February 21, 2024 • 44 mins
Episode 6, Dwyane talks with his long-time friend and hospitality entrepreneur David Grutman. Grutman is known as the King of Miami Nightlife for opening LIV nightclub at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel and is the founder of Goot Hospitality which owns restaurants, hotels, bars and nightclubs all over Miami and the world.
The two friends discuss the keys to success in Miami, who should be on the Miami Mt. Rushmore, and dive deep into David controversial decision to allow the Mavericks to celebrate their 2011 NBA Finals victory at LIV.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:16):
What's up, everybody. I'm Dwyane Wade. Welcome to the Why Podcast.
I am sitting next to greatness to my left over here.
I'm excited for this conversation. This is an individual who
I just ran into in Cans recently. We both were
out there. He was looking a little better than me.
I was a little all right. I was a little
surprised to see you out there, man. David Grubman, Welcome
(00:39):
to the White Podcast. Thank you for taking time.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Man.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
We're gonna get into all your accomplishments and everything as
we go on, but thank you for taking time.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Sit down this conversation. Man.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
I mean, if there's one person that has a lot
of coupons with me, it's definitely you.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
I mean, thank you, thank you. And I was late too, everybody.
Just so y'all know this traffic out here is crazy.
I showed up a little late today. I apologize.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
It's okay. I mean, listen, it's very busy in Miami,
and we know you're a very busy man, especially when
you come to the market. So I'm sure you have
to make your rounds.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
No I did, man, So let's talk about that last
time we seen each other. We were at this beautiful
one of the most beautiful fashion shows I've ever been to.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
It was stunning.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
It was amazing at this amazing chateau somewhere in cann France.
Your wife Isabella and I and all of us, we
got a chance to have a Miami moment.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Yep, talk about it, man.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
So you know now that my wife is like this
big entrepreneur and fashionista, I'm a plus one. I'm always
now getting to go to some of the best events
in the world. And I just look, as you know,
you're in the same place. Our wives are so out
there and business woman's and pushing and all this that
(01:50):
I love being a plus one sometimes. But it was
a beautiful setting. It was a versace dua lipa collab show.
I think it was like fifty people or something like that.
I was very nervous about the placement and about going
to Oversachi show because I thought it was going to
be rubber and the head and all sorts of stuff. Uh.
And it was awesome. It was such a cool event.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
It was such a vibe. I remember sitting like it
felt like we was all sitting courtside right exactly. We
all had our court size seats, and I remember looking
across the way and just taking a look at you,
and I'm thinking, like when I first mentioned we won,
sitting never saught you shows. It's a different world now.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Yeah, it's it's great. Uh, you know, I'm sure, as
many viewers know, I was lucky enough to start my
career when you kind of started your career here in Miami,
and to see the evolution and the growth of you
and what you've done for the city, and to see, uh,
where I've gotten to go from those days to where
I am now. It's it's kind of great to have
(02:49):
someone so connected to Miami as I am, because we
both love the city. Yeah, for sure, even though you
left us to move away, but we know that you
come a lot and this city owes you so much.
It's incredible.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Yeah, I just took a time out, you know.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
You know sometime in the game, you know, how to
you know, I spoke rounut on the court and you
got to take a time out. I took a lot
of time. I was here for sixteen years. You know,
I spent a lot of most of my childhood here,
you know, as my early adulthood rather and you know,
you kind of want to get out and see things,
see the world a little bit.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
And so that's what I'm doing right now.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
You know, it's been cool is to you say, the
sixteen years. But through those sixteen years, as I've been
here for sixteen years, people come and go, people come
and go, but the always constant thing has been you here. Yeah,
and others come and get the light and then leave
and don and stuff like that. But to know that
to have you as that foundation for Miami, for me
(03:45):
always felt like that's our iconic foundation.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Man.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Yeah, you know coming back for me, I mean I
am coming back and I feel like I do feel
like a guest because I'm not standing in my home.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
I'm standing like hotels and I'm doing it.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
It's a different life coming back, But it's okay because
I'm going to see a different side of Miami that
I didn't get to see as a basketball player. So
I'm meeting people that I never got to meet as
a basketball player. So it's fine for me. But every
time I come back, it's something new, something I haven't seen,
something I haven't heard, right, And every time I come back,
David Grut, my name is a part of how are
you doing all this, Are you getting any sleep? Like,
(04:18):
what's going on? So?
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Yeah, I mean sleep is And I started a family
and stuff like.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
That in the middle of it.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Yeah, yeah, you know. And now I'm taking Miami to
other markets.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Right.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
We just open Kmodo in Dallas and we're going to
open a couple more places there. And next week I
open a poppy Steak Komodo Live and Live Beach at
the Fountain Blue in Las Vegas.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
So and I've been fighting Las Vegas for so long,
but this opportunity was too big for me to not do.
And I think it's so cool to see Miami brands
be able to grow in other markets.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
How do you do that? Like some people who are
in the industry, you ins in one of the industries.
When it comes to the restaurant instr they got to
taste of steak every night. They want to make sure
that everything is exactly, you know, how they want it.
So it's hard for them to expand and hard for
him to grow because they can't keep eyes on it.
How do you be comfortable enough to take a baby
of yours and your brand and let it go elsewhere?
Speaker 2 (05:13):
So I'd love to say it's all me, but I
have a great team, you know, and if you don't
have a great team around you, you're never going to grow.
And I always try to hire people that are smarter
and better than me so that it gives me that
push to go be able to go do what I do.
And I think it's something that people ignore so much,
is they're always afraid to hire people around them that
(05:35):
are smarter and better than them. And it's been the
key to my success. People. Yeah, well listen, I definitely
let's forget you and I aren't in these chairs because
we don't have the ego, that's for sure. That being said,
it's it's also partnering with great people as well. You know,
I partnered with Poppy David Einhorn on Poppy Steak and
the Fountain Blue in Las Vegas, and Bad Bunny at
(05:58):
Get Go and Pharrell as you know, at Swan in
the Good Time. So finding great partners is also good
and doing things that you do together that you love.
Noah Tepa Berg from Tau Group and I just opened
a new restaurant here called Cassadana, and it's doing so well.
But I know one of the reasons why it's doing
so well is because it's done with love, and when
(06:21):
you do things for the love of something, it's good.
Anytime I failed miserably, it's when I was trying to
be spiteful. You know. I tried to open a Spike club,
and you know, as as we started, I ran the
Opium Group, which at that time was Mansion and Opium
Garden and Prevay and all that. We had some really
great moments there, and they wouldn't make me a partner.
(06:45):
So then when I was able to be a partner
in a club which was Cameo everything, yeah, yeah, listen,
still me. But everything I did was try to be
spiteful and show them you should have made me a partner,
and blah blah blah. And I failed so miserably that
they ended up buying the club for me because I
was such a failure at it, because everything I did
(07:07):
was to show them. So again, if your ethics, your beliefs,
your systems aren't lined up correctly, you're going to fail.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
So that you can feel it, right, like from the outside,
you can feel if something is if it's love put
into it, or if it's just it's a quick.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Buck, right, and if it's to get even at somebody
or not in the right place. But because Costadna is
done with such a love between him and I, we
have such a great relationship. It's overachieving more than I
could ever imagine.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
You know, that's one of the questions I actually asked you.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
I've seen you at F one two years ago, and
even though you know you're a big player here, it's
a lot of players that's coming in, right, It's coming
in from New York and out of the state.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
And I said, how is the competition?
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Right? Like, how is it with all these people coming
in and you at the same events with them? Like,
is it friendly?
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Is it?
Speaker 1 (07:53):
You know? Is it a little jockey?
Speaker 2 (07:54):
It's a frend stir. It's you know, at the end
of the day, you need that competition to push you, right.
If everything was, if there was no competition, it would
just get boring. Man. But it's it's a great rivalry
we all have with each other.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
And when a new guy comes in, the other guys
that just had come into the market for you go,
I hope you give them as a warm of a
welcome as you gave me a d in the market.
It's funny because you know another restaurant group just opened
a place next to me in Miami, and they've been
so respectful and so uh not trying to hire my team,
(08:35):
not doing this and not doing that. And the other
guys from New York said to me, are you are
you going to kill these guys? And I go no,
because they've been so respectful now and they've been so
good to me throughout the years, and we have such
great relationships with each other. But yet if someone opens
a coffee shop around the corner for me, I want
to burn it down right. So it's been me getting
(08:57):
a little bit older and wiser, and really, you know,
I care about as you know, relationships more than anybody.
And seeing that now when a new place opens up,
people will go there for a moment and then come
right back to you is a great feeling. I mean,
I still mother fam all the way till the end.
And I never want my friends to feel like it's
(09:17):
okay to go to other people's places other than mine.
I always want them to think, for a second, oh
maybe I shouldn't go there. I feel like I'm doing
something wrong. Jewish guilt is.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Something they listen when when I come to town. It's
not you know. I have relationships that you know, some
that before I met you and after. But our family,
it's like you said, it's about relationships, and so our
family when it comes to my wife, when it comes
to this, and tell when it comes to above, at
least like our entire group, we all be like, all right.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
We in town for a couple hours.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
We have to make sure that we stop buy one
of And so it's like it's like a guilty if
we don't know, I feel a way I actually do.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
I can't lie to you, I know, so that guilt
is good. I like that guilt. That makes me happy
because we want to instill that in everybody that come
to Miami, and by being a keyholder of of Miami
or one of them, when you come to Miami, I
really want you to have that. I want to have
that touching point for you at one of my places.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
I'm glad you said, I got to get some off
my chest and this is I'm just jumping around here,
but being a key holder here in Miami, I've been
very proud of what you've building, what you've done, but
it was one moment I haven't been proud of, Okay,
and I understand it, it's business. But when you let
the Dallas Mavericks come in to Live and wow, So
we're going to talk about that, celebrate. I'm glad I
was hurt. David here, let.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Me just paint the picture. So we're on the same
pitch Saturday night, more Cubans in my place, dj Iri
the mic saying we're going to smoke some Cubans. And
then I get the call after they went on Sunday,
they're coming over. They came, they brought the trophy.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Oh to Hurt.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
I knew it wasn't going to be good. And Maverick
happened to be in the club that night as well,
and Maverick Go's Day won. They deserve it. Uh. I
took a lot of heat literally in the press for
a few years. But you know what was so great
was the next year when you guys did win the
championship and you did bring it back to Live and
(11:13):
then you know, and the year after that same thing again.
