are overhauling the playbook for restaurant funding, fueling nearly 3,000 establishments—75 percent of which are minority-owned—and propelling culinary heavyweights like Major Food Group, José Andrés and Noble 33 to new heights. Their innovative model combines financial backing with marketing, mentorship, and an app that offers pre-purchased food and beverage credit, creating a lifeline for restaurateurs looking to scale without the usual financing headaches. In an industry known for its razor-thin margins, inKind is leading a revolution, building a loyal community of diners who directly support their favorite restaurants.
“I believe in the power of a thriving hospitality industry to uplift our communities and unlock access to the American dream,” Moonesinghe tells Observer. The impact is staggering: in the past year alone, inKind has doubled the number of restaurants it supports, while its consumer app has racked up 2 million downloads.
Moonesinghe’s personal ventures further underscore his deep commitment to hospitality. In February, his restaurant group, RDM, opened The Guest House in Austin. By May, RDM had acquired Etta Collective for $4 million, with plans for nationwide expansion. These moves reveal an entrepreneur who not only funds innovation but lives it, blending big-picture vision with hands-on expertise.
“The power and reach of our community continues to skyrocket,” Moonesinghe says. With a mission that goes far beyond dollars and cents, Moonesinghe and Harris are shaping the future of hospitality—creating an ecosystem where restaurants and communities are more inclusive, sustainable and undeniably brighter.
As The French Laundry celebrates its 30th anniversary and Per Se hits the 20-year mark, Thomas Keller isn’t resting on his Michelin stars. The chef who helped define American fine dining is now crafting a second act that proves innovation doesn’t require abandoning tradition.
His latest moves read like a culinary cartographer’s dream: debuting Bouchon Bistro in Coral Gables, transforming Yountville’s caviar pop-up, former Regiis Ova Caviar & Champagne Lounge, into RO Restaurant and Lounge (where Asian influences meet his signature precision) and plotting the upcoming opening of Coral Casino in Montecito. These expansions suggest a chef who understands that evolution requires occasional pruning. In November, he announced that La Calenda, his Oaxacan venture in Napa, would close in December. This clear-eyed decision-making has kept him at the hospitality summit for three decades.
Between The French Laundry’s three Michelin stars (and newly minted Green Star for sustainability), Per Se’s continued dominance of Manhattan’s fine dining scene, and The Surf Club Restaurant’s ascension to the Michelin firmament, Keller has mastered the art of maintaining excellence while pursuing growth. His expanding empire suggests that even after defining American gastronomy for a generation, he’s still finding new ways to push the conversation forward. Keller continues crafting restaurants that feel timeless yet of the moment; evidence that true innovation isn’t about reinvention but evolution.
When her husband, Jamal “James” Kent, passed away suddenly this June, Kelly Kent inherited a vision of hospitality that had redefined downtown dining. Within 24 hours of his death, she and her partners rechristened their empire as Kent Hospitality Group, ensuring the chef’s legacy would live on in more than memories.
In July, she brought on Charlie Mitchell, New York’s first Michelin-starred Black chef, to helm SAGA’s kitchen. The two-starred jewel still crowns the Financial District from its 63rd-floor perch. At the same time, Crown Shy—Jamal’s first solo venture—and Overstory continue drawing devotees to their respective altars of gastronomy and mixology.
“Jamal had an uncanny ability to leverage his delicious food to show love for the city and the people that raised him,” Kelly tells Observer. “I will make sure all of our restaurants have a touch of him. When you walk into a Kent Hospitality Group restaurant, you will feel Jamal’s embrace, even if you have never met him.” With new ventures taking shape in Williamsburg and on Park Avenue, Kelly isn’t just preserving a legacy—she’s building one. “As I find myself leading the charge for a group I have been observing from the sidelines for years, I’m realizing now that Jamal was giving me a crash course in hospitality the entire time,” she reflects. The curriculum, it seems, took root deeply.
She promises that their restaurants will remain “places where everyone can celebrate and enjoy an amazing meal”—a fitting tribute to a chef who served love letters to New York, one plate at a time.
Simon Kim has turned Korean cuisine into theater, with Michelin stars as his standing ovations. Since debuting Cote NYC in 2017, he’s proven that Korean dining can be both reverential to tradition and deliciously irreverent. The formula worked so well that he exported it to Miami in 2021, where it promptly snagged its own Michelin star.
Never one to rest on his laurels, Kim kicked off 2024 with Coqodaq, a concept that pairs fried chicken with champagne with such conviction you’ll wonder why anyone ever served them separately. “Introducing Coqodaq to the city was nerve-wracking,” Kim tells Observer, though New York’s embrace of the concept suggests he needn’t have worried. “There’s still room for unique ideas, even in a city as vibrant and dynamic as this.”
The ink had barely dried on Coqodaq’s opening papers when Kim announced Cote’s expansion to Singapore, with Las Vegas’s Venetian next in line for 2025. In the second half of 2025, Kim plans to launch three dining concepts at 550 Madison Avenue in New York, spanning three floors and 15,000 square feet of the Manhattan skyscraper.
For Kim, success tastes better shared. “New York’s hospitality scene is extraordinary because of the people who bring their creativity and passion to every concept,” he says, acknowledging the community that’s helped make the city a culinary powerhouse. Between Cote’s sustained excellence and Coqodaq’s instant buzz, Kim is doing more than participating in the global culinary conversation—he’s conducting it. “I’m especially grateful to be part of a moment where Korean cuisine and culture are thriving,” Kim says. “I truly believe the golden age of dining is still ahead.”
Jeff Klein has built a career on an almost supernatural ability to listen—not just to people but to properties. As a result, the JK Hotel Group founder has a portfolio of spaces that feel effortlessly timeless yet completely of the moment. From the 1920s glamour of the Sunset Tower Hotel to the cozy chic Hotel 850 SVB and the ultra-exclusive San Vicente Bungalows, Klein captures the ineffable quality that’s defined Los Angeles for decades.
The San Vicente Bungalows will soon make their oceanside debut in Santa Monica. “The connection to the ocean is such a large part of this experience, differentiating it from West Hollywood,” Klein tells Observer. “The rooftop, dining room, bar and library overlook the ocean. It’s completely transformative.” Klein is also turning his attention to New York, where he’ll bring the Bungalows to the historic Jane Hotel in the West Village, a space steeped in Gilded Age history. “The Jane was built in 1908 during the Gilded Age of New York City,” Klein says. “We are bringing it back to its original glory with a clean modernity New Yorkers have never seen.”
