Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Boy, I tell you, going out to dinner these days,
(00:02):
I think the price of everything has gone up, including
you know, a lot of entrees in nice restaurants. I
mean fifty dollars stakes, seriously, so a lot of people
are kind of diverting from that. I still like the ambience.
I still like going on hanging out with friends. I
wouldn't mind a cocktail or two. But I'll tell you
what can I see your appetizer? Men, you please, thank
you very much joining us now to talk about this
(00:22):
restaurant industry expert JP.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
JP.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
I'm not even gonna try on your last name, but
I love the last name. I can't wait to hear
you say it. How do you say your name?
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Me?
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Let me give it a try. I'm going to say no,
I can't. I'm going to say the wrong word.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Go ahead.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
It's a good Irish name, Piccinini, Irish Italy. So food
is in my DNA.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
I was gonna say, I morning, let's talk about your
aunt and your grandma's and all the women in the
family in Italy about the food. I mean, come on,
does it get much better than that?
Speaker 3 (00:54):
I think my grandmother would turn over her grave if
she found out that we were charging people.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Fifty plus dollars for stakes these days.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
For you in that back, it's so crazy. But you
know what the cost of doing business is pricey. You
got stabed.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
We oh yeah, as a nation, we decided the minimum
wage was no longer a minimum wage.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
And when you start.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Driving Chick fil A prices and drive through employees at
fifteen dollars an hour, all of a sudden, it just
kind of trickles down everywhere else.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Right, So if I can.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
If I can sit outside and just collect fifteen dollars
an hour taking orders outside of Chick fil A, then
I better get paid twenty five to thirty forty.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Dollars as a cook, you know, doing more more labor.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
So, well, you're the CEO. You're the CEO of a
holdings company. Right now, pronounce the name of the company
for your holding company's specifous holdings.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
And we own the brand Lastell Luck, which you know
it actually the Statellite Tellings takehouse and music lounge in Dallas, Texas.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Okay, couple of restaurants in Dallas. Very good.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
So you're still in the industry of restaurant tullur. But
you've you've kind of moved over to the money side
of things. You're not you're not back in the kitchen noneymore.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Oh actually, no, no, no, I'm still very much back
in the kitchen. We'll have a lot of fun doing it.
It's our primary focus while we are a private equity.
You know, I don't want you to think that I'm
in some ivory tower. No, we're We're in there and
we're touching tables. Love it having these restaurants. Yeah, yeah, no,
I mean my mother is involved in the cooking, and
you know, she's flabbergasted at the cost of goods as
(02:21):
well as the cost of labor and running restaurants, so
that all trickles down to very expensive entrees. And you know,
going out to eat is uh, you know, being for going.
Being from Italy and having been raised in Italy, there's
quite a difference in cultural lifestyles between American and Italians.
Italians maybe go out to eat, you know, pizza on
a Sunday with her family. Maybe they'll have a nice
(02:42):
meal once a month, maybe once every couple of months.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
It's not a not a traditional thing because cost of
living is so expensive.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Yeah, America, way, you know, when we used to go
out to eat two three times four times a week.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Now it's you know, one that a week kind of thing.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Right, Well, I got to tell you there's nothing better
than a great meal, you know, And you're right. The
amount of times you go, I think for a lot
of people has now been reduced in a lot of
times instead of once a week. It's coming down to,
you know, maybe once a month or so. We're gonna
actually go ahead and really really do it up right here,
But what is the if I'm coming to Dallas today,
what's the name of the restaurant that you have that
I should go have dinner tonight?
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Well at the top rated fine dining tiny restaurant in Dallas.
It's called Lastella. And you'll see a couple of them.
One is a steakhouse, one is particularly just a quchina,
very nice, romantic. We're located in Arts district, and then
the other one is in the hustling business district of.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Addison Lostella Stella. Okay, great, let's talk about the prices here.
You know, everything has gone up, and you did mention
it just trickles down. How do you maintain I guess,
a solid customer base and continue to grow as far
as attendance in people coming to your restaurant, if it's
all of a sudden, your menu over the last four
(03:51):
or five years is doubled in some areas. The quality
of the product obviously number one, but you know, still,
have you seen a hit even in your world?