So so I was there for you guys. But yes,
I understand uh.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Oh getting that call, hurt, get that call hurt her film.
Yeah at the time. Now, the next year, first of all,
the next year you comped everything. We had a great night.
Ow you appreciate that.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
Thank of course, thank you for that.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
And we did come back, you know after that, because
we're always we're always pissed and it's because we lost.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
It had nothing to do with you.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
But.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
I understand, but you know, you know it's so great.
I love telling the story about that, that championship party
with the Miami Heat. The next year, you can't reach
out when you guys are up and stuff. I can't
reach out. I was reach out to Maverick, your everybody.
Are you guys gonna do they? We don't want we
don't want to jinx it. So you just have It
goes back to relationships. You just have to hope that
(12:05):
all those years of taking care of you guys would
pay off, that you guys would bring the championship back
to your stomping grounds. And listen, there was invites going
out for all the other clubs and places, you know,
after party after party, and I'm like, oh no, did
somebody get to somebody? And and then when you guys
roll up, yeah, you brought the whole thing. And then
(12:27):
the following year the repeat, same thing.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
Well, it's all love, you know what it is.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
But yeah, by the way, okay, I'm glad we got
it at chat.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
We got it out the way in a nice, cool time.
I didn't bring it to you a decade ago.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
A few people did. Yeah, yeah, yeah, but we love
the Miami Heat. Uh. It's by the way, it's tough
going to a Heat game now after those amazing years
being part of that, that moment just you know, and
it's great, we're we're definitely having a great moment and
stuff like that. But that time in my life, like
(13:04):
getting those floor seats, being there on that thing. Yeah,
the hype, the buzz, the craziness.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
Does that drive How is that when it comes to business,
Like when we were in our Big three phase and
we were people are coming from all over the place
to come and watch us. How is that does that
drive business all over or just the popular restaurants?
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Well, listen, you know what it drives business too, is
you have so many playoff games because of you guys, right,
and then you have the finals and you have this
and you have the hype and the buzz. I think
it just shines a great light on Miami. And you know,
an extended basketball season is great when you have restaurants
right around the arena. Yeah, so that was great. Yeah.
I mean the only thing I think has come close
(13:44):
to that is this whole Messy in Miami thing, the
hype and the buzz of celebrities and everybody just wanting
to be able to go to a game or see
this guy. It's incredible, man.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
I mean even kids right, Like, you know, soccer here
obviously it hasn't been something that we've seen, but you
got kids that now are growing up dreaming like, oh,
I can be messy. I want to play soccer. That's
never thought about playing soccer before. So it's incredible.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
They don't even know so they know Messy.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Right, they know they don't know soccer. The whole thing.
They don't know David Beckham, Like that's.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Have you did you have you watched David's dock yet?
Speaker 1 (14:22):
I got I got a chance to hear from I
haven't watched this yet. I got a chance to hear
from a lot of people that I need to.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
It's incredible and uh, it's it's wold.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
And what they've done for the city too. You know,
Beckham is a big thing. But Beckham and Messy and
the and the whole one two Punch again has brought
so much light to Miami. It reminds me of the
Big Three.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
Yeah, that that energy and that the aura that comes
with a messy and it comes with a Beckham is
similar to Lebron or Shaq and you know myself.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
I remember going from the Shack days to the Big
Three days. It was just like wow, and the constant
thing was.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
You, thank you. I appreciate that. I'm glad you said that.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Let's talk about fashion for a second. Listen, you talk
about faster, let's go. So you know, I don't do
many podcasts, but when I do do a podcast, I'll
wear a black T shirt or long, it doesn't matter.
But when I heard I was doing your podcast, you
fucked me up. Man. I had to be in the
closet for like I bring my guys. I don't want
to wear a print because it might be DA but
(15:30):
I can't wear just a black T shirt because we've
both raised you.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Refusa.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Listen, it's a risky, chancey move. I understand.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
No, it looks good because I'm tan from.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
I felt like it was a safe call. Uh. But
the silky sets, I'm really into the silky sets now.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
No, that's a vibe on you. Let me say, listen
over the pandemic time. Since then, I started opening up
my Instagram and I've seen a lot of shirtless David
Grutman photos.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
Which you never see. What you never see.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Talk to me about this newfound wave of masculinity.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
So, uh, you're feeling it though right now you like it?
So so you know, I went my whole life being
a chubbier guy or whatever it is, and it never
really felt comfortable taking my shirt off. COVID comes. I
go from two forty five to coming out of COVID
(16:28):
when seventy playing obsessed with tennis. BE found a sport
that I become obsessed with two hours a day every day.
If it's raining, I want to lose my mind because
I can't play tennis. If I'm up late, I play tennis.
If I you know, whatever, wherever I go, I bring
rackets with me. I find that court. So yeah, you
know I wanted to. I want to kind of I'm
(16:50):
feeling it. From the biohacking with Gary Breca, to the
Waights with Anthony Rhodes, to tennis with Jimmy Volitary. Every
day it's like, and you know, now I have like
a whole team. I have a physio because you know,
I'm forty nine. Man, I have to do dry needling.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Them, ankles, them hips.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Quads, the whole thing. Man. It's crazy. I don't know, Listen,
I feel like I'm a professional athlete now because I
have like the whole team. Like I'm sure, like your
whole career, you've had all this and.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Oh I needed it. It's funny like Wayne Boych who
is a friend we both shared when I was playing.
We both shared therapists like he was, you know, like
I'm a professiman athlete. He's he's a paddle he loves
he loves paddle paddle for some people. And we're both
sharing therapists, I mean dry needleing therapists and massage therapists.
And it's like he's on the exact same schedule I'm on.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
So yeah, professional people are like, why do you have
your physical therapist twice a week ago? Because I just
want to avoid a situation because I see all these
you know, everybody wants to hit with me. So I
see these guys, I think I've hurt so many people
that haven't played tennis in so many years. And they
get back up the court and they they rip this
and tear that and do this and do that. I
want to avoid all that, so I always try to
(18:02):
like be ahead of it. Yeah, it's funny to see
like so many guys getting back into tennis and stuff.
I love it.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
This is the time right now for like alternative sports,
right Like just like even in tennis, you got tennis,
you got pickle, you got you don't talk about the pickle. Well,
you know, I'm just you know, it's it's craves all
over the way, or it's racket sports, racket sports everywhere.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
It's uh, it's a lot. I haven't tried the pickle
or the paddle yet, but Wayne gives you a lot
of pressure.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
Yeah, on the paddle, it's tough.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
I'm like, why don't we play tennis again? Wayne, did
your whole career is tennis. Let's get back on the No.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
I haven't played pickle, but I understand paddle. I understand
like the athleticism that is needed to be, you know,
a pretty good paddle player, and I don't have that
athleticism at this point in my life. Really.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
No, I had to be on the ground with it,
you know. These knees ain't ain't letting me be great?
Speaker 2 (18:57):
So are you still able to tell me about your
and working out in the whole thing.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
I don't get on the court no more zero.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
I mean like once in a while my son to
be on the court and I go in and try
to teach them something, but then I'm out for two
weeks after that. You know a lot of people don't
know I dealt with well they do know, but I
do with need like need paying my whole year.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
Like I'm bone on bone. I've been bone on bone
for years.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Cartilage, Yeah, nothing like knee replacement is loading. It just
depends on at what point in my life do I
want to I want to get it done. So something
that i've I'm one of the best to ever do
it in in basketball, I can't do no more right,
And I retired at thirty seven. I thought I played
basketball for the rest of my life, and I wasn't
able to play it after thirty seven years old.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
So that's a big part of me that's missing.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Let me ask you another part about knowing how competitive
you were as an athlete, where do you find that
drive now for yourself?
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Yeah, it's a daily competition with myself, Like I got
to put all kinds of challenges throughout my day, Like
I'm not even talking about like we know that it's
business challenges and I'm talking about I put challenges to
see if I can get in the shower and get
dressed and.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
Out the house in fifteen minutes.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
I like that challenge, right, Like.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
I do challenges throughout it because like for me, like
I'm so competitive and I have nowhere to just let
all this competitive say where do you channel that? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (20:10):
So I go to yoga.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
I work like yoga. I love it, Okay, because I've
tried it, I can't really get into it. Why not
because I have add to the max, Like I have
add to the max, and I feel like just taking
that moment to like it's tough for me.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
So I'm gonna tell you why I like yoga and
outside of sweating make me feel like I'm working out
and pushing myself, it's the mental part of it. And
you know, I had a moment in yoga this year
where I mentally.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
Wanted to escape that room.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
I thought of everything possible to get out the room
because it was hard, right because I couldn't breathe or
I couldn't get into the positions. And so mentally, as
an athlete was with my strong suit right. I always
wanted to have a mental advantage over my competition. That's
what made me great, and I did whatever I could
i have that mental advantage. And so now in this
life that I'm living, I don't get a chance to
(20:58):
test that out. And so yoga allows me to test
out that mental like strain that I go through when
I'm in I want to escape sometime because it's too hard.
So David I left out something when he came to
live the celebration against Dallas. I wasn't just mad at you,
I was mad at everybody. I remember after we lost,
I remember getting in my car just driving. I drove
(21:20):
somewhere were I didn't even have navigation in my car,
so I didn't know how to get back. I just
drove real far. But in the middle of that, I
started like getting like messages about what was going on.
I lived right, people was like snitching, and so I
started calling people on my team and trying to see
if they were having a good time because I wasn't,
and I didn't want anyone to have one, and so
I would call them people see if they were to live.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
I'm like, are you would live right now? They're like, no,
I'm not a live you would live.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
I was ready to fire people for no reason, just
if they were celebrating that live. So it wasn't just you.
I was angry. It was anybody and everybody.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
Yeah. I remember being behind the detail booth and Senator
Basis Miami DJ was like, this is this is not
going to be good, man, this is this is not
good and I'm like, yeah, I knew I was in
a lot of trouble, but I felt like they won
the championship fair and square. Unfortunately they brought the trophy
(22:20):
they I don't know how I could make it better
for myself. And I'm gonna be honest with you.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
I didn't come up with you're going through it right
now in your mind. I'm like, man, don't worry about it.