Respecting the past while injecting fresh, modern energy is Klein’s signature. “I listen to my properties,” he says. “Sunset Tower is a Deco building from 1929. I brought it back to its original vibe and character with a modern feel, so it doesn’t feel like Disneyland.” With expansions to Santa Monica and New York on the horizon, Klein again proves why his vision is among the most sought-after in hospitality.
Nick Mathers, the surf kid turned hospitality mogul, has transformed his Australian beach bum sensibilities into a $120-million empire redefining American dining one flat white at a time. When he first landed in New York, Mathers was just another long-haired tourist en route to London to see a girlfriend. Instead, he found his calling in America’s tragic coffee culture.
“I couldn’t believe people drank that coffee—it was disgusting,” Mathers tells Observer, recalling a pre-flat-white New York with the bemusement of someone who’s since helped correct that cultural oversight. From those caffeinated origins, Mathers has built Wish You Were Here Group into a hospitality powerhouse, overseeing 1,700 staff across 13 restaurants—with six more venues brewing for 2025.
This December, Mathers’ most successful restaurant, Élephante, celebrates its Scottsdale opening while setting up shop to debut Dallas. Little Ruby’s, his all-day café concept that began in Soho, has multiplied across Manhattan and landed in Seoul, confirming that Australian coffee culture travels remarkably well.
What’s particularly impressive is that Mathers has orchestrated this expansion while raising three children under five (spaced 13 and 19 months apart because apparently running a restaurant empire wasn’t challenging enough). Yet he’s managed to maintain the surf-culture authenticity that first set his venues apart. “Many restaurateurs focus on scaling quickly, and that dilutes the brand,” he notes. “I’ve been careful to grow in ways that feel authentic, even if it means growing more slowly.” With projections hitting $200 million by 2026, the long-haired surfer who once delivered food to David Bowie and Iman has figured out how to catch the perfect wave in American hospitality.
From the moment Nobu Matsuhisa launched his now-iconic restaurant with Robert De Niro in the mid-’90s, the chef has redefined the global standard for sushi and luxury dining. As Nobu enters its fourth decade with over 50 locations worldwide, Matsuhisa’s empire is the indisputable gold standard in high-end hospitality; his journey is a testament to drive and authenticity.
“This year has been one of reflection and gratitude,” Matsuhisa tells Observer of celebrating Nobu’s 30th anniversary this October. “I remember when eating raw fish was a novel experience in the United States, and to see how far it has come is truly rewarding.”
The legendary chef’s milestone anniversary was one of many achievements in 2024. In addition to being honored with the prestigious Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays this fall—a Japanese award dating back to Emperor Meiji’s reign—Matsuhisa showcased his culinary prowess at the 81st Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills. “It was a true honor to cater such a remarkable event and showcase our culinary passion on a grand stage,” he says.
In August, Nobu opened its first Canadian location, Nobu Toronto. In October, Nobu opened at Larry Ellison’s Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa. In early 2025, Nobu will debut at the historic Hotel del Coronado in San Diego. Yet as Matsuhisa’s brand extends beyond restaurants and into hotels and residences, the chef remains as committed as ever—especially to the next generation of culinary visionaries. For Matsuhisa, 2025 will be filled with travel, visiting his Nobu teams worldwide, “sharing my philosophy and nurturing the next generation of leaders who I hope will carry the vision forward.”
Under their Unapologetic Foods banner, Chintan Pandya and Roni Mazumdar have followed in the footsteps of Tabla, Devi and Tamarind to continue systematically dismantling every tired trope about Indian cuisine in America, replacing butter chicken predictability with bold strokes of regional authenticity. Their 2022 opening of Semma, with Chef Vijay Kumar leading the kitchen, earned a Michelin star while kicking down the door for Indian fine dining in America. Two more Indian restaurants in D.C. and Chicago promptly followed suit with their own stars, suggesting Pandya and Mazumdar had sparked something bigger than themselves.
The team’s latest creation, a Filipino restaurant called Naks, debuted with their signature audacity last December. Now, they’re doubling down on New York’s East Village, with Kebabwala and a second Adda location slated to open this year. Dallas and Miami loom on the horizon, proving their formula works far beyond Manhattan’s educated palates.
“For us, it’s about sharing untold stories and transforming the emotions of those who dine with us,” Mazumdar tells Observer. “With growth and influence comes a tremendous sense of responsibility to all those who believe in us.”
From goat intestines to regional delicacies that would make tikka masala loyalists blush, Unapologetic Foods serves authenticity with a side of cultural awakening. Their expanding empire spans from white-tablecloth destinations to fast-casual hits, each venue a careful step in elevating Indian cuisine from convenient takeout to conversation piece.
“People are listening,” Mazumdar notes, though the Michelin stars and packed reservation books suggest they’ve been doing more than listening—they’ve been converted.
As the co-founders of SevenRooms, Joel Montaniel and Allison Page have transformed how industry giants like Union Square Hospitality Group, Nobu and Groot Hospitality interact with their guests. More than a tool, SevenRooms is a lifeline for operators navigating the modern demands of nightlife and dining. Montaniel and Page’s brainchild, which they describe as “a guardian for the industry,” has cemented its status as the go-to CRM, marketing, and operations platform for hospitality brands worldwide. Recognized as one of Fast Company‘s Most Innovative Companies this spring and landing on the Inc. 5000 list for the third consecutive year, SevenRooms isn’t keeping pace—it’s leading the charge.
In the past year, Montaniel and Page introduced email and text marketing tools that have redefined how operators engage with their clientele. “The impact of these products is staggering,” Montaniel tells Observer, noting that they’ve generated tens of millions of dollars in incremental revenue for SevenRooms’ customers. But for the co-founders, it’s more about the relationships than the numbers. “What drives us is seeing our customers thrive by turning insights into impactful actions at the right moment,” Page adds. Page, who has over a decade of experience as an entrepreneur in the hospitality industry, has been responsible for defining the company’s product roadmap, vision and strategic positioning, scaling the platform to over 1,000 cities worldwide.
The company’s mission is rooted in personalization at scale, blending data and A.I. to create what Montaniel and Page call the “SuperHuman Age of Hospitality.” This isn’t a dystopian vision of robots taking over but rather a technology amplifying the personal touch that defines excellent hospitality. With its tools empowering operators to deepen guest connections and streamline operations, SevenRooms has positioned itself as a force of innovation and advocacy.
“Ultimately, the mission of SevenRooms is rooted in helping operators create exceptional, personalized guest experiences at scale,” Montaniel says. And if the company’s trajectory is any indication, SevenRooms, under the leadership of Montaniel and Page, is more than shaping the future of hospitality; it’s setting the gold standard.
