Jeffrey Mastro Of Steak 48: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became a Restaurateur
An Interview With Martita Mestey
Stay focused on your strengths and enjoy what you do best. It may be tempting to take on everything in your restaurant, but spreading yourself too thin can lead to exhaustion and a decrease in the quality of your food and service.
As a part of our series about “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became a Restaurateur”, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Jeffrey Mastro.
Jeffrey grew up in the restaurant business with his father and brother before completing his undergraduate studies at the University of Arizona and then to Law School at the University of San Diego. From there Jeffrey moved on to Georgetown University to complete his Tax LLM. Jeffrey joined the Company in 2002 as the Company’s president while growing Mastro’s Steakhouse and Mastro’s Ocean Club to seven locations and the eventual sale of the Company in 2007. In 2010 Jeffrey co-founded Prime Steak Concepts with his brother Michael and is the Company’s CEO together they have developed Dominick’s Steakhouse, Steak 44, Steak 48, Ocean 44, and Ocean 48 brands with seven locations across the country and currently opening the first Steak 48 in California in Beverly Hills which opened in January, with two additional locations (Del Mar, CA, Newport Beach, CA) opening later this year. Jeffrey resides in Paradise Valley with his wife and three sons.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to ‘get to know’ you a bit. Can you share with our readers a story about what inspired you to become a restaurateur?
Growing up in the business with my Father and Brother, my love for hospitality has always been my passion and a part of our family.
Do you have a specific type of food that you focus on? What was it that first drew you to cooking that type of food? Can you share a story about that with us?
I am not sure if it is a type of food in the traditional sense but the food I enjoy focusing on is interesting foods, cool menu items that are unique and “crave-able,” We have some amazingly talented Chefs that do the cooking but the R&D process is something that I am personally connected to. It is so much fun to see people try our creations like Lobster Escargot with caviar or Corn Crème Brûlée with a signature cut of steak that you do not always see like our Waygu Butchers Cut (it is the most decadent part of the ribeye and is very delicious).
Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that happened to you since you became a restaurateur? What was the lesson or take away you took out of that story?
Being in such a people-centric business, there is no shortage of interesting experiences. That is part of the fun, you are seeing so many people at their absolute best and in celebration of a personal triumph or success in business and our connection to those experiences is such a thrill. One of my favorite experiences was just before opening day we had a couple that had come in thinking we were already open, and we asked them to stay anyway and let us serve them dinner and be our first guests. They obliged and stayed for what turned out to be a wonderful evening for us and for them. It turned out they both travel internationally and have a tradition of meeting on Friday night for dinner no matter where they have been all week. Very cool that they walked it to our place and from that day forward they have not missed a Friday night at the same table. The takeaway for me is to always say yes anytime you can because what seems to be so simple can and usually does turn out to be something very special. When you welcome those opportunities to do something for someone, you are always better off for it.
Can you tell us a story about the hard times that you faced when you first started your journey? How did you overcome this obstacle?
This journey begins every time we make the decision to open a restaurant. The difficult choices are always there. The hardest part is knowing that every decision we make from location to layout and menu will affect the heart and soul of what we do that that is our employees. When someone comes to work for us we not only hire them to do a job but they join our family. We feel a sense of responsibility to them and their families knowing that they will provide for so many people and every decision we make will impact a lot of people so the pressure to get them right is not a business pressure but a human one first and foremost. We overcome this by being a true family business. My brother and I consult with each other daily along with our Father and a small group of people that have been with us for many many years and are extended family. Together we are aware of the potential impact each decision has and take our time to think “will this improve what we do and make us better able to provide an awesome experience to our guests and employees” if the answer is yes then we do it!
In your experience, what is the key to creating a dish that customers are crazy about?
The key is making something that someone will look at and say “That is fantastic”, often this comes with a fantastic presentation and the perfect amount of comfort like our chicken fried lobster. That makes everyone smile.
Personally, what is the ‘perfect meal for you’?
The perfect meal is one enjoyed with great friends and family old and new, full of good conversation and fellowship. A delicious NY strip and some great wine never hurt either!
Where does your inspiration for creating come from? Is there something that you turn to for a daily creativity boost?
My inspiration is the love of making people feel good by creating an experience that they will not forget, that is true hospitality, and when you create from a place of joy for what we get to do every day that is all the boost I need!
Are you working on any new or exciting projects now? What impact do you think this will have?
Yes, we are working on a new location in Del Mar (Southern California). Mike and I, and our families love that area and are excited to be in business there. This will have an impact on our entire company as we will undoubtedly learn from the experience and we always go back to our existing locations and improve what we do as we grow from what we learn along the way.
What advice would you give to other restaurateurs to thrive and avoid burnout?
There is a fine line between your life’s work and working your life away. We are all fortunate to be on life’s work side and If you find yourself drifting over to the other side remember why you started and what you love about hospitality, and if that does not work then get out quickly!
Thank you for all that. Now we are ready for the main question of the interview. What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Started as a Restaurateur” and why? Please share a story or an example for each.
- Some of the best things you do are the things you decide not to do. Don’t try and do too much. Stick to what you are best at and enjoy it. We entertained opening a more casual, limited service concept and quickly realize that all the things we would have to limit were the things our guests loved the most and that’s what we are best and doing.
- Plan to leave room for serendipity. Leave room in your day, every day, to call an audible. Planning is imperative but that includes planning to leave open time and bandwidth for the unexpected. If you are not open to it you won’t realize that the thing that derailed you will work out even better than you could have imagined.
- Stay focused on your strengths and enjoy what you do best. It may be tempting to take on everything in your restaurant, but spreading yourself too thin can lead to exhaustion and a decrease in the quality of your food and service.
- As a restauranteur, it’s important to remember that saying “no” can sometimes be a good decision. Opportunities that don’t align with your vision or expertise should be avoided, and it’s okay to decline them. Don’t be afraid to make the best decisions for your restaurant.
- It’s important to know your strengths as a restaurant and highlight what makes you stand out from others. By focusing on those unique qualities, you can better serve your guests. Trying to cater to everyone may water down your distinct offerings.
What’s the one dish people have to try if they visit your establishment?
Of course their favorite cut of our great steak, or something new! They should absolutely enjoy it with our crispy shrimp, deviled eggs, and corn crème brûlée. We also have a delicious warm vanilla caramel cake!
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
Have dinner with someone you disagree with and see what happens… When you think you could not possibly agree with someone or get along, go out of your way to have a great meal together. You will be surprised at the outcome. Sharing a meal with people is a special experience that unites us on so many levels.
Thank you so much for these insights. This was very inspirational!