It's okay. We made up. It's all right. I want
to I want to get to what you know, something
that seems something that we all enjoy is hospitality. We
all love it, right, but one of the hardest things
to do is to be of service, right, Yeah, to
(22:48):
two people, how do you do it.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
So for me, what drives me is I love seeing
that look on someone's face when you give them an experience.
It's you blow them away to the point where you
know that they actually felt it and it's going to
stick with them. And I go throughout my day constantly
trying to blow people away and it's exhausting and it's
(23:13):
straining and stuff like that, but it's for me, it's
it's a love I have. I really love the details.
I care about the details. Listen, you've been out to
dinner with me. You know it's not a great fun
experience because I'm looking at the table, I'm looking at
the light, you know, what's going on with the music.
I'm going to DJ up and down like like this,
(23:33):
Oh my god, what's this guy playing? This is crazy?
But I care about the experience that I'm delivering for you. Yeah,
And it's it's constant, constant, constant. But I love serving
and I love not just serving in my places. I
love when you do something for somebody that can't do
anything for you. I love that that feeling you get,
and it's it's what drives me.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
Where did it come from?
Speaker 1 (23:55):
That?
Speaker 3 (23:56):
Is that just innate is just in you or is
this something you.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
See that listen if we really want to get deep
into it. I'm an only child. My parents were divorced
when I was six years old. I spent a lot
of time, probably by myself, watching Charles in Charge and
growing pains and stuff like that and wanting to be
to have some kind of attention. Maybe maybe that's what
it was. And I knew by serving people it made
(24:20):
that connection with people. Yeah, you know, I just I
love it.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
Yeah, when did you realize you were good at it?
Speaker 2 (24:27):
So I realized I was good at it when I was,
to be honest with when I was twenty one years
old and I was a general manager of a restaurant
and I had to lead people that had much more
experience than me that we're thirty, forty fifty years old
and they've been doing this business for so long. But
I knew because I really spent so much time on
the education part of it, learning having them learn what
(24:50):
port wine was, learning what the liquors were, what the
food was, why do the chefs use this seasoning over that,
or why do we we prepare it like this? And
what's the sequence of service? And by educating them and
really studying the game so much. That's how I connected
with them, And that's when I felt like I was good.
I felt like because I could hold a meeting, I
(25:11):
could lead people into a very busy night and come
out very successful. And I knew that's kind of where
it was now. The next evolution for me was when
I got this job at the Opium Group and I
went from a small place to being able to take
over a big nightclub thing. And I used it as
a platform to create events and make events and use
(25:32):
other people's brand equity to push my brands and partnering
with people like Versace and Victoria's Secrets and stuff like
that at the time, and movie premieres and this and that.
I wanted to have what other brands were doing stuff.
I wanted those brands to be doing it inside my venues.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
Yeah, you know, I think the one thing in your
space of hospitality, especially in Miami, I mean when it
comes to nightclubs or restaurants, it most of the time
it has a window, right, always a window. Right, it
has a window, and you have you know, have obviously
understood that it has a window, but you're not just
stopping there right, like you're taking it from hospitality and
(26:07):
you're going into Now you're into fam you got it right.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
Production.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Yeah, you're a production company coming in and so you're
taking it from one arena and you're taking it to
other arena, telling me to mindset and that.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
So my mindset was, I mean, so many interesting characters
in my line of work every day that story needs
to be told. And I have ideas that I think
I should be doing IP around the stuff that goes
on in my life and stuff like that. And you know,
the first one I'm doing is Black Coffees documentary right now.
(26:37):
We started filming that at MSG. What an interesting story
is South African DJ South Africa, so far removed from
the rest of the world, has only use of one
arm because he lost the nerve damage in one of
his things. When Mendelo got released and a car drove
through a crowd and everyone fell on him. And not
only that, he's not even a pop DJ, he's an
(26:57):
underground DJ and he's captured the VIP crowd, the minds
and eyes of so many people, and he's made such
an impact in the world. I mean, it's incredible. So
history needs to be told. Yeah, Poppy Steak. What goes
on that Poppy Steak needs to be told, that's for sure,
and I think i'd like to you know, it teaches
(27:18):
college class at FIU every year, and I think there
should be something around that.
Speaker 1 (27:25):
I love that. So I think one of the things
that's interesting to me is you obviously have a lot
of relationships that are celebrity relationships that everyone sees. But
I think the one thing that I appreciate about you
is you treat those same celebrity relationships with just a
regular customer that comes in course on a Tuesday night
the same way. I mean that shows a lot about
(27:46):
your character. But how do you create that experience? Right?
How what goes into the thought process of creating experience?
Knowing that you might have, you know, one of the
top celebrities coming in versus you just have someone who
come in this may be the only time to komodo you,
what do you What goes into the thought.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
I think the main thing is if you just try
to for celebrity, it's always about safety and making sure
that they know they could just be themselves and not
have to worry about getting you know, bad press or this,
or or people doing different things and you know, listen,
when you go places, you want to just know that
you're safe in that place, and you could just be yourself.
(28:24):
I think if people could just be their self and
have that that that time when they're sharing a meal
with somebody or a club experience with some of their friends,
I know they don't have to worry about anything. I
think that's the best part. I think also I treat
everybody at the table the same, not just hyper focused
on the celebrity or the whatever. But everyone at that
(28:45):
table has such an interesting story. And for me, I
love hearing people's stories. Right, how did you, where did
you come from? How are you like this? What did
you do? What do you do? I want to know
it all? And I think that kind of engagement and
conversation connects. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
You you my wife and I was at Kimodo and
you came and took off our whole dinner. We was
having a real romantic and it.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
Was get go. I know ITV a date night?
Speaker 1 (29:12):
Yes, right? Is that get go? No?
Speaker 2 (29:17):
I don't get to see you too much. D night.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
It was great. It was great. Off the menu. I
was sitting there holding hands and was like, oh, okay, yeah, listen,
that's what you do though you were you're personable in
that way. That's what I'm mean.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
But that's listen. I don't try to be too intrusive,
but I did take by the way, and I was like, listen,
I know you guys are on a date night, but
I don't ever get to see either of you for
a while. So I'm actually gonna take advantage of this
and I'm gonna see you guys for a little bit.
And I love that night was so fun. We laughed
so hard, we spent so much great time together at
Gecko and uh, you know, listen, for me, I'm just
(29:53):
so proud to show you what I've done because from
where I started to where I am now, and there's
certain people where I love to but for you, I
love to just show you, like man, I really want
you to taste. It's like I'm not just it's just
not an environment place, it's great food. I want you
to taste the food. I want you to experience everything.
And and you know how much I love your wife.
She's been with me from the beginning as well, Like
(30:15):
even when she lived in La she would support me
in all my big events and do everything with me.
And to see her grow it's been amazing.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Yeah, no, it's no, it was great.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
I'm just giving you a hard time, but that's that's
your special salts though, your ability to be able to
do that, I to be able to take over in
that space, but leave us with, like you know, great
great moments and great conversations alone the way, it was
pretty cool. You have all these different you know places, right,
these different restaurants versus hotels, et cetera, but a lot
(30:45):
of them pretty much they kind of do the same things,
but they don't feel the same.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
How do you accomplish that?
Speaker 2 (30:49):
So I hope to put my DNA into everything, and
my DNA is great environment. I want you to have
great music, great food. Everything's going to come to the
table in shareable plates for everyone to be part of it.
And of course the design the cuisine might change, but
that love and that wanting to create energy at the
(31:12):
table or an experience for people is not going to change.
And that's the common denominator with all my places.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
Been a father.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
Now, right when you first started his journey, you were
single and you were and a father, and you can
do what you want. Now you have two kids, you
have a wife, a beautiful wife and also a very
busy wife. How do you show up in all the ways?
How do you show up as you know the I
don't know the tidle ways. Well, let's say the CEO
of group hospitality versus showing.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
Up his dad and showing up his husband. How do
you show up in all the ways?
Speaker 2 (31:51):
I think I only show up one way man. To
be honest with you, like I look at my business
as my family, and I look at my family as
my family. Right, So I my wife is and it's
tough because you know, I have a four year old,
a six year old. My wife. The one thing is
you got to be present. They like, you don't have
as much time with your family as possible, but so
when you do have it and listen, it's not easy
(32:12):
to be present. I have to work at being present
because there's a lot of weirdness going on in this head, right,
and like thinking about stuff and like that. And my
wife is like, don't worry about how long you spend
with them. Worry about how you spend it with them,
and when you're with them, that you're with them and
that you care. And having two girls changes a lot too,
because you know, I'm learning so much from my daughters
(32:35):
now and having real conversations with them, and I love it.
It's like when they go, I love you, papye and
they give you a kiss.
Speaker 3 (32:43):
I just it was none better.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
It's kind of like explaining to someone that doesn't have kids.
People ask me all the time, what is it like
having kids, And I'm like, it's like explaining to somebody
that's colorblind what color is. I can't do it unless
you experience it. And as you know, I mean, listen,
you have older kids now, so that experience must be
so cool.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
Oh it's so different. My son's twenty one years old.
My oldest son is twenty one, and so the conversations
that we have, the you know, the parenting that I
have to do now, and you know, at an older
age is way more than I have a thought. You know,
you think what they tell you is when they get eighteen,
they go off to college, you're done, done, done. That
is a lie that's been told to us, repeated that
(33:28):
it's a whole new level of parenting that has to start. Especially,
you know when you have these young men who are
are told that at twenty one, they're supposed to figure
it out.
Speaker 3 (33:35):
They got they gotta be on their own.
Speaker 1 (33:37):
They got to know what they want, and they take
that burden, especially not and from my son.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
He has a burden that he takes.
Speaker 1 (33:42):
And so I'm looking at him and I'm like, man,
you got your whole life in front of you.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
But to him, he got to do it right now.
Speaker 1 (33:48):
And so you know, that's when you got to step
in from a whole different standpoint in place as a parent.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
So it's tough, you know, And I think it's going
to be tough for our kids more than anything, right
because we've set such a a public standard out there
right that people know and that they that they feel
aren't going to have to live up to this and
live up to that. And you know, I just want
to help push as much as possible, but I just
want to be there to hug and hold and Yeah,
(34:13):
but if you know, my kids come home and someone
bullied them or something like that, I'm going to light
the whole place on fire.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
Fact, how do you how do you deal with that?