Avish Naran is infusing the Los Angeles bar scene with a bold blend of Indian culture, sports nostalgia and no-nonsense business savvy. With Pijja Palace, the Silver Lake Indian sports bar that became an instant sensation in 2022, Naran carved out a space that didn’t fill a voice but instead created one nobody knew they needed.
“Sports was a big part of my life growing up,” Naran tells Observer. “I thought, let me take it back to something that I can do properly, like putting my experience in America on a plate. That’s how Pijja Palace came to be.”
In January 2025, Naran will open Asim, a Filipino restaurant in Silver Lake. He’s also acquired land on Temple Street and Boylston, where he plans to launch multiple new concepts, including a bar focused on India’s rich spice palette. Despite his rapid rise, Naran remains curious and humble. “I had great mentors. I still have great mentors,” he says. “I’m always asking questions. Every time I meet a restaurant operator, I need to know, ‘How are you making this successful? What are you doing?’ And every single one of them has answered.”
Named a 2024 “One to Watch” by Bloomberg, Naran’s plans are as ambitious as they are grounded. Whether it’s perfecting Pijja Palace’s cult status, launching new concepts, or building a thriving bar program, he’s shaping the next wave of L.A. hospitality with a mix of bold ideas, calculated risks and an insatiable curiosity. “In this world, there’s an answer for everything,” he says. “You just have to ask.”
Jon Neidich has an uncanny knack for conjuring restaurants that instantly become the place to be. As the founder of Golden Age Hospitality, Neidich has curated a portfolio that is distinct, sultry and unmistakably his, reshaping New York’s social terrain from Le Crocodile and Bar Blondeau to Acme and The Happiest Hour. But Le Dive, a tabac-inspired bistro that anchors Dimes Square, perhaps best encapsulates Neidich’s magic. “Le Dive’s ascension was humbling to witness,” Neidich tells Observer.
This year, Neidich added Elvis, an all-natural French wine bar, to the roster. Housed in the historic Great Jones Café space, its tangerine orange stucco façade is a playful nod to downtown history nestled between Bowery and Noho across from Basquiat’s former studio. “It feels like we just got it right while also paying homage to an iconic location,” Neidich says. And then there’s The Nines, a velvet-draped supper club and piano lounge that oozes retro glamour while firmly enforcing a dress code to keep the NYU kids at bay. It’s as much about the ambiance as the cocktails—a signature of Neidich’s style, which channels Parisian bistros and old-school New York with equal ease.
But for Neidich, the work is never done. He’s already immersed in two new projects, both set to debut in early 2025. “I am incredibly excited about our two openings in Q1 of next year,” he teases. If you’re wondering where the city’s next scene is brewing, chances are, Neidich has gotten there first.
Ronn Nicolli has elevated FOMO to an art form. The marketing brain behind Zouk Group and Resorts World Las Vegas executes the kind of spectacles that make social media managers weep—from Miley Cyrus residencies to Travis Scott pop-ups and F1 activations to ComplexCon takeovers.
“Los Angeles is an incredibly compelling market,” Nicolli tells Observer about Zouk’s impending West Coast debut, speaking with the measured confidence of someone who’s spent decades perfecting the science of making people show up. The L.A. outpost, set to open by year’s end, marks Zouk’s evolution from Singaporean sensation to global nightlife empire.
At Resorts World, Nicolli’s touch transforms mere events into cultural moments. Under Nicolli’s stewardship, the property has become Vegas’ newest power player, hosting everything from award-winning restaurants like Stubborn Seed to the rhinestone-studded extravaganza of Rodeo World. His secret? Understanding that in the age of Instagram, creating that fear of missing out is as crucial as creating memories.
“We want to create enough FOMO to make sure Resorts World is on their must-visit list,” he notes (which seems like an understatement for a venue that’s managed to make Las Vegas feel fresh again). Nicolli’s ability to navigate both the celebrity circuit and the DJ underground has turned Resorts World into that rarest of Vegas commodities: a destination that feels simultaneously exclusive and accessible. As Zouk prepares to colonize L.A., with more domestic and international expansions on the horizon, Nicolli is more than shaping nightlife—he’s creating the kind of buzz that keeps it alive.
Enrique Olvera and Santiago Perez have turned Casamata into hospitality’s most elegant balancing act: maintaining two spots on the World’s 100 Best Restaurants list (Pujol and Cosme) while democratizing Mexican cuisine for the masses. As co-founders, they’ve mastered the art of being everywhere without being obvious.
This year marks twin milestones in their culinary conquest: Pujol’s 25th anniversary and Cosme’s decade of making Manhattan rethink what Mexican food can be. But rather than rest on their considerable laurels, the duo chose May to unveil Esse Taco, a Williamsburg venture that brings Mexico City’s street food sensibilities to Brooklyn’s most particular palates. The move is vintage Casamata—simultaneously expanding their empire while defying expectations. Their first fast-casual concept on the East Coast feels less like a compromise and more like a deliberately understated opus; Olvera and Perez know exactly how to scale without sacrificing soul.
The expansion continues with Olvera’s new mezcal venture, Manojo, where he’s partnered with Oaxacan mezcaleros Joel Velasco and Felicitas Hernández, whose half-century of expertise ensures the spirit matches Casamata’s exacting standards. Meanwhile, Hyatt’s tapping of Olvera for their new Chef Series reads less like a corporate partnership and more like the hospitality giant trying to capture some of Casamata’s cultural cachet.
While Olvera’s reputation as Mexican cuisine’s most influential ambassador draws the spotlight, the partnership with Perez has enabled Casamata to execute its vision. Together, they’ve crafted something rare in modern hospitality: an empire that’s refined yet rooted in tradition—and showing no signs of slowing down.
From selling candy in the subway to being tapped by Anna Wintour for the Met Gala menu, Kwame Onwuachi’s meteoric rise reads like an A24 script—which, fittingly enough, is exactly what his memoir “Notes from a Young Black Chef” has become, with Lakeith Stanfield set to star. The Bronx native, whose Tatiana nabbed the top spot this April as the best restaurant in New York City, isn’t content with merely dominating Manhattan’s dining scene. September marked his triumphant return to D.C. with Dōgon, an upscale Afro-Caribbean venture at the Salamander Hotel. Within weeks, Onwuachi unveiled Sirius, an intimate four-seat counter inside Dōgon that transforms tasting menus into theater.