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Well, we're fortunately our businesses increased year after year. And
what we've done.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Is not also deliver an exceptional service and an exceptional
experience with quality ingredients that we make from scratch. We've
also made it a more entertainment aspect. When you come
to our restaurant, you're not just sitting down having dinner.
You're sitting down and listening to some live music and
you know, watching the show, whether it's table side service
or whether it's a DJ or pianist, live music, a
(04:27):
band that's entertaining. Our restaurants have turned into more of
a supper club, So we've pivoted away from just.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Sitting down having dinner.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
So that draws not just a dinner crowd, but that
just also draws the crowd that wants to be entertained. Yeah,
whether it's a business crowd or whether it's you know,
a couple on romented day night and.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
What margins are very very slim in the hospitality.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Every restaurant will tell you, you know, if you're making
ten percent on a ticket, that's you do pretty well,
which is crazy when you think about the margins. Some
other ventures there the saving grace for us as corporate
businesses as well. You know, of course businesses and come
in and need to celebrate me to have business meetings
and whatnot. Yeah, so we make sure that we have
(05:11):
the ample private dining room for private events and corporate
parties and whatnot.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Well, great advice, and I love a good Italian restaurant,
no doubt. I wouldn't mind seeing old guy come walking over,
you know, got a cocktail and of smoke, singing Dean
Martin songs.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
I kind of like that. All's right old school field.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
There's a place in California, remember years ago, I think
it's right and hearted. I think it may be in Beveral.
He was a place called Dantana's, which is an old
school Italian restaurant. And the black and white pictures of
Sinatra and Dino and all these people that have signed
it to the owner of the restaurant there. I mean
that to me is like, okay, sit down, and tell
(05:50):
me what I should eat.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
I don't even want to look at the menu.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
You you bring me what you love and let me
try it, because I'm sure everything here is awesome.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
So all right, buddy, you just to stop the little
history man. I was lovely.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
I love it. J. P. Puccini.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Did I get it right? Pi? Peacini?
Speaker 1 (06:05):
There you go, There you go, La Stella, a restaurant
in Dallas. Thank you, buddy, good chatting with you, Thank
you having riding
Boy, I tell you, going out to dinner these days,
(00:02):
I think the price of everything has gone up, including
you know, a lot of entrees in nice restaurants. I
mean fifty dollars stakes, seriously, so a lot of people
are kind of diverting from that. I still like the ambience.
I still like going on hanging out with friends. I
wouldn't mind a cocktail or two. But I'll tell you
what can I see your appetizer? Men, you please, thank
you very much joining us now to talk about this
(00:22):
restaurant industry expert JP.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
JP.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
I'm not even gonna try on your last name, but
I love the last name. I can't wait to hear
you say it. How do you say your name?
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Me?
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Let me give it a try. I'm going to say no,
I can't. I'm going to say the wrong word.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Go ahead.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
It's a good Irish name, Piccinini, Irish Italy. So food
is in my DNA.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
I was gonna say, I morning, let's talk about your
aunt and your grandma's and all the women in the
family in Italy about the food. I mean, come on,
does it get much better than that?
Speaker 3 (00:54):
I think my grandmother would turn over her grave if
she found out that we were charging people.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Fifty plus dollars for stakes these days.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
For you in that back, it's so crazy. But you
know what the cost of doing business is pricey. You
got stabed.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
We oh yeah, as a nation, we decided the minimum
wage was no longer a minimum wage.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
And when you start.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Driving Chick fil A prices and drive through employees at
fifteen dollars an hour, all of a sudden, it just
kind of trickles down everywhere else.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Right, So if I can.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
If I can sit outside and just collect fifteen dollars
an hour taking orders outside of Chick fil A, then
I better get paid twenty five to thirty forty.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Dollars as a cook, you know, doing more more labor.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
So, well, you're the CEO. You're the CEO of a
holdings company. Right now, pronounce the name of the company
for your holding company's specifous holdings.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
And we own the brand Lastell Luck, which you know
it actually the Statellite Tellings takehouse and music lounge in Dallas, Texas.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Okay, couple of restaurants in Dallas. Very good.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
So you're still in the industry of restaurant tullur. But
you've you've kind of moved over to the money side
of things. You're not you're not back in the kitchen noneymore.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Oh actually, no, no, no, I'm still very much back
in the kitchen. We'll have a lot of fun doing it.