How do you deal with you know, your kids growing
up in the life of luxury that you didn't grow
up in. How do you deal with trying to either
shield them from it or expose them to it, or.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
So it's a it's a It's a great question, especially
in my line of business, because I've met so many
entitled kids, and I hate entitled kids. And I've met
kids that come from very wealthy and successful family backgrounds
and are nice, and I ask a lot of questions,
why is your kid like this? And why is this
kid like that? And I could kind of sum it
(34:52):
up to this is I have a great wife that
doesn't that will not allow that to happen. And let
me tell you why. We go to a toy store
and my kids say to each other, Okay, make sure
you pick a great gift, a great toy, because we're
only allowed one. And I'm looking at them, like one
you you could get one? Yeah, mommy, only lets us
get one toy each. And I want to buy that
(35:13):
whole store for them. And my wife goes, if you
buy this store, we're going to have the worst kids ever.
And I think those kind of foundation moments to me,
and I catch them. It means so much when when
when my daughter walks into the house and there's someone
sitting here, she goes, Hi, my name is Kaya it's
nice to meet you. I didn't teach here that think
god my wife did. But I love seeing that that
(35:36):
my kids know that they have to be nice, good
people and caring people, and that comes from from from us.
And I also them seeing a great relationship between myself
and my wife is very important to me. Listen, we
have hipc hopes like anybody else, and challenges and stuff
like that. But what my kids see and the way
(35:56):
they know that we love each other, I think makes
all the difference in the world.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
And how you show up for them and how you
got to show up for them is what's the most important. Right.
If you show up in love, you show up and support, right,
that's what's most important in front of them.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
Yeah and yeah again, it's not about how much time
it's but the time that I spend with them that
it's it's quality.
Speaker 1 (36:14):
Do you get any Do you get any anyone of
the girls picking up that tennis racket yet? Are they? So?
Speaker 2 (36:18):
I've tried, and they want a cheerlead instead, And I'm
like tennis, but they look so cute. They're cheerleading outfits.
I don't really care what the thing is. And they're
like dynam Mie and I'm like, I love you so much. Yeah,
but I really hope they don't get into like competitive
soccer where I have to be driving to all these
all these different cities every weekend. I hear nightmare stories
(36:40):
from my friends. Are like, yeah, we're in you know,
Zephyr Hills, Florida or Tampa or this every weekend. They're
on the road too.
Speaker 1 (36:49):
Yeah, yeah, we got some we got some some parents here.
They do that, that journey. But I mean that's the
you know at the same time too, like you know
yes and I mean no, but yes to Those are
the moments that you get to learn so much about
your kids, right because you're watched in sports, as we know,
like you get to learn so much about and you
get to see so much growth in them when they're
(37:10):
around other other players, or how they handle losing or
you know what I mean, or watching them get better
like all these things. It's great for a parent to
see your kids respond and react in that way. So
you don't want to drive everywhere, but you actually want
to see them.
Speaker 3 (37:23):
Be competitive and compete.
Speaker 2 (37:24):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
Yeah, it's going to show you a lot about you
know about them, and you can see where you are
and where your wife is like, oh, that's you got
that from your mom, but you got that from me,
you know.
Speaker 2 (37:32):
Oh, I see it. By the way, those kind of things,
I love seeing them, like where did you? Oh, I
know where you got that from them? Yeah, but it's
crazy to me, man, it's it's such a cool experience.
And listen, we do a lot of cool stuff. Nothing
even comes close to being a father.
Speaker 1 (37:46):
Yeah, of course. And you know it's funny you said,
I was going one of my questions. You always gonna say,
what what is outside of being a father? What is
the coolest thing that you've done? And I know it's
probably hard to say one thing, but around about that,
she was just what that's when when the night ended,
you was looking off on a balconis and when you say,
you know what, they.
Speaker 3 (38:07):
That was pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
I'm pretty jaded now, to be honest with you, right,
And it kind of sucks. Uh. I've had so many
from going like on a safari or walking you know,
it's pretty cool. I got to go with my kids, uh,
and they closed the pyramids a couple of hours before
everybody else. And to see my kids and my wife
and I just running around the pyramids in Egypt. I
was like, Okay, that's pretty fucking cool. Yeah, And my
(38:32):
kids don't even know what the pyramids are. They just
think it's whatever. But to see them running around like
the Sphinx and stuff, I was like, I.
Speaker 3 (38:39):
Don't think we know what the pyramids are there. I don't.
Speaker 2 (38:41):
By the way, it's a little crazy. There's like a
pizza hut outside of It's also, you know, my kids
have gotten to travel the world. They've got to go
to like Saudi Arabia, Lula and be around the tombs
and stuff like that. As they just left Israel from
being at the Wall, And that was a really cool
thing is taking my kids to the wall and seeing
them pray in Israel and you can feel the energy
(39:04):
there and tearing and teering and tearing. I'm not even
that religious of a guy, but just the energy you
feel there. But then going from there and going to
the pyramids and seeing them run and all the different cultures.
To me, that's that was one of the coolest moments
of my life. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (39:18):
Yeah, my family we went over. My son to actually
was playing in Egypt. He's playing my basketball this past
summer with African team in Cape Town and they were
playing in Egypt, so we got a chance to go
watch him, but we also got a chance to go
get our own experience.
Speaker 3 (39:32):
Never written on a camera before first time.
Speaker 2 (39:35):
I don't really love the camera writing, to be honestly.
Speaker 1 (39:37):
It was the hydraulics. For me. It was the way
that they lift me down. I thought it was the
coolest thing ever, you know, like being up there and
it's like you're down, You're like, how am I going?
I was like that was fire.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
I think listen, Egypt, Africa. Cape Town, by the way,
is incredible place. My wife learned to model there and
learned the English there, so I have to She put
in her little agreement that she has to go once
a year there, and I love Cape Town. I think
Cape Town is a great city. And joe Burg as well.
Speaker 1 (40:03):
So do we let's talk about restaurants internationally?
Speaker 2 (40:07):
You are we going to get when there's when there's
a currency difference, Like my wife's Brazilian, right, She's like,
why don't you open in Brazil. I'm like it's kind
of five to one right now, you know, but uh, listen,
I want we're looking to do international, that's for sure.
I'm inspired by so many places in the you you know,
in Saudi a, all Europe, London. I would love to
(40:29):
be in London. So who knows. I mean, I'm trying.
Speaker 3 (40:32):
Yeah, I just came back from the U A. I
can see.
Speaker 2 (40:35):
What's your favorite place over there?
Speaker 1 (40:37):
You know?
Speaker 2 (40:38):
Actually, don't answer that because I don't want that. You know,
we just love all everybody to you, I love we
love it all.
Speaker 1 (40:47):
I haven't experienced enough yet, neither.
Speaker 2 (40:48):
I really love Saudi Arabia, really, I've heard.
Speaker 3 (40:51):
I got to go visit. That's next on my list.
Speaker 2 (40:53):
Alula is very special, uh, I think. And what they're
doing over there in the Red Sea and these different
places is yeah, it's cool. I mean, and I like
that there everyone's trying to do different things.
Speaker 3 (41:06):
Yeah, I think it's neat.
Speaker 1 (41:08):
Do you look at I mean, some people care about
this and some people don't. But you have a legacy
here in Miami, right, You had a really important way
I hope, so you do, okay, And in the midst
of that, Miami has this Mount Rushmore of people who
have created legacies. Marino pat Riley, Yeah, da any way, yeah,
(41:31):
uh do you see yourself being a part of that
Mount Rushmore? I mean through my own plug out there.
Speaker 3 (41:36):
Everybody, by the way.
Speaker 2 (41:38):
You're not wrong, You're not wrong. You're not wrong, So listen.
If I just go by what people say to me,
like thanking me for the experiences I've created for them
in the city, I would hope that when I'm said
and done, that I've impacted the city enough to be
on there. But this city has done so much for me.
It's giving me such a platform to do what I
(42:00):
do and to celebrate what I do. The city shows
up for me, which I can't think enough. And it's
given me the ability to do things emotionally for myself,
like teaching the college class at FIU and stuff like that,
which was the most challenging thing in my life, which
I'm going to go on my fourth year. Every year
I tell my team, don't worry, we don't have to
(42:22):
do it again. We're done. And then I give them
that client that we're going to go back to FIU
and do the Davia Grutman experience again. They're like, we
always know that you were going to do it again
every year. We know that you lie to us.
Speaker 3 (42:36):
What does that do you do? Why do you continue
to do that? What does that do it.
Speaker 2 (42:39):
It's the most rewarding thing for me to be able
to teach people not just about hospitality stuff about but
more about entrepreneurship. For me, I love entrepreneurship, and even
if you're working for somebody, you have to come into
that to that job like it's your place, like you
own the company or you own that place, because that's
what makes you successful. I know, those little things is
what drove me. I always thought, you know, when I
(43:00):
was just a regular manager, that was my restaurant, that
was my nightclub. That's what drove me to being where
I am today. And if I could help instill that
into the youth today, I think it's kind of cool.
Speaker 1 (43:12):
So from twenty one years old been in bartending to
now you sit here. You're forty nine years old, and
you've accomplished everything that you've accomplished, not only here, but
now it's going to other places. Right before you fifty
years old? What's next?
Speaker 2 (43:27):
You know?
Speaker 1 (43:27):
The name of this podcast is the Why Podcast, And
that's one of the questions that I like that I
want to end with, is your why? Right?
Speaker 3 (43:35):
So you going to fifty you sit here, going to
this monumental year In.
Speaker 1 (43:38):
July Yep, what is your why going forward? You've already
accomplished a lot, You've made a lot of money, You're
going to continue to make money. What's your why going
forward from fifty?
Speaker 2 (43:49):
So my why is that's a great question. My I
always ask myself what's my why? Why? What's going to
be enough?
Speaker 3 (44:01):
Yeah? What's gonna be enough?
Speaker 2 (44:02):
And for me, I feel like I'm an athlete. I
feel like I have a certain window time as well,
and I'm just trying to keep pushing that window farther
and farther away because it not only makes me me,
but it keeps me relevant and it keeps me excited
each day to get up and push is what more
can I do? How do I blow people away even more?
