For the first time ever, celebrity chef Tyler Florence plans to open his own restaurant. In fact he says he’s opening three restaurants—two in the San Francisco area and one in Napa, Calif. He’s also in the process of expanding his line of retail products and stores. In between, he still finds time to tweet to his 66,000 followers on Twitter.
What are the benefits and challenges of opening new restaurants in this economy?
You know, this economy has been tough on everyone, including us, but we’ve definitely benefited from the same downturn. Thankfully, we were able to use the situation to our advantage and snap up some really great locations that just two years ago would have penciled out a lot differently.
Would you describe what you’re planning to open?
When I made the decision to move from New York City to Northern California three years ago, I was really focused on realizing some of my restaurant dreams. The three restaurants I am building right now are very much a part of that plan.
Wayfare Tavern, in the financial district of San Francisco, is a re-imagining of a Barbary Coast tavern between the gold rush [from about 1848-1855] and the great quake of 1906. The menu is inspired by the dishes of the time period, adjusted for modern tastes. The space itself was most recently Drew Nieporent’s Rubicon.
El Paseo is a really amazing project that I’m working on in my hometown of Mill Valley, just over the Golden Gate Bridge. It is an absolutely gorgeous 100-year-old building with exposed brick, an incredible patio and an historic charm that you just can’t replicate. The menu will be as local as local gets, with nearly everything coming right from within Marin County.
FAST FACTS HOMETOWN: Mill Valley, Calif., via Greenville, S.C.AGE: 38EDUCATION: Johnson & Wales University, Charleston, S.C.CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: being a chef, restaurateur, author and television hostPERSONAL: wife, Tolan; three children, Miles, 12, Hayden, 2, Dorothy, 1
Up in Napa, I’m opening a new concept called Tyler Florence Rotisserie and Wine. When you enter the restaurant, you’ll find a wall of spinning and roasting organic meats like chicken, lamb, porchetta and duck. There will also be market-fresh salads, seasonal soups and, since we’re in Napa, a comprehensive California wine bar with a retail component.
How did you get 66,000 Twitter followers?
There’s no filter, no censorship, nobody doctoring my thoughts. While I enjoy tweeting, there’s a method to the madness. And the retail store is a great example. When we start carrying a fantastic new line of copper cookware, I can speak directly to my people and tell them how excited I am about it. Nobody knows my brand like I do, and the more that I can talk about it, the stronger it will be.
What will you be working on after the restaurants open?
We’re opening a retail unit in the San Francisco airport at the beginning of the year as well as one in Napa. I launched a wine brand last year and in 2010 will take it to a new level with a new partnership. I’ll continue to write books, do television and explore new media and technology with projects like the launch of my iPhone app, Tyler Florence Fast.