“When I first started out in this industry, I wish I knew that the food would be the easy part and that the business would be harder,” Onwuachi tells Observer. “I have learned about my resilience.” Resilience seems almost too modest for someone who bounced back from Shaw Bijou’s early stumble to earn a James Beard Rising Star award at Kith and Kin in 2019. These days, Onwuachi’s calendar reads like a cultural kingmaker’s dance card: cooking at the White House’s Black Excellence Brunch, playing in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game alongside Jennifer Hudson and starring in his own “Chef’s Table” episode.
His most impactful move might be the Family Reunion, a four-day food festival featuring luminaries like Jessica B. Harris, Mashama Bailey and Charlie Mitchell. At $900 to $2,200 per ticket, Family Reunion funds the next generation of culinary hopefuls through the Kwame Onwuachi ’13 Scholarship at his alma mater, the Culinary Institute of America.
Through their innovative take on Korean cuisine, Ellia Park and Junghyun Park’s impact on fine dining in New York City is impossible to overstate. Starting with Atoboy in 2016, their first venture, the husband and wife made a quiet splash that quickly turned into a tidal wave with their second project, Atomix (2018). The world took notice—first New Yorkers, then everyone else. In 2024, Atomix retained its status (for the third year in a row) as the number-one restaurant in North America on the prestigious World’s 50 Best Restaurants list (and number eight worldwide).
“What began as a dream to simply run one restaurant well has expanded into something much bigger,” Ellia tells Observer. “It’s truly humbling to realize that, through our food, we can have a meaningful impact on others.” Their growing hospitality group, NA:EUN, is a testament to that ambition. In 2022, the Parks opened Naro at Rockefeller Center, adding Hansik-style Korean fare to one of the city’s most iconic dining destinations. This October, Atomix joined forces with Tazmanian chef Daniel Garwood to launch Acru, an Australian-inspired tasting menu that pushes their creative boundaries far beyond Korean cuisine.
“I feel a deep sense of pride when I see young cooks finding inspiration in our work,” Junghyun tells Observer. “I hope they continue to listen to their voices and bring fresh energy and brightness to our industry. They must focus on developing their skills and deepening their understanding of flavors. I, too, am committed to continuously learning and evolving alongside them.”
The Parks have a knack for building exceptional restaurants. “Achieving our vision and dreams is only possible through our team, who brings them to life,” Ellia says.
Scarr Pimentel turned a hole-in-the-wall Lower East Side pizzeria into a cultural touchstone by doing something radical: making New York slices actually good for you. His ethos of organic ingredients and house-milled flour earned him a James Beard Award semifinalist nod for Best Chef: New York State in 2024, proving that wellness and pizza aren’t mutually exclusive. Now, Pimentel’s concept is expanding faster than dough in a hot oven. His imminent Tokyo outpost will teach Japan about proper New York slices, while The Venetian’s upcoming Via Via food hall nabbed Scarr’s Pizza for its Vegas debut. In March 2025, Pimentel will drop his first cookbook, sharing the secrets behind his health-conscious spin on the city’s most sacred street food.
But it’s Pimentel’s ability to transcend food that’s truly remarkable. November saw his Orchard Street shop transform into a sneakerhead sanctuary for Jordan Brand’s “Feed the Streets” event, where pizza aficionados and Air Jordan enthusiasts lined up for an early peek at the “Black Cement” 3s. The collaboration wrapped his storefront in elephant print, suggesting that in Pimentel’s world, a perfect slice and a grail-worthy sneaker share the same cultural currency.
In an era where “artisanal” often means pretentious and “healthy” translates to tasteless, Pimentel has achieved something rare: making virtue delicious enough to attract lines around the block. Whether you’re a hypebeast or a health nut, his rise from slice joint veteran to international brand proves that authenticity still sells—especially when it comes with fresh-milled flour.
Though Wolfgang Puck has spent nearly 50 years shaping the culinary world, the godfather of California Fusion is doubling down with global expansions, inventive partnerships and unexpected ventures that prove his legacy is anything but static. Puck’s roster of globally acclaimed restaurants, which already spans Los Angeles, Las Vegas, London, Singapore, Budapest, Istanbul and beyond, “is just the beginning,” Puck tells Observer.
This year, the chef deepened his ties to Las Vegas, a city central to his career, with two significant projects. At Mandalay Bay, Puck replaced his former Lupo Trattoria with Caramá, a heartfelt tribute to his late mother. Puck also announced plans to open a restaurant within the $1.3 billion Four Seasons Private Residences project, set to debut in 2026. Beyond the Strip, he’s bringing his celebrated airport dining concepts to Florida with a new 112-seat restaurant in Punta Gorda. His catering company has added another high-profile client to its roster: the L.A. Chargers. As head of food and beverage at the team’s state-of-the-art training facility, which opened this summer, Puck is redefining what athletes eat off the field. And in October, he unveiled his first-ever line of artisanal truffles, proving there’s always room for innovation—even after five decades.
As much as Puck focuses on growth, he also prepares for what comes next. Integrating his son, Byron Lazaroff Puck, into the business has been a major milestone. “His deep understanding of the importance of blending tradition with innovation has been instrumental in guiding us forward,” Puck says of his son. Byron has already made his mark, helping run Puck’s Merois and Ospero at the Pendry West Hollywood and overseeing new cocktail programs that reflect the fresh energy of the next generation.
For a chef whose name is synonymous with excellence, the idea of passing the torch isn’t about stepping back—it’s about building a legacy that can continue evolving long after he hangs up his apron. As Puck himself says, the best is yet to come.
Jamie Reuben is plotting New York’s next social revolution. This December, in partnership with Navid Mirtorabi and Michael Chetrit, Reuben will unveil the American outpost of The Twenty Two, the London sensation that has been redefining Mayfair’s stuffiness since 2022. The project marks yet another power play in Reuben’s methodical conquest of luxury hospitality. October saw him snap up Miami’s W South Beach for $425 million—the year’s largest hospitality deal in the region. “Our vision is clear,” Reuben said in a statement to our sister publication, Commercial Observer, with the confidence of someone whose family name carries enough weight to bend reality. Between The Vineta in Palm Beach, the newly minted Corinthia Hotel on the Upper East Side (complete with a Casa Tua members club), and a $2.6 billion development in Puerto Rico, Reuben makes crafting an empire look like child’s play.
Iranian-born Mirtorabi brings soul to their shared venture. With The Twenty Two’s London flagship—31 rooms of studied irreverence in an Edwardian manor—Mirtorabi threw out the members’ club rulebook, starting with the dress code. “To build a social hub for the creative and the curious has been our slogan from day one,” Mirtorabi tells Observer.