Like we're gonna be doing the food and beverage in
(44:23):
space and the space perspective. That's those kind of things
that the stuff I look for. And I don't do
things now and I just don't want to do for money.
I only do things that are like cool, hot shit
right now, and that's stuff that excites me. Yeah, And
that's that's why, This is why
What's up, everybody. I'm Dwyane Wade. Welcome to the Why Podcast.
I am sitting next to greatness to my left over here.
I'm excited for this conversation. This is an individual who
I just ran into in Cans recently. We both were
out there. He was looking a little better than me.
I was a little all right. I was a little
surprised to see you out there, man. David Grubman, Welcome
(00:39):
to the White Podcast. Thank you for taking time.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Man.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
We're gonna get into all your accomplishments and everything as
we go on, but thank you for taking time.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Sit down this conversation. Man.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
I mean, if there's one person that has a lot
of coupons with me, it's definitely you.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
I mean, thank you, thank you. And I was late too, everybody.
Just so y'all know this traffic out here is crazy.
I showed up a little late today. I apologize.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
It's okay. I mean, listen, it's very busy in Miami,
and we know you're a very busy man, especially when
you come to the market. So I'm sure you have
to make your rounds.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
No I did, man, So let's talk about that last
time we seen each other. We were at this beautiful
one of the most beautiful fashion shows I've ever been to.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
It was stunning.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
It was amazing at this amazing chateau somewhere in cann France.
Your wife Isabella and I and all of us, we
got a chance to have a Miami moment.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Yep, talk about it, man.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
So you know now that my wife is like this
big entrepreneur and fashionista, I'm a plus one. I'm always
now getting to go to some of the best events
in the world. And I just look, as you know,
you're in the same place. Our wives are so out
there and business woman's and pushing and all this that
(01:50):
I love being a plus one sometimes. But it was
a beautiful setting. It was a versace dua lipa collab show.
I think it was like fifty people or something like that.
I was very nervous about the placement and about going
to Oversachi show because I thought it was going to
be rubber and the head and all sorts of stuff. Uh.
And it was awesome. It was such a cool event.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
It was such a vibe. I remember sitting like it
felt like we was all sitting courtside right exactly. We
all had our court size seats, and I remember looking
across the way and just taking a look at you,
and I'm thinking, like when I first mentioned we won,
sitting never saught you shows. It's a different world now.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Yeah, it's it's great. Uh, you know, I'm sure, as
many viewers know, I was lucky enough to start my
career when you kind of started your career here in Miami,
and to see the evolution and the growth of you
and what you've done for the city, and to see, uh,
where I've gotten to go from those days to where
I am now. It's it's kind of great to have
(02:49):
someone so connected to Miami as I am, because we
both love the city. Yeah, for sure, even though you
left us to move away, but we know that you
come a lot and this city owes you so much.
It's incredible.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Yeah, I just took a time out, you know.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
You know sometime in the game, you know, how to
you know, I spoke rounut on the court and you
got to take a time out. I took a lot
of time. I was here for sixteen years. You know,
I spent a lot of most of my childhood here,
you know, as my early adulthood rather and you know,
you kind of want to get out and see things,
see the world a little bit.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
And so that's what I'm doing right now.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
You know, it's been cool is to you say, the
sixteen years. But through those sixteen years, as I've been
here for sixteen years, people come and go, people come
and go, but the always constant thing has been you here. Yeah,
and others come and get the light and then leave
and don and stuff like that. But to know that
to have you as that foundation for Miami, for me
(03:45):
always felt like that's our iconic foundation.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Man.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Yeah, you know coming back for me, I mean I
am coming back and I feel like I do feel
like a guest because I'm not standing in my home.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
I'm standing like hotels and I'm doing it.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
It's a different life coming back, But it's okay because
I'm going to see a different side of Miami that
I didn't get to see as a basketball player. So
I'm meeting people that I never got to meet as
a basketball player. So it's fine for me. But every
time I come back, it's something new, something I haven't seen,
something I haven't heard, right, And every time I come back,
David Grut, my name is a part of how are
you doing all this, Are you getting any sleep? Like,
(04:18):
what's going on? So?
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Yeah, I mean sleep is And I started a family
and stuff like.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
That in the middle of it.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Yeah, yeah, you know. And now I'm taking Miami to
other markets.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Right.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
We just open Kmodo in Dallas and we're going to
open a couple more places there. And next week I
open a poppy Steak Komodo Live and Live Beach at
the Fountain Blue in Las Vegas.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
So and I've been fighting Las Vegas for so long,
but this opportunity was too big for me to not do.
And I think it's so cool to see Miami brands
be able to grow in other markets.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
How do you do that? Like some people who are
in the industry, you ins in one of the industries.
When it comes to the restaurant instr they got to
taste of steak every night. They want to make sure
that everything is exactly, you know, how they want it.
So it's hard for them to expand and hard for
him to grow because they can't keep eyes on it.
How do you be comfortable enough to take a baby
of yours and your brand and let it go elsewhere?
Speaker 2 (05:13):
So I'd love to say it's all me, but I
have a great team, you know, and if you don't
have a great team around you, you're never going to grow.
And I always try to hire people that are smarter
and better than me so that it gives me that
push to go be able to go do what I do.
And I think it's something that people ignore so much,
is they're always afraid to hire people around them that
(05:35):
are smarter and better than them. And it's been the
key to my success. People. Yeah, well listen, I definitely
let's forget you and I aren't in these chairs because
we don't have the ego, that's for sure. That being said,
it's it's also partnering with great people as well. You know,
I partnered with Poppy David Einhorn on Poppy Steak and
the Fountain Blue in Las Vegas, and Bad Bunny at
(05:58):
Get Go and Pharrell as you know, at Swan in
the Good Time. So finding great partners is also good
and doing things that you do together that you love.
Noah Tepa Berg from Tau Group and I just opened
a new restaurant here called Cassadana, and it's doing so well.
But I know one of the reasons why it's doing
so well is because it's done with love, and when
(06:21):
you do things for the love of something, it's good.
Anytime I failed miserably, it's when I was trying to
be spiteful. You know. I tried to open a Spike club,
and you know, as as we started, I ran the
Opium Group, which at that time was Mansion and Opium
Garden and Prevay and all that. We had some really
great moments there, and they wouldn't make me a partner.
(06:45):
So then when I was able to be a partner
in a club which was Cameo everything, yeah, yeah, listen,
still me. But everything I did was try to be
spiteful and show them you should have made me a partner,
and blah blah blah. And I failed so miserably that
they ended up buying the club for me because I
was such a failure at it, because everything I did
(07:07):
was to show them. So again, if your ethics, your beliefs,
your systems aren't lined up correctly, you're going to fail.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
So that you can feel it, right, like from the outside,
you can feel if something is if it's love put
into it, or if it's just it's a quick.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Buck, right, and if it's to get even at somebody
or not in the right place. But because Costadna is
done with such a love between him and I, we
have such a great relationship. It's overachieving more than I
could ever imagine.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
You know, that's one of the questions I actually asked you.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
I've seen you at F one two years ago, and
even though you know you're a big player here, it's
a lot of players that's coming in, right, It's coming
in from New York and out of the state.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
And I said, how is the competition?
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Right? Like, how is it with all these people coming
in and you at the same events with them? Like,
is it friendly?
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Is it?
Speaker 1 (07:53):
You know? Is it a little jockey?
Speaker 2 (07:54):
It's a frend stir. It's you know, at the end
of the day, you need that competition to push you, right.
If everything was, if there was no competition, it would
just get boring. Man. But it's it's a great rivalry
we all have with each other.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
And when a new guy comes in, the other guys
that just had come into the market for you go,
I hope you give them as a warm of a
welcome as you gave me a d in the market.
It's funny because you know another restaurant group just opened
a place next to me in Miami, and they've been
so respectful and so uh not trying to hire my team,
(08:35):
not doing this and not doing that. And the other
guys from New York said to me, are you are
you going to kill these guys? And I go no,
because they've been so respectful now and they've been so
good to me throughout the years, and we have such
great relationships with each other. But yet if someone opens
a coffee shop around the corner for me, I want
to burn it down right. So it's been me getting
(08:57):
a little bit older and wiser, and really, you know,
I care about as you know, relationships more than anybody.
And seeing that now when a new place opens up,
people will go there for a moment and then come
right back to you is a great feeling. I mean,
I still mother fam all the way till the end.
And I never want my friends to feel like it's
(09:17):
okay to go to other people's places other than mine.
I always want them to think, for a second, oh
maybe I shouldn't go there. I feel like I'm doing
something wrong. Jewish guilt is.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Something they listen when when I come to town. It's
not you know. I have relationships that you know, some
that before I met you and after. But our family,
it's like you said, it's about relationships, and so our
family when it comes to my wife, when it comes
to this, and tell when it comes to above, at
least like our entire group, we all be like, all right.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
We in town for a couple hours.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
We have to make sure that we stop buy one
of And so it's like it's like a guilty if
we don't know, I feel a way I actually do.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
I can't lie to you, I know, so that guilt
is good. I like that guilt. That makes me happy
because we want to instill that in everybody that come
to Miami, and by being a keyholder of of Miami
or one of them, when you come to Miami, I
really want you to have that. I want to have
that touching point for you at one of my places.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
I'm glad you said, I got to get some off
my chest and this is I'm just jumping around here,
but being a key holder here in Miami, I've been
very proud of what you've building, what you've done, but
it was one moment I haven't been proud of, Okay,
and I understand it, it's business. But when you let
the Dallas Mavericks come in to Live and wow, So
we're going to talk about that, celebrate. I'm glad I
was hurt. David here, let.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Me just paint the picture. So we're on the same
pitch Saturday night, more Cubans in my place, dj Iri
the mic saying we're going to smoke some Cubans. And
then I get the call after they went on Sunday,
they're coming over. They came, they brought the trophy.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Oh to Hurt.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
I knew it wasn't going to be good. And Maverick
happened to be in the club that night as well,
and Maverick Go's Day won. They deserve it. Uh. I
took a lot of heat literally in the press for
a few years. But you know what was so great
was the next year when you guys did win the
championship and you did bring it back to Live and
(11:13):
then you know, and the year after that same thing again.
So so I was there for you guys. But yes,
I understand uh.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Oh getting that call, hurt, get that call hurt her film.