It's our primary focus while we are a private equity.
You know, I don't want you to think that I'm
in some ivory tower. No, we're We're in there and
we're touching tables. Love it having these restaurants. Yeah, yeah, no,
I mean my mother is involved in the cooking, and
you know, she's flabbergasted at the cost of goods as
(02:21):
well as the cost of labor and running restaurants, so
that all trickles down to very expensive entrees. And you know,
going out to eat is uh, you know, being for going.
Being from Italy and having been raised in Italy, there's
quite a difference in cultural lifestyles between American and Italians.
Italians maybe go out to eat, you know, pizza on
a Sunday with her family. Maybe they'll have a nice
(02:42):
meal once a month, maybe once every couple of months.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
It's not a not a traditional thing because cost of
living is so expensive.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Yeah, America, way, you know, when we used to go
out to eat two three times four times a week.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Now it's you know, one that a week kind of thing.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Right, Well, I got to tell you there's nothing better
than a great meal, you know, And you're right. The
amount of times you go, I think for a lot
of people has now been reduced in a lot of
times instead of once a week. It's coming down to,
you know, maybe once a month or so. We're gonna
actually go ahead and really really do it up right here,
But what is the if I'm coming to Dallas today,
what's the name of the restaurant that you have that
I should go have dinner tonight?
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Well at the top rated fine dining tiny restaurant in Dallas.
It's called Lastella. And you'll see a couple of them.
One is a steakhouse, one is particularly just a quchina,
very nice, romantic. We're located in Arts district, and then
the other one is in the hustling business district of.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Addison Lostella Stella. Okay, great, let's talk about the prices here.
You know, everything has gone up, and you did mention
it just trickles down. How do you maintain I guess,
a solid customer base and continue to grow as far
as attendance in people coming to your restaurant, if it's
all of a sudden, your menu over the last four
(03:51):
or five years is doubled in some areas. The quality
of the product obviously number one, but you know, still,
have you seen a hit even in your world?
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Well, we're fortunately our businesses increased year after year. And
what we've done.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Is not also deliver an exceptional service and an exceptional
experience with quality ingredients that we make from scratch. We've
also made it a more entertainment aspect. When you come
to our restaurant, you're not just sitting down having dinner.
You're sitting down and listening to some live music and
you know, watching the show, whether it's table side service
or whether it's a DJ or pianist, live music, a
(04:27):
band that's entertaining. Our restaurants have turned into more of
a supper club, So we've pivoted away from just.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Sitting down having dinner.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
So that draws not just a dinner crowd, but that
just also draws the crowd that wants to be entertained. Yeah,
whether it's a business crowd or whether it's you know,
a couple on romented day night and.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
What margins are very very slim in the hospitality.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Every restaurant will tell you, you know, if you're making
ten percent on a ticket, that's you do pretty well,
which is crazy when you think about the margins. Some
other ventures there the saving grace for us as corporate
businesses as well. You know, of course businesses and come
in and need to celebrate me to have business meetings
and whatnot. Yeah, so we make sure that we have
(05:11):
the ample private dining room for private events and corporate
parties and whatnot.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Well, great advice, and I love a good Italian restaurant,
no doubt. I wouldn't mind seeing old guy come walking over,
you know, got a cocktail and of smoke, singing Dean
Martin songs.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
I kind of like that. All's right old school field.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
There's a place in California, remember years ago, I think
it's right and hearted. I think it may be in Beveral.
He was a place called Dantana's, which is an old
school Italian restaurant. And the black and white pictures of
Sinatra and Dino and all these people that have signed
it to the owner of the restaurant there. I mean
that to me is like, okay, sit down, and tell
(05:50):
me what I should eat.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
I don't even want to look at the menu.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
You you bring me what you love and let me
try it, because I'm sure everything here is awesome.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
So all right, buddy, you just to stop the little
history man. I was lovely.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
I love it. J. P. Puccini.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Did I get it right? Pi? Peacini?
Speaker 1 (06:05):
There you go, There you go, La Stella, a restaurant
in Dallas. Thank you, buddy, good chatting with you, Thank
you having riding
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