Chetrit promises to channel this same spirit of luxurious rebellion. “The Twenty Two will set a new standard in New York hospitality,” he tells Observer. It’s the kind of statement that might sound trite coming from anyone else, but when backed by Reuben’s billions and Mirtorabi’s vision, it reads more like a declaration of intent: New York’s social scene is about to get a very expensive makeover.
Since joining Resy in April 2023, Pablo Rivero has transformed the 10-year-old company from a clever reservations tool to an indispensable part of modern dining, seamlessly blending technology and hospitality.
“Reservations have become a form of cultural currency,” Rivero tells Observer. “And dining has exploded in its importance in our collective way of life and how it helps us connect.” Rivero’s ascent has positioned him both as Resy’s CEO and a vice president of American Express Global Dining (in a powerhouse 2019 move, American Express snapped up Resy like a must-have table at a hot new restaurant). In June, American Express acquired Tock, another reservations platform, and Rooam, a contactless payment system. The acquisitions added new capabilities to the Resy dashboard that help restaurants personalize marketing, drive loyalty and turn tables faster—ushering in what Rivero calls a “new era of hospitality.” Under Rivero’s stewardship, Resy arms restaurants with the tools they need to thrive in an increasingly digital world while enhancing the dining experience for guests.
“We have a passion for powering up hospitality,” he says. “We want to make it easier for diners to land that perfect reservation, find a new favorite neighborhood spot and support restaurants and small businesses.” Rivero has positioned Resy as more than a platform; it’s a partner, a collaborator and a driver of the dining world’s evolution. By pairing cutting-edge technology with a profoundly human touch, he’s ensuring that dining out remains a vital, celebratory act in our increasingly digital lives.
Craig Robins approaches Miami’s Design District like a grandmaster crafting his magnum opus. His latest power plays—acquiring two prime retail properties, importing L.A.’s white-hot Mother Wolf and relaunching The Moore Hotel and members club—suggest he’s playing several moves ahead of everyone else.
“We’re broadening the neighborhood’s purpose,” Robins tells Observer, in what might be the understatement of the year. The past 18 months have been “transformative” for the district, with The Moore’s reopening marking what Robins calls “a significant milestone”—though “milestone” feels inadequate for what amounts to a complete cultural rewiring of Miami’s luxury nucleus.
Robins’ next act promises even more audacious strokes: a 100-room boutique hotel that challenges conventional hospitality wisdom, a residential tower bearing Pritzker winner David Chipperfield’s signature and office spaces conceived in collaboration with Daniel Arsham and Arquitectonica. Add to that a multifamily building by Jorge Pardo, and you’ve got an architectural ensemble that turns the district into a living gallery.
“Our vision is to create an environment where innovation, culture and community seamlessly come together,” Robins explains. This fall, Robins made a private donation to double the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami’s footprint, suggesting he’s more interested in action than vision statements. This November, Robins’ increasingly influential role as a patron and collector of art was recognized by the Bakehouse Art Complex and Major of Miami-Dade County Daniella Levine Cava. Under Robins’ stewardship, retail, art, architecture and lifestyle converge with almost implausible perfection.
From a single seafood spot on Bond Street to a burgeoning empire of Thai culinary delights, 55 Hospitality has proven that New York’s appetite for innovation remains deliciously unsated. Co-founders Jenn Saesue and Chat Suansilphong first made waves with Fish Cheeks’ perpetually packed Noho location in 2016—conquering that most elusive of Manhattan achievements: making the familiar feel revolutionary. Their growing prominence crystallized further with 2023’s Bangkok Supper Club, which snagged a coveted two-star review from the notoriously exacting Pete Wells (who retired shortly after bestowing his blessing). The sophistication of this venture suggests that Saesue and Suansilphong have been holding their cards close—and they’re playing a royal flush.
The momentum continues as Fish Cheeks prepares to swim across the East River to stake its claim in Williamsburg’s increasingly competitive dining scene. But their next venture might raise the most eyebrows: Bub’s Bakery, slated for early 2025, promises to democratize the dessert scene with vegan and allergen-free offerings that don’t taste like compromise.
“What I’m most proud of is the team we’ve built,” Saesue tells Observer. Suansilphong, meanwhile, reflects on their trajectory with characteristic intensity: “These achievements feel like the culmination of a decade of relentless hard work, countless challenges and the many connections we’ve built over the years.” With each new opening, 55 Hospitality is systematically redefining Thai fine dining in New York.
With ventures spanning Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Arizona and New Delhi, chef-owner Sujan Sarkar is a culinary force pushing boundaries while staying true to his heritage. A 2024 James Beard finalist for Best Chef: Great Lakes, Sarkar has reshaped the future of Indian dining with innovation, storytelling and an unwavering commitment to excellence.
“There’s a responsibility to represent Indian cuisine with integrity and contribute to a larger narrative beyond the walls of my kitchens,” Sarkar tells Observer. “It opens doors for other South Asian chefs to showcase our heritage in new and inspiring ways. It’s about storytelling and education through food, dispelling preconceived notions, and showcasing the true depth of cuisine as diverse and vibrant as the subcontinent itself.”
Sarkar’s celebrated brands are a testament to his vision. In Chicago, Indienne became the city’s first Michelin-starred Indian restaurant. Sarkar further elevated the city’s dining scene with Swadesi, an Indian chai-pastry shop, and Sifr, a woodfire Mediterranean and Middle Eastern restaurant. Each concept is a unique exploration of flavors and techniques rooted in Sarkar’s mission to make Indian cuisine more accessible and engaging.
“Despite being a fine dining restaurant, we strive to make our food accessible,” Sarkar says of Indienne. Sarkar’s global footprint includes Feringhee in Chandler, Arizona; Baar Baar in New York City and Los Angeles; and India’s first artisanal cocktail bar, Ek Bar, in New Delhi. Most recently, he launched TIYA in San Francisco, a California-inspired Indian concept in the Marina District. With each new venture, Sarkar continues to challenge stereotypes and expand the narrative of Indian cuisine. From chai culture to fine dining, his work is both a celebration of his roots and a bold exploration of what’s possible.
When Scott Sartiano founded Zero Bond in 2020, he created a velvet-roped utopia for the elite, the ambitious and the perpetually jet-lagged. The private members’ club has become a beacon for New York’s movers and shakers, offering a carefully curated sanctuary where deals are made, reputations are cemented and the champagne never seems to run dry. Sartiano, ever the architect of exclusivity, is bringing that ethos to the desert, unveiling a sprawling new outpost at The Wynn Las Vegas in early 2025.