Yeah at the time. Now, the next year, first of all,
the next year you comped everything. We had a great night.
Ow you appreciate that.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
Thank of course, thank you for that.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
And we did come back, you know after that, because
we're always we're always pissed and it's because we lost.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
It had nothing to do with you.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
But.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
I understand, but you know, you know it's so great.
I love telling the story about that, that championship party
with the Miami Heat. The next year, you can't reach
out when you guys are up and stuff. I can't
reach out. I was reach out to Maverick, your everybody.
Are you guys gonna do they? We don't want we
don't want to jinx it. So you just have It
goes back to relationships. You just have to hope that
(12:05):
all those years of taking care of you guys would
pay off, that you guys would bring the championship back
to your stomping grounds. And listen, there was invites going
out for all the other clubs and places, you know,
after party after party, and I'm like, oh no, did
somebody get to somebody? And and then when you guys
roll up, yeah, you brought the whole thing. And then
(12:27):
the following year the repeat, same thing.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
Well, it's all love, you know what it is.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
But yeah, by the way, okay, I'm glad we got
it at chat.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
We got it out the way in a nice, cool time.
I didn't bring it to you a decade ago.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
A few people did. Yeah, yeah, yeah, but we love
the Miami Heat. Uh. It's by the way, it's tough
going to a Heat game now after those amazing years
being part of that, that moment just you know, and
it's great, we're we're definitely having a great moment and
stuff like that. But that time in my life, like
(13:04):
getting those floor seats, being there on that thing. Yeah,
the hype, the buzz, the craziness.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
Does that drive How is that when it comes to business,
Like when we were in our Big three phase and
we were people are coming from all over the place
to come and watch us. How is that does that
drive business all over or just the popular restaurants?
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Well, listen, you know what it drives business too, is
you have so many playoff games because of you guys, right,
and then you have the finals and you have this
and you have the hype and the buzz. I think
it just shines a great light on Miami. And you know,
an extended basketball season is great when you have restaurants
right around the arena. Yeah, so that was great. Yeah.
I mean the only thing I think has come close
(13:44):
to that is this whole Messy in Miami thing, the
hype and the buzz of celebrities and everybody just wanting
to be able to go to a game or see
this guy. It's incredible, man.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
I mean even kids right, Like, you know, soccer here
obviously it hasn't been something that we've seen, but you
got kids that now are growing up dreaming like, oh,
I can be messy. I want to play soccer. That's
never thought about playing soccer before. So it's incredible.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
They don't even know so they know Messy.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Right, they know they don't know soccer. The whole thing.
They don't know David Beckham, Like that's.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Have you did you have you watched David's dock yet?
Speaker 1 (14:22):
I got I got a chance to hear from I
haven't watched this yet. I got a chance to hear
from a lot of people that I need to.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
It's incredible and uh, it's it's wold.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
And what they've done for the city too. You know,
Beckham is a big thing. But Beckham and Messy and
the and the whole one two Punch again has brought
so much light to Miami. It reminds me of the
Big Three.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
Yeah, that that energy and that the aura that comes
with a messy and it comes with a Beckham is
similar to Lebron or Shaq and you know myself.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
I remember going from the Shack days to the Big
Three days. It was just like wow, and the constant
thing was.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
You, thank you. I appreciate that. I'm glad you said that.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Let's talk about fashion for a second. Listen, you talk
about faster, let's go. So you know, I don't do
many podcasts, but when I do do a podcast, I'll
wear a black T shirt or long, it doesn't matter.
But when I heard I was doing your podcast, you
fucked me up. Man. I had to be in the
closet for like I bring my guys. I don't want
to wear a print because it might be DA but
(15:30):
I can't wear just a black T shirt because we've
both raised you.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Refusa.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Listen, it's a risky, chancey move. I understand.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
No, it looks good because I'm tan from.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
I felt like it was a safe call. Uh. But
the silky sets, I'm really into the silky sets now.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
No, that's a vibe on you. Let me say, listen
over the pandemic time. Since then, I started opening up
my Instagram and I've seen a lot of shirtless David
Grutman photos.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
Which you never see. What you never see.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Talk to me about this newfound wave of masculinity.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
So, uh, you're feeling it though right now you like it?
So so you know, I went my whole life being
a chubbier guy or whatever it is, and it never
really felt comfortable taking my shirt off. COVID comes. I
go from two forty five to coming out of COVID
(16:28):
when seventy playing obsessed with tennis. BE found a sport
that I become obsessed with two hours a day every day.
If it's raining, I want to lose my mind because
I can't play tennis. If I'm up late, I play tennis.
If I you know, whatever, wherever I go, I bring
rackets with me. I find that court. So yeah, you
know I wanted to. I want to kind of I'm
(16:50):
feeling it. From the biohacking with Gary Breca, to the
Waights with Anthony Rhodes, to tennis with Jimmy Volitary. Every
day it's like, and you know, now I have like
a whole team. I have a physio because you know,
I'm forty nine. Man, I have to do dry needling.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Them, ankles, them hips.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Quads, the whole thing. Man. It's crazy. I don't know, Listen,
I feel like I'm a professional athlete now because I
have like the whole team. Like I'm sure, like your
whole career, you've had all this and.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Oh I needed it. It's funny like Wayne Boych who
is a friend we both shared when I was playing.
We both shared therapists like he was, you know, like
I'm a professiman athlete. He's he's a paddle he loves
he loves paddle paddle for some people. And we're both
sharing therapists, I mean dry needleing therapists and massage therapists.
And it's like he's on the exact same schedule I'm on.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
So yeah, professional people are like, why do you have
your physical therapist twice a week ago? Because I just
want to avoid a situation because I see all these
you know, everybody wants to hit with me. So I
see these guys, I think I've hurt so many people
that haven't played tennis in so many years. And they
get back up the court and they they rip this
and tear that and do this and do that. I
want to avoid all that, so I always try to
(18:02):
like be ahead of it. Yeah, it's funny to see
like so many guys getting back into tennis and stuff.
I love it.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
This is the time right now for like alternative sports,
right Like just like even in tennis, you got tennis,
you got pickle, you got you don't talk about the pickle. Well,
you know, I'm just you know, it's it's craves all
over the way, or it's racket sports, racket sports everywhere.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
It's uh, it's a lot. I haven't tried the pickle
or the paddle yet, but Wayne gives you a lot
of pressure.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
Yeah, on the paddle, it's tough.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
I'm like, why don't we play tennis again? Wayne, did
your whole career is tennis. Let's get back on the No.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
I haven't played pickle, but I understand paddle. I understand
like the athleticism that is needed to be, you know,
a pretty good paddle player, and I don't have that
athleticism at this point in my life. Really.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
No, I had to be on the ground with it,
you know. These knees ain't ain't letting me be great?
Speaker 2 (18:57):
So are you still able to tell me about your
and working out in the whole thing.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
I don't get on the court no more zero.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
I mean like once in a while my son to
be on the court and I go in and try
to teach them something, but then I'm out for two
weeks after that. You know a lot of people don't
know I dealt with well they do know, but I
do with need like need paying my whole year.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
Like I'm bone on bone. I've been bone on bone
for years.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Cartilage, Yeah, nothing like knee replacement is loading. It just
depends on at what point in my life do I
want to I want to get it done. So something
that i've I'm one of the best to ever do
it in in basketball, I can't do no more right,
And I retired at thirty seven. I thought I played
basketball for the rest of my life, and I wasn't
able to play it after thirty seven years old.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
So that's a big part of me that's missing.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Let me ask you another part about knowing how competitive
you were as an athlete, where do you find that
drive now for yourself?
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Yeah, it's a daily competition with myself, Like I got
to put all kinds of challenges throughout my day, Like
I'm not even talking about like we know that it's
business challenges and I'm talking about I put challenges to
see if I can get in the shower and get
dressed and.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
Out the house in fifteen minutes.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
I like that challenge, right, Like.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
I do challenges throughout it because like for me, like
I'm so competitive and I have nowhere to just let
all this competitive say where do you channel that? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (20:10):
So I go to yoga.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
I work like yoga. I love it, Okay, because I've
tried it, I can't really get into it. Why not
because I have add to the max, Like I have
add to the max, and I feel like just taking
that moment to like it's tough for me.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
So I'm gonna tell you why I like yoga and
outside of sweating make me feel like I'm working out
and pushing myself, it's the mental part of it. And
you know, I had a moment in yoga this year
where I mentally.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
Wanted to escape that room.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
I thought of everything possible to get out the room
because it was hard, right because I couldn't breathe or
I couldn't get into the positions. And so mentally, as
an athlete was with my strong suit right. I always
wanted to have a mental advantage over my competition. That's
what made me great, and I did whatever I could
i have that mental advantage. And so now in this
life that I'm living, I don't get a chance to
(20:58):
test that out. And so yoga allows me to test
out that mental like strain that I go through when
I'm in I want to escape sometime because it's too hard.
So David I left out something when he came to
live the celebration against Dallas. I wasn't just mad at you,
I was mad at everybody. I remember after we lost,
I remember getting in my car just driving. I drove
(21:20):
somewhere were I didn't even have navigation in my car,
so I didn't know how to get back. I just
drove real far. But in the middle of that, I
started like getting like messages about what was going on.
I lived right, people was like snitching, and so I
started calling people on my team and trying to see
if they were having a good time because I wasn't,
and I didn't want anyone to have one, and so
I would call them people see if they were to live.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
I'm like, are you would live right now? They're like, no,
I'm not a live you would live.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
I was ready to fire people for no reason, just
if they were celebrating that live. So it wasn't just you.
I was angry. It was anybody and everybody.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
Yeah. I remember being behind the detail booth and Senator
Basis Miami DJ was like, this is this is not
going to be good, man, this is this is not
good and I'm like, yeah, I knew I was in
a lot of trouble, but I felt like they won
the championship fair and square. Unfortunately they brought the trophy
(22:20):
they I don't know how I could make it better
for myself. And I'm gonna be honest with you.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
I didn't come up with you're going through it right
now in your mind. I'm like, man, don't worry about it.
It's okay. We made up. It's all right. I want
to I want to get to what you know, something
that seems something that we all enjoy is hospitality. We
all love it, right, but one of the hardest things
to do is to be of service, right, Yeah, to
(22:48):
two people, how do you do it.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
So for me, what drives me is I love seeing
that look on someone's face when you give them an experience.
