Another Restaurant?

[LESider]

Hi Danny,

I'm curious as to what made you want to open another restaraunt in Manhattan? With GT, 11Mad, USC, and Tabla, one would think you'd have your hands full already?

Thanks for your time.

[Danny Meyer]

Thanks for the question. You're right, I certainly have had my hands full with USC, GT, EMP and Tabla. We're very picky about the new projects we take on. I could spend hours writing about the exciting opportunities (and chefs) we've said no thank you to, particularly over these past 10 years before the economy tanked. I often think there is more opportunity to succeed by saying "no" to the right things as there is to fail by saying "yes" to too many of the wrong things. Relative to other NYC restaurant groups, our growth has been gently paced.

But I do love to dream a good dream, and thoroughly enjoy a good challenge. Sometimes I'm moved to climb a beautiful mountain just because it's there and I need to see what's on top. I usually underestimate the effort it will take to climb. But mostly, there are four things that finally convince me it's time to do something new:

1. I'm dying to explore my own passion for a given topic.

2. There are a number of successful employees at the existing restaurants who are dying for new opportunities (i.e., an assistant G.M. is ready to be G.M., a sous-chef is ready to be Executive Chef, a manager is ready to be wine director, etc.) And the existing restaurants are healthy both operationally and financially.

3. Nothing exists in New York along the lines of what I'm contemplating.

4. The business deal and location make good sense.