“Zero Bond was created as a sanctuary for today’s forward-thinking individuals,” Sartiano tells Observer. “As we expand, we’re not just adding new locations; we’re crafting experiences that redefine sophistication. Las Vegas has its own unique energy and personality, and I’m excited to bring the Zero Bond experience—centered on community—to this dynamic market.”
The move west is only the latest in Sartiano’s ever-growing hospitality empire, which includes seven venues in New York and Boston under the Bond Hospitality banner. Last year, he orchestrated a revival of Soho’s Mercer Hotel with the opening of his eponymous restaurant, Sartiano’s. This spring, Sartiano re-opened Submercer, the ‘90s It-spot that closed over a decade ago, restoring the Mercer’s status as a hideaway for high-profile guests who prefer their glamour understated and their privacy uncompromising.
“Hospitality is a collaborative effort,” he says. “It’s about creating experiences people want to return to and discuss. That motivates us to keep pushing boundaries because we want to stay ahead of the curve and offer something unique.” In Sartiano’s world, exclusivity isn’t about who you let in but what you create once the doors close.
The Sethi siblings—Jyotin, Karam and Sunaina—have spent the past 15 years redefining the dining landscape in London, and now their empire has landed stateside with Berenjak at DUMBO House in Brooklyn. With seven Michelin stars, five Michelin Bib Gourmands and a portfolio of 30 brands under JKS Restaurants, the powerhouse trio has transformed Indian cuisine into an international movement while branching into eclectic non-Indian concepts that continue to push boundaries.
This year, JKS celebrated milestones for their London heavyweights: 16 years of Trishna, 11 years of Gymkhana, six years of Brigadiers and the autumn opening of Ambassadors Clubhouse. In February, Gymkhana earned its second Michelin star, making it the only Indian restaurant in the U.K. to hold such an accolade and adding to JKS’s already dazzling roster of honors.
“This year has seen momentous growth,” Karam Sethi tells Observer. “Each restaurant showcases creativity, consistency and innovation. The legacy and strength of our brands is a testament to this.”
The move to New York signals JKS’s next chapter—a bold international expansion that targets not only America but also the Middle East. The venture comes alongside the growing success of their retail line, Gymkhana Fine Foods, which has already taken the U.K. by storm and is poised for global launches.
Hollis Silverman has carved a niche in D.C. dining with Eastern Point Collective, blending sharp business instincts with a steady hand in hospitality. Since launching her group in 2018—following a decade of consulting and a stint as COO at José Andrés Group—she’s crafted a brand that’s part restaurant empire, part consultancy, taking on high-profile clients and projects from concept to execution. Under Eastern Point, Silverman’s hit list includes The Duck & the Peach (dubbed one of D.C.’s top restaurants in 2024), La Collina and The Wells, all of which opened in the early pandemic months of 2020. Not content to stop there, in 2023, she added Méli Wine and Mezze to her lineup, a luxe amenity for the residents of The Silva, a high-end D.C. apartment building.
This year, she snagged a James Beard semifinalist spot for Outstanding Restaurateur, a nod to her influence in community-building and entrepreneurship. But ask her what matters, and it’s her self-styled mission to “change the industry.” While accolades stack up, Silverman’s ambitions go beyond recognition; as CEO of Eastern Point, she’s pushed internal policies centered on equity, support for caregivers and pay fairness, making good on her mission to create real change in hospitality.
“I (have) made it a priority to foster a work culture that supports women and caregivers, provide stability and pay equity across our restaurants, and contribute to the communities and businesses where we reside,” Silverman tells Observer, noting her plans to expand into new markets. “Even with all we accomplished this year, I will continue to work at making the hospitality industry better through integrity and grace.” So far, the recipe has made her indispensable—and a bit untouchable.
Since stepping into the CEO role in 2020, Debby Soo has turned OpenTable into far more than a reservation platform. With a mission to help the restaurant industry thrive, Soo has redefined what it means to be a tech partner in hospitality, creating tools that prioritize connection, advocacy and diversity. Under Soo’s leadership, OpenTable now serves over 60,000 restaurants globally, seating 1.7 billion diners annually. But more than volume, Soo’s after excellence.
“We’ve doubled down on winning the best restaurants by listening harder than we ever have and offering the products and tools they need to be successful,” Soo tells Observer. That focus on collaboration has driven tangible results: a 28 percent increase in highly awarded and in-demand restaurants joining the platform from 2023 to 2024. “Our goal is to have the ultimate restaurant tech platform,” Soo says, though her leadership is as much about advocacy as technology. “We are fiercely committed to helping restaurants thrive. Every advocacy effort we pursue reflects that purpose.”
In the last year, OpenTable invested $1.5 million in programs amplifying underrepresented voices, including the Gold Chef Prize, a collaboration with API nonprofit Gold House to celebrate API chefs, and partnerships with Cherry Bombe to spotlight woman-led restaurants. Soo also expanded Sprouts Chef Training to New York City, creating pathways for underprivileged youth, and worked with Ben’s Friends to support hospitality professionals in recovery.
“As an Asian American woman in a C-level role, I understand firsthand what it means to be underestimated,” Soo says. “Elevating underrepresented voices has always been deeply personal to me. Restaurateurs, in many ways, are underestimated, too.”
Stephen Starr maneuvers the restaurant industry like a maestro conducts symphonies, each new venue a movement in his ever-expanding opus. With 40 East Coast establishments already under his command, 2024 has seen the hospitality virtuoso playing all his greatest hits while composing entirely new ones.
January brought Pastis to DC’s Union Market—a collaboration with Keith McNally that locals immediately dubbed “Le Diplomate East,” a nod to Starr’s highest-grossing venture in the district. By November, he’d doubled down on DC’s Georgetown with Nancy Silverton’s Osteria Mozza, commandeering 20,000 square feet of prime real estate for their first East Coast collaboration. Starr’s most audacious play of late might be Le Cafe Louis Vuitton, his fourth-floor fashion-meets-food venture on Fifth Avenue. With Michelin-caliber talent in the kitchen and 600 books lining the walls, it’s “luxury snacking” elevated to performance art—even if its run is limited to a few years before LV’s grand reconstruction.
Meanwhile, Pastis continues its manifest destiny, with West Palm Beach next in line for the McNally-Starr treatment. Philadelphia gets its own love letter in the form of an Italian trattoria, set to join Parc (which casually grossed $23 million last year) in dominating Rittenhouse Square. Starr’s also breathing new life into the historic Occidental at the Willard InterContinental, set to open in 2025, with Ken Fulk crafting the mise-en-scène.