It's you blow them away to the point where you
know that they actually felt it and it's going to
stick with them. And I go throughout my day constantly
trying to blow people away and it's exhausting and it's
(23:13):
straining and stuff like that, but it's for me, it's
it's a love I have. I really love the details.
I care about the details. Listen, you've been out to
dinner with me. You know it's not a great fun
experience because I'm looking at the table, I'm looking at
the light, you know, what's going on with the music.
I'm going to DJ up and down like like this,
(23:33):
Oh my god, what's this guy playing? This is crazy?
But I care about the experience that I'm delivering for you. Yeah,
And it's it's constant, constant, constant. But I love serving
and I love not just serving in my places. I
love when you do something for somebody that can't do
anything for you. I love that that feeling you get,
and it's it's what drives me.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
Where did it come from?
Speaker 1 (23:55):
That?
Speaker 3 (23:56):
Is that just innate is just in you or is
this something you.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
See that listen if we really want to get deep
into it. I'm an only child. My parents were divorced
when I was six years old. I spent a lot
of time, probably by myself, watching Charles in Charge and
growing pains and stuff like that and wanting to be
to have some kind of attention. Maybe maybe that's what
it was. And I knew by serving people it made
(24:20):
that connection with people. Yeah, you know, I just I
love it.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
Yeah, when did you realize you were good at it?
Speaker 2 (24:27):
So I realized I was good at it when I was,
to be honest with when I was twenty one years
old and I was a general manager of a restaurant
and I had to lead people that had much more
experience than me that we're thirty, forty fifty years old
and they've been doing this business for so long. But
I knew because I really spent so much time on
the education part of it, learning having them learn what
(24:50):
port wine was, learning what the liquors were, what the
food was, why do the chefs use this seasoning over that,
or why do we we prepare it like this? And
what's the sequence of service? And by educating them and
really studying the game so much. That's how I connected
with them, And that's when I felt like I was good.
I felt like because I could hold a meeting, I
(25:11):
could lead people into a very busy night and come
out very successful. And I knew that's kind of where
it was now. The next evolution for me was when
I got this job at the Opium Group and I
went from a small place to being able to take
over a big nightclub thing. And I used it as
a platform to create events and make events and use
(25:32):
other people's brand equity to push my brands and partnering
with people like Versace and Victoria's Secrets and stuff like
that at the time, and movie premieres and this and that.
I wanted to have what other brands were doing stuff.
I wanted those brands to be doing it inside my venues.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
Yeah, you know, I think the one thing in your
space of hospitality, especially in Miami, I mean when it
comes to nightclubs or restaurants, it most of the time
it has a window, right, always a window. Right, it
has a window, and you have you know, have obviously
understood that it has a window, but you're not just
stopping there right, like you're taking it from hospitality and
(26:07):
you're going into Now you're into fam you got it right.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
Production.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Yeah, you're a production company coming in and so you're
taking it from one arena and you're taking it to
other arena, telling me to mindset and that.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
So my mindset was, I mean, so many interesting characters
in my line of work every day that story needs
to be told. And I have ideas that I think
I should be doing IP around the stuff that goes
on in my life and stuff like that. And you know,
the first one I'm doing is Black Coffees documentary right now.
(26:37):
We started filming that at MSG. What an interesting story
is South African DJ South Africa, so far removed from
the rest of the world, has only use of one
arm because he lost the nerve damage in one of
his things. When Mendelo got released and a car drove
through a crowd and everyone fell on him. And not
only that, he's not even a pop DJ, he's an
(26:57):
underground DJ and he's captured the VIP crowd, the minds
and eyes of so many people, and he's made such
an impact in the world. I mean, it's incredible. So
history needs to be told. Yeah, Poppy Steak. What goes
on that Poppy Steak needs to be told, that's for sure,
and I think i'd like to you know, it teaches
(27:18):
college class at FIU every year, and I think there
should be something around that.
Speaker 1 (27:25):
I love that. So I think one of the things
that's interesting to me is you obviously have a lot
of relationships that are celebrity relationships that everyone sees. But
I think the one thing that I appreciate about you
is you treat those same celebrity relationships with just a
regular customer that comes in course on a Tuesday night
the same way. I mean that shows a lot about
(27:46):
your character. But how do you create that experience? Right?
How what goes into the thought process of creating experience?
Knowing that you might have, you know, one of the
top celebrities coming in versus you just have someone who
come in this may be the only time to komodo you,
what do you What goes into the thought.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
I think the main thing is if you just try
to for celebrity, it's always about safety and making sure
that they know they could just be themselves and not
have to worry about getting you know, bad press or this,
or or people doing different things and you know, listen,
when you go places, you want to just know that
you're safe in that place, and you could just be yourself.
(28:24):
I think if people could just be their self and
have that that that time when they're sharing a meal
with somebody or a club experience with some of their friends,
I know they don't have to worry about anything. I
think that's the best part. I think also I treat
everybody at the table the same, not just hyper focused
on the celebrity or the whatever. But everyone at that
(28:45):
table has such an interesting story. And for me, I
love hearing people's stories. Right, how did you, where did
you come from? How are you like this? What did
you do? What do you do? I want to know
it all? And I think that kind of engagement and
conversation connects. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
You you my wife and I was at Kimodo and
you came and took off our whole dinner. We was
having a real romantic and it.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
Was get go. I know ITV a date night?
Speaker 1 (29:12):
Yes, right? Is that get go? No?
Speaker 2 (29:17):
I don't get to see you too much. D night.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
It was great. It was great. Off the menu. I
was sitting there holding hands and was like, oh, okay, yeah, listen,
that's what you do though you were you're personable in
that way. That's what I'm mean.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
But that's listen. I don't try to be too intrusive,
but I did take by the way, and I was like, listen,
I know you guys are on a date night, but
I don't ever get to see either of you for
a while. So I'm actually gonna take advantage of this
and I'm gonna see you guys for a little bit.
And I love that night was so fun. We laughed
so hard, we spent so much great time together at
Gecko and uh, you know, listen, for me, I'm just
(29:53):
so proud to show you what I've done because from
where I started to where I am now, and there's
certain people where I love to but for you, I
love to just show you, like man, I really want
you to taste. It's like I'm not just it's just
not an environment place, it's great food. I want you
to taste the food. I want you to experience everything.
And and you know how much I love your wife.
She's been with me from the beginning as well, Like
(30:15):
even when she lived in La she would support me
in all my big events and do everything with me.
And to see her grow it's been amazing.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Yeah, no, it's no, it was great.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
I'm just giving you a hard time, but that's that's
your special salts though, your ability to be able to
do that, I to be able to take over in
that space, but leave us with, like you know, great
great moments and great conversations alone the way, it was
pretty cool. You have all these different you know places, right,
these different restaurants versus hotels, et cetera, but a lot
(30:45):
of them pretty much they kind of do the same things,
but they don't feel the same.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
How do you accomplish that?
Speaker 2 (30:49):
So I hope to put my DNA into everything, and
my DNA is great environment. I want you to have
great music, great food. Everything's going to come to the
table in shareable plates for everyone to be part of it.
And of course the design the cuisine might change, but
that love and that wanting to create energy at the
(31:12):
table or an experience for people is not going to change.
And that's the common denominator with all my places.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
Been a father.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
Now, right when you first started his journey, you were
single and you were and a father, and you can
do what you want. Now you have two kids, you
have a wife, a beautiful wife and also a very
busy wife. How do you show up in all the ways?
How do you show up as you know the I
don't know the tidle ways. Well, let's say the CEO
of group hospitality versus showing.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
Up his dad and showing up his husband. How do
you show up in all the ways?
Speaker 2 (31:51):
I think I only show up one way man. To
be honest with you, like I look at my business
as my family, and I look at my family as
my family. Right, So I my wife is and it's
tough because you know, I have a four year old,
a six year old. My wife. The one thing is
you got to be present. They like, you don't have
as much time with your family as possible, but so
when you do have it and listen, it's not easy
(32:12):
to be present. I have to work at being present
because there's a lot of weirdness going on in this head, right,
and like thinking about stuff and like that. And my
wife is like, don't worry about how long you spend
with them. Worry about how you spend it with them,
and when you're with them, that you're with them and
that you care. And having two girls changes a lot too,
because you know, I'm learning so much from my daughters
(32:35):
now and having real conversations with them, and I love it.
It's like when they go, I love you, papye and
they give you a kiss.
Speaker 3 (32:43):
I just it was none better.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
It's kind of like explaining to someone that doesn't have kids.
People ask me all the time, what is it like
having kids, And I'm like, it's like explaining to somebody
that's colorblind what color is. I can't do it unless
you experience it. And as you know, I mean, listen,
you have older kids now, so that experience must be
so cool.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
Oh it's so different. My son's twenty one years old.
My oldest son is twenty one, and so the conversations
that we have, the you know, the parenting that I
have to do now, and you know, at an older
age is way more than I have a thought. You know,
you think what they tell you is when they get eighteen,
they go off to college, you're done, done, done. That
is a lie that's been told to us, repeated that
(33:28):
it's a whole new level of parenting that has to start. Especially,
you know when you have these young men who are
are told that at twenty one, they're supposed to figure
it out.
Speaker 3 (33:35):
They got they gotta be on their own.
Speaker 1 (33:37):
They got to know what they want, and they take
that burden, especially not and from my son.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
He has a burden that he takes.
Speaker 1 (33:42):
And so I'm looking at him and I'm like, man,
you got your whole life in front of you.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
But to him, he got to do it right now.
Speaker 1 (33:48):
And so you know, that's when you got to step
in from a whole different standpoint in place as a parent.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
So it's tough, you know, And I think it's going
to be tough for our kids more than anything, right
because we've set such a a public standard out there
right that people know and that they that they feel
aren't going to have to live up to this and
live up to that. And you know, I just want
to help push as much as possible, but I just
want to be there to hug and hold and Yeah,
(34:13):
but if you know, my kids come home and someone
bullied them or something like that, I'm going to light
the whole place on fire.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
Fact, how do you how do you deal with that?
