Matt Prince was 19 when he opened his first bar at Hofstra University. The Long Island lounge called Bogart’s became so popular that the hospitality maverick opened a second and third location before selling them in a succession of sweet deals, the last about 10 years ago. The idea at the time, back in 2007, was to pursue a new lounge venture with former NY Jets wide receiver Wayne Chrebet, and retire from the hospitality grind to raise his three…
The call for help came at 1:30 a.m. in early October as longtime California winemaker Fred Peterson slumbered before daybreak, harvest time. The alarm was sounded as major wildfires that would destroy vineyards, homes and lives began hitting farms and wildlife sanctuaries 20 minutes from the Peterson Winery in Healdsburg. “We were in the middle of finishing our grape harvest when my father (the founder of Peterson Winery), who’s a volunteer on the fire department, got a call in the…
Not far from the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown, Mass. begins a quiet revolution in neighborhood fare. With its rough-hewn accents of wood, and a bright red, wood-fire stove at its center, four veteran restauranteurs from Boston opened Monument Restaurant to bring comfort stables & family friendly hours to a neighborhood hungry for the basics, but with flair. “Every decision we made, from the menu to the look and feel of the place, was made for the neighborhood and community…
As a schoolboy, Curtis Bashaw fell in love with his dormitory and its glorious history. The storied structure in Cape May, N.J., burned in the historic fire of 1878, was rebuilt, renamed The Virginia Hotel, and catapulted onto the society pages of numerous publications as the glamorous old girl played host to the rich and famous of the day. But by the time Bashaw roomed in his quarters at the once-glamorous spot, the 24-room venue had long ago fallen out…
The Portsmouth Brewery is like a stage for general manager and self-described “hospitality lifer” Brennen Rumble. It’s a place that comes alive the second the doors open, or, as in Rumble’s imagination, the curtain goes up. Patrons are greeted with warmth and a smile, and soon find themselves transported from their daily cares in to a microbrewery that entertains—it even introduces its patrons to one another if they wish— and offers lively discussions, fun events, and daring and delicious brews….
Deepak Gulrajani is a techie turned vintner; a Bombay, India native who worked passionately in the California tech space for years until the lure of the grape, and dreams of making a great pinot noir, took root. Exchanging his climate-controlled office for an arid piece of farmland in the Carneros area of California, Deepak began growing his own grapes in 2003 at his 31-acre Nicholson Ranch Winery. Utilizing an organic, dry-farming method that forces grapes to put down deeper roots…
On any given day in a 14,000 pound, wood-fired oven from Spain, suckling pig roasts for hours at the Bellmónt Spanish Restaurant of Florida. The savory aroma fills the Coral Gables kitchen with tradition as recipes and methods dating back to 18th century Madrid come alive in the hands of entrepreneur restauranteurs Sergio Catalina Bellmónt and his wife Claudia Romero. “It was our mission to have traditional cuisine on our menu and to cook in the wood-fired oven we brought…
From the days of horse-drawn carriages and hand-cranked telephones, Inman Square in Cambridge, Mass., has been remaking itself. But no matter how tangled the streets have become with cars and cyclists vying for space, or how many businesses come and go, a delicatessen founded in 1919 by an Eastern European immigrant remains; rooted in the heart of the square. “We’re a fourth-generation business started by my great-grandmother Ma Edelstein,” says restauranteur Gary Mitchell. “She was a pioneer who grew her…
Long before she rocked a Dr. Pepper aioli with shallot rings and microgreens on popular TV show Top Chef Masters, California cooking star Suzanne Tracht found a way to make magic with simple ingredients, and with a twist. The longtime owner of the famous Jar Restaurant in Los Angeles, Tracht says her approach to cooking is much like the challenge she faced on Top Chef in 2013. “When you’re cooking in a busy kitchen, the first thing you have to…
TKO Malley’s Sports Café in Scituate, Mass. has been winning round after round since they entered the culinary ring back in 1994. “It’s a knockout restaurant with knockout views and knockout food,” says General Manager Rich Lenahan. But the fun, food and ambience of the 140-seat restaurant on the harbor did not just happen by chance. It has honed itself into a lean, mean fighting machine. One that stands the test of time, competition and other challenges. Lenahan explains in…