Even his wine program has gone bespoke, with a private label Pinot Noir emerging from Oregon’s Willamette Valley. It’s the detail one expects from a restaurateur who treats expansion like notes in an ongoing culinary concerto.
Hospitality is in Michael Stillman’s DNA. The son of the mastermind behind TGI Fridays and Smith & Wollensky has elevated the family business of feeding New York to performance art, overseeing some 50 establishments that range from intimate culinary stages to theatrical dining arenas.
Stillman’s latest triumphs read like a study in controlled chaos. There’s Don Angie, the West Village sensation where Chef-Partners Angie Rito and Scott Tacinelli have turned lasagna-for-two into such an Instagram phenomenon that even the TODAY show had to genuflect. Then there’s Bad Roman, his Columbus Circle tribute to Italian excess, where roasted lobster stuffed with Calabrian pasta and strawberry sbagliatos flow with baroque abandon.
“The openings we’ve done over the last 18 months have showcased the breadth of our group,” Stillman tells Observer, displaying the casual confidence of someone who just unveiled both Twin Tails—a high-volume Midtown spectacle—and San Sabino, a 44-seat jewel box where Rito and Tacinelli transform seafood into edible poetry.
“The ability to move through two very different worlds within the NYC restaurant scene while still weaving personality into everything we do, that’s what excited me most,” he notes. Indeed, Stillman toggles between Midtown glitz and Village intimacy as easily as most people switch subway lines.
With his favored design conspirators at GRT Architects and AvroKo, Stillman crafts destinations that feel calibrated yet deliciously unhinged. With each new venture, he’s controlling the city’s pulse, one viral dish at a time.
From the launch of Chelsea’s Marquee—which celebrated 20 years of over-the-top revelry this year—to Mohari Group’s $550 million acquisition of Tao Group Hospitality in 2023, Noah Tepperberg and Jason Strauss’ ability to merge dining, entertainment and luxury has become the blueprint for modern hospitality.
So far in 2024, Tepperberg and Strauss have unveiled venues in New York, Las Vegas, Mexico City and Muscat, Oman’s capital city. At the same time, their spaces remained at the center of cultural moments, such as the Victoria’s Secret NYFW afterparty at their newly opened Crane Club. In November, they unveiled the Crane Club restaurant, a new fine-dining concept, with a multi-night, star-studded extravaganza. It’s a testament to their ability to remain relevant while scaling a sprawling global operation.
“The globalization of our brands continues to push us,” Tepperberg tells Observer. “I am humbled by the lessons we learn with each new project.” With legacy brands like Tao, Marquee, Hakkasan and Lavo anchoring their portfolio, Tepperberg and Strauss are considering more than expansion. “We are laser-focused on refining our strategy for selecting new projects and partners and finding ways to continually re-invest in our legacy brands,” Tepperberg says.
From their beginnings as pioneers of New York nightlife to their current position as leaders in global luxury hospitality, Tepperberg and Strauss continue to set the pace for an industry in constant motion. As they look to the future, their vision for Tao Group Hospitality is one of bold innovation, meticulous strategy and a commitment to creating unforgettable experiences—whether in the heart of Manhattan or halfway around the world.
Since Brian Toll and John Terzian founded The h.wood Group in 2008, they’ve transformed Los Angeles nightlife into a glittering playground frequented by A-listers like the Kardashians and Drake. What began as a bold gamble by two young entrepreneurs has evolved into a global hospitality powerhouse with 14 celebrated venues and counting.
“I’m driven to create a legacy,” Toll tells Observer. Their roster of hotspots—Delilah, The Nice Guy, Bootsy Bellows, Didi, Harriet’s, Keys, Poppy and Slab—has found success far beyond L.A., with outposts in Dubai, Nashville, Toronto, Las Vegas and Miami. In 2023, the duo reclaimed h.wood’s global rights from Hakkasan Group, marking a new era of creative freedom and expansion. The results were immediate: December saw the debut of Delilah Miami—complete with its famed $45 Champagne Papi cocktail and a strict no-photos policy—and plans for Delilah locations in Dallas’ Design District and New York were announced. Meanwhile, The Nice Guy, their mod-inspired venue known for its brunch and late-night vibes, is heading to Aspen.
“It’s tough to say which project is most exciting because we’re expanding quite a bit,” Terzian tells Observer. This year, the group launched Rolodex, a proprietary reservation platform designed to streamline VIP bookings while providing data-driven insights to enhance the guest experience. It’s a tech-forward move that cements their status as leaders in premium hospitality.
With a decade of collaboration behind them and a relentless drive to keep evolving, Toll and Terzian are creating cultural moments. And as they expand their empire from Aspen into Dallas, the duo’s vision for h.wood is proving as boundless as their ambition. “Seeing how far we’ve come and where we’re headed is the most inspiring,” Terzian says. “What’s next motivates me daily.”
Jean-Georges Vongerichten has spent over five decades proving that empire-building and culinary excellence aren’t mutually exclusive. The Alsatian-born chef, who stumbled into his first kitchen job at 16 (“My parents took me to a restaurant because they felt bad for me,” he tells Observer), now directs a 60-restaurant symphony that spans continents with the exactness of a two-star Michelin conductor.
Last December saw the debut of Four Twenty Five, where he partnered with Chef Jonathan Benno to create a marriage of Asian influences and Italian sensibilities. By April, Vongerichten exported his ABC concept to London’s Emory Hotel, consolidating his trio of Manhattan favorites into one sophisticated package. Now he’s set his sights on Brooklyn, with plans for an ABC Kitchens outpost in DUMBO that promises to make Manhattan feel like merely a warm-up act. Chez Margaux, an 18,000-square-foot Meatpacking District members’ club that opened in November—carved from the bones of his former Spice Market—houses everything from a caviar salon to the after-hours club Gaux Gaux. Vongerichten still knows how to keep New York guessing.
But the chef’s most audacious play might be diving into Miami real estate with Jean-Georges Miami Tropic Residences, a 48-story statement piece set to redefine Midtown’s skyline by 2027. “It’s difficult to follow trends,” he muses. “Sometimes I create trends, sometimes I see what the people want.”
After 51 years in the business, Vongerichten’s philosophy remains clear: “What’s broken for dinner, we fix for lunch. What doesn’t work for lunch, we fix for dinner.” Perhaps more than his celebrated palate, this adaptability keeps Vongerichten ahead of the curve.