How do you deal with you know, your kids growing
up in the life of luxury that you didn't grow
up in. How do you deal with trying to either
shield them from it or expose them to it, or.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
So it's a it's a It's a great question, especially
in my line of business, because I've met so many
entitled kids, and I hate entitled kids. And I've met
kids that come from very wealthy and successful family backgrounds
and are nice, and I ask a lot of questions,
why is your kid like this? And why is this
kid like that? And I could kind of sum it
(34:52):
up to this is I have a great wife that
doesn't that will not allow that to happen. And let
me tell you why. We go to a toy store
and my kids say to each other, Okay, make sure
you pick a great gift, a great toy, because we're
only allowed one. And I'm looking at them, like one
you you could get one? Yeah, mommy, only lets us
get one toy each. And I want to buy that
(35:13):
whole store for them. And my wife goes, if you
buy this store, we're going to have the worst kids ever.
And I think those kind of foundation moments to me,
and I catch them. It means so much when when
when my daughter walks into the house and there's someone
sitting here, she goes, Hi, my name is Kaya it's
nice to meet you. I didn't teach here that think
god my wife did. But I love seeing that that
(35:36):
my kids know that they have to be nice, good
people and caring people, and that comes from from from us.
And I also them seeing a great relationship between myself
and my wife is very important to me. Listen, we
have hipc hopes like anybody else, and challenges and stuff
like that. But what my kids see and the way
(35:56):
they know that we love each other, I think makes
all the difference in the world.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
And how you show up for them and how you
got to show up for them is what's the most important. Right.
If you show up in love, you show up and support, right,
that's what's most important in front of them.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
Yeah and yeah again, it's not about how much time
it's but the time that I spend with them that
it's it's quality.
Speaker 1 (36:14):
Do you get any Do you get any anyone of
the girls picking up that tennis racket yet? Are they? So?
Speaker 2 (36:18):
I've tried, and they want a cheerlead instead, And I'm
like tennis, but they look so cute. They're cheerleading outfits.
I don't really care what the thing is. And they're
like dynam Mie and I'm like, I love you so much. Yeah,
but I really hope they don't get into like competitive
soccer where I have to be driving to all these
all these different cities every weekend. I hear nightmare stories
(36:40):
from my friends. Are like, yeah, we're in you know,
Zephyr Hills, Florida or Tampa or this every weekend. They're
on the road too.
Speaker 1 (36:49):
Yeah, yeah, we got some we got some some parents here.
They do that, that journey. But I mean that's the
you know at the same time too, like you know
yes and I mean no, but yes to Those are
the moments that you get to learn so much about
your kids, right because you're watched in sports, as we know,
like you get to learn so much about and you
get to see so much growth in them when they're
(37:10):
around other other players, or how they handle losing or
you know what I mean, or watching them get better
like all these things. It's great for a parent to
see your kids respond and react in that way. So
you don't want to drive everywhere, but you actually want
to see them.
Speaker 3 (37:23):
Be competitive and compete.
Speaker 2 (37:24):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
Yeah, it's going to show you a lot about you
know about them, and you can see where you are
and where your wife is like, oh, that's you got
that from your mom, but you got that from me,
you know.
Speaker 2 (37:32):
Oh, I see it. By the way, those kind of things,
I love seeing them, like where did you? Oh, I
know where you got that from them? Yeah, but it's
crazy to me, man, it's it's such a cool experience.
And listen, we do a lot of cool stuff. Nothing
even comes close to being a father.
Speaker 1 (37:46):
Yeah, of course. And you know it's funny you said,
I was going one of my questions. You always gonna say,
what what is outside of being a father? What is
the coolest thing that you've done? And I know it's
probably hard to say one thing, but around about that,
she was just what that's when when the night ended,
you was looking off on a balconis and when you say,
you know what, they.
Speaker 3 (38:07):
That was pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
I'm pretty jaded now, to be honest with you, right,
And it kind of sucks. Uh. I've had so many
from going like on a safari or walking you know,
it's pretty cool. I got to go with my kids, uh,
and they closed the pyramids a couple of hours before
everybody else. And to see my kids and my wife
and I just running around the pyramids in Egypt. I
was like, Okay, that's pretty fucking cool. Yeah, And my
(38:32):
kids don't even know what the pyramids are. They just
think it's whatever. But to see them running around like
the Sphinx and stuff, I was like, I.
Speaker 3 (38:39):
Don't think we know what the pyramids are there. I don't.
Speaker 2 (38:41):
By the way, it's a little crazy. There's like a
pizza hut outside of It's also, you know, my kids
have gotten to travel the world. They've got to go
to like Saudi Arabia, Lula and be around the tombs
and stuff like that. As they just left Israel from
being at the Wall, And that was a really cool
thing is taking my kids to the wall and seeing
them pray in Israel and you can feel the energy
(39:04):
there and tearing and teering and tearing. I'm not even
that religious of a guy, but just the energy you
feel there. But then going from there and going to
the pyramids and seeing them run and all the different cultures.
To me, that's that was one of the coolest moments
of my life. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (39:18):
Yeah, my family we went over. My son to actually
was playing in Egypt. He's playing my basketball this past
summer with African team in Cape Town and they were
playing in Egypt, so we got a chance to go
watch him, but we also got a chance to go
get our own experience.
Speaker 3 (39:32):
Never written on a camera before first time.
Speaker 2 (39:35):
I don't really love the camera writing, to be honestly.
Speaker 1 (39:37):
It was the hydraulics. For me. It was the way
that they lift me down. I thought it was the
coolest thing ever, you know, like being up there and
it's like you're down, You're like, how am I going?
I was like that was fire.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
I think listen, Egypt, Africa. Cape Town, by the way,
is incredible place. My wife learned to model there and
learned the English there, so I have to She put
in her little agreement that she has to go once
a year there, and I love Cape Town. I think
Cape Town is a great city. And joe Burg as well.
Speaker 1 (40:03):
So do we let's talk about restaurants internationally?
Speaker 2 (40:07):
You are we going to get when there's when there's
a currency difference, Like my wife's Brazilian, right, She's like,
why don't you open in Brazil. I'm like it's kind
of five to one right now, you know, but uh, listen,
I want we're looking to do international, that's for sure.
I'm inspired by so many places in the you you know,
in Saudi a, all Europe, London. I would love to
(40:29):
be in London. So who knows. I mean, I'm trying.
Speaker 3 (40:32):
Yeah, I just came back from the U A. I
can see.
Speaker 2 (40:35):
What's your favorite place over there?
Speaker 1 (40:37):
You know?
Speaker 2 (40:38):
Actually, don't answer that because I don't want that. You know,
we just love all everybody to you, I love we
love it all.
Speaker 1 (40:47):
I haven't experienced enough yet, neither.
Speaker 2 (40:48):
I really love Saudi Arabia, really, I've heard.
Speaker 3 (40:51):
I got to go visit. That's next on my list.
Speaker 2 (40:53):
Alula is very special, uh, I think. And what they're
doing over there in the Red Sea and these different
places is yeah, it's cool. I mean, and I like
that there everyone's trying to do different things.
Speaker 3 (41:06):
Yeah, I think it's neat.
Speaker 1 (41:08):
Do you look at I mean, some people care about
this and some people don't. But you have a legacy
here in Miami, right, You had a really important way
I hope, so you do, okay, And in the midst
of that, Miami has this Mount Rushmore of people who
have created legacies. Marino pat Riley, Yeah, da any way, yeah,
(41:31):
uh do you see yourself being a part of that
Mount Rushmore? I mean through my own plug out there.
Speaker 3 (41:36):
Everybody, by the way.
Speaker 2 (41:38):
You're not wrong, You're not wrong. You're not wrong, So listen.
If I just go by what people say to me,
like thanking me for the experiences I've created for them
in the city, I would hope that when I'm said
and done, that I've impacted the city enough to be
on there. But this city has done so much for me.
It's giving me such a platform to do what I
(42:00):
do and to celebrate what I do. The city shows
up for me, which I can't think enough. And it's
given me the ability to do things emotionally for myself,
like teaching the college class at FIU and stuff like that,
which was the most challenging thing in my life, which
I'm going to go on my fourth year. Every year
I tell my team, don't worry, we don't have to
(42:22):
do it again. We're done. And then I give them
that client that we're going to go back to FIU
and do the Davia Grutman experience again. They're like, we
always know that you were going to do it again
every year. We know that you lie to us.
Speaker 3 (42:36):
What does that do you do? Why do you continue
to do that? What does that do it.
Speaker 2 (42:39):
It's the most rewarding thing for me to be able
to teach people not just about hospitality stuff about but
more about entrepreneurship. For me, I love entrepreneurship, and even
if you're working for somebody, you have to come into
that to that job like it's your place, like you
own the company or you own that place, because that's
what makes you successful. I know, those little things is
what drove me. I always thought, you know, when I
(43:00):
was just a regular manager, that was my restaurant, that
was my nightclub. That's what drove me to being where
I am today. And if I could help instill that
into the youth today, I think it's kind of cool.
Speaker 1 (43:12):
So from twenty one years old been in bartending to
now you sit here. You're forty nine years old, and
you've accomplished everything that you've accomplished, not only here, but
now it's going to other places. Right before you fifty
years old? What's next?
Speaker 2 (43:27):
You know?
Speaker 1 (43:27):
The name of this podcast is the Why Podcast, And
that's one of the questions that I like that I
want to end with, is your why? Right?
Speaker 3 (43:35):
So you going to fifty you sit here, going to
this monumental year In.
Speaker 1 (43:38):
July Yep, what is your why going forward? You've already
accomplished a lot, You've made a lot of money, You're
going to continue to make money. What's your why going
forward from fifty?
Speaker 2 (43:49):
So my why is that's a great question. My I
always ask myself what's my why? Why? What's going to
be enough?
Speaker 3 (44:01):
Yeah? What's gonna be enough?
Speaker 2 (44:02):
And for me, I feel like I'm an athlete. I
feel like I have a certain window time as well,
and I'm just trying to keep pushing that window farther
and farther away because it not only makes me me,
but it keeps me relevant and it keeps me excited
each day to get up and push is what more
can I do? How do I blow people away even more?
Like we're gonna be doing the food and beverage in
(44:23):
space and the space perspective. That's those kind of things
that the stuff I look for. And I don't do
things now and I just don't want to do for money.
I only do things that are like cool, hot shit
right now, and that's stuff that excites me. Yeah, And
that's that's why, This is why
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