Why do people go to big, theatrical restaurants?
People go to restaurants to escape reality. Most people’s jobs are boring, and when they go out to a restaurant it’s a big thing. That’s why there should be something in the restaurant design that takes your breath away. What about, you know, the food? I believe food counts for 60 percent of your success; ambience, including design, 40 percent. People say big, expensively designed megarestaurants kill off smaller, better-quality restaurants. One or two big restaurants open and suddenly they’re an evil trend. In the end, it’s survival of the fittest. The good will triumph. So are reviews not important? They’re the enemy and we must win. We’re like Marines going into battle. You seem a little intense. What do you do for fun? I don’t really have any fun. I’ve always been the guy throwing the party. I don’t really hang out with anybody. I just work. You almost passed up on hiring Morimoto. I hired a headhunter to find me a Japanese chef that could cook on the level and do sushi on the leve