Andy Wang might be the most influential person in hospitality you’ve never heard of. After decades of chronicling the restaurant world, he’s transformed from an observer to a power broker with Industry Only, a series of (mostly) invite-only events that have become hospitality’s most exclusive deal-making playground. What began two years ago as an impromptu 50-person fundraiser has evolved into a bi-coastal phenomenon, drawing hospitality’s heaviest hitters to gatherings where deals get done before the caviar runs dry. His Vegas debut during World’s 50 Best Week turned Resorts World into a culinary United Nations, while his New York launch at Major Food Group’s ZZ’s proved that even Manhattan’s most jaded restaurateurs will clear their calendars for a Wang invite. Why? “Andy connects everybody,” Pijja Palace’s Avish Naran tells Observer, “He never gatekeeps.” Naran speaks from firsthand experience. Wang’s Industry Only events have become such powerful incubators that participating venues—including Naran’s Pijja Palace—regularly secure major investments.
“Hospitality can be soul-crushing, but the reward is knowing that you’ve changed the culture and created something that makes people feel more alive,” Wang tells Observer. It shouldn’t be shameful to “sell out,” he says. “I believe the reward should be financial. I want the people on lists like this to make bank, build legacies, own the buildings they occupy and take care of their teams. I want them to find investors and partners and sponsorship deals that allow this to happen. I want the people who’ve already done this to mentor the ones who are just getting started.”
Over 75 restaurants have received funding via connections they made at Industry Only events, receiving checks ranging from $100,000 to over $1 million. Resy, OpenTable and Dorsia have all but clamored to partner with Wang, banking on Industry Only event sponsorships to recruit new restaurants for their reservation platforms. Fundraisers and more significant events—like the recent F1-adjacent food festival at Resorts World, attended by over 700 guests—are open to the public, with tickets around $450.
“He’s helping so many chefs and restaurants,” tech entrepreneur Shu Chowdhury tells Observer. “Andy’s created a place where Michelin-starred chefs and up-and-comers meet with authenticity. They let their guards down and talk to each other—and that’s where the real stuff happens.” This year saw Wang expand his influence with “Industry Only at the Cheese Store,” a podcast where hospitality’s biggest names spill their secrets in Beverly Hills’ most prestigious tasting room. In an industry where everyone claims to be connected, Wang has built something more valuable: a community that shows up.
Chris Webb knows how to play the long game. After a decade of revolutionizing restaurant operations through ChowNow, the tech maverick promoted himself from CEO to chairman—a power move that suggests he’s got bigger fish to fry than day-to-day operations. ChowNow’s March 2024 acquisition of Cuboh reads like a chess master’s opening gambit, giving restaurants a unified command center for their increasingly complex delivery empires. The platform now corrals everything from DoorDash to Uber Eats into one streamlined dashboard, sparing restaurateurs from death by a thousand apps.
Webb’s latest achievement is transforming ChowNow’s headquarters into a culinary colosseum. In October, ChowNow hosted one of the East Coast’s largest chef conferences, bringing the event to Los Angeles for the first time. “When we envisioned this space three years ago, this was the moment we dreamed about,” he notes, understating the masterful conversion of corporate headquarters into a culinary forum.
The company he birthed in 2011 has evolved from a simple online ordering platform into the restaurant industry’s digital backbone. Webb’s vision extends far beyond delivery logistics—he’s building what he calls “a comprehensive ecosystem” encompassing everything from pickup to loyalty programs, catering to consumer packaged goods.
“While we’ve made significant strides in many of these areas, we see tremendous untapped potential ahead,” Webb observes, speaking with the quiet confidence of someone who knows exactly where the industry’s heading because he’s steering the ship. His transition from CEO might look like a step back to the untrained eye, but in classic Webb fashion, it’s a mathematical leap forward.
Erick Williams is rewriting the rules of Chicago’s culinary scene. The chef behind Hyde Park’s celebrated Virtue has long been a pioneer, but in 2022, he cemented his place in history as the first Black chef to win the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes. For Williams, though, accolades are only the beginning. His true influence lies in using his platform to foster equity, cultivate leadership and uplift his community.
“Every dish we serve, every story we tell through our food and the work that we do, comes from a place of deep respect for those who came before us and those we are bringing up alongside us,” Williams tells Observer. “Growth, for me, is about lifting others as we rise.”
Williams recently opened his fifth concept, Cantina Rosa, collaborating with renowned mixologist Paul McGee to bring a cohesive Mexican bar to Hyde Park. The new venture, located around the corner from Virtue, will pair historic decor and music with a menu that pays homage to Mexico’s rich culinary traditions, departing from Williams’s signature Southern and New Orleans influences.
Backed by investors, Williams is spearheading significant developments on Chicago’s South Side, including a project featuring 30 condominiums and five retail spaces, which he hopes will house Black-owned businesses. His efforts to empower his community also caught the attention of the Obamas—Williams hosted an event for the Obama Foundation in May, following a conversation with the former president about leveraging the Obama Presidential Center’s rising tourism to create opportunities for local residents. With every plate served, every new project and every initiative, Williams honors the legacy of those who paved the way while actively creating one of his own.
The Yang brothers—Albert and Aaron—reign over a dumpling dynasty that would make their grandfather proud. As co-CEOs of Din Tai Fung, they’ve transformed a modest Taiwanese cooking oil shop into a global phenomenon, with 181 locations across 13 countries, serving what might be the world’s most talked-about soup dumplings.
“This past year has been incredible for growth,” Albert tells Observer, speaking with the measured enthusiasm of someone who knows they’re writing history one flawlessly pleated xiao long bao at a time. Most recently, Downtown Disney got its first standalone location, while Midtown Manhattan welcomed the brand’s largest restaurant to date. The expansion shows no signs of slowing, with 2025 promising new outposts across Arizona, California and Canada. “Our goal is to share the Din Tai Fung experience with as many people as we can without sacrificing our standards,” Aaron tells Observer. Success, they note, means “honoring our heritage responsibly.”
The brothers have invested heavily in recruitment and training, understanding that their family legacy depends as much on their people as their recipes. “When we first started, it was about folding xiao long bao or helping after school,” Albert recalls. “Now, it’s about creating the healthiest company possible.”
Their approach balances luxury with accessibility—a difficult feat in an industry that typically demands you choose one or the other. “The experience we offer is elevated yet comforting—a luxury anyone can enjoy,” Albert explains, distilling generations of wisdom into a business model proving as satisfying as their signature dumplings.
