Bruce Bozzi Jr., a fourth-generation descendent of Palm cofounder Pio Bozzi and son of current co-owner Bruce Bozzi Sr., grew up learning his craft in what he unsurprisingly calls “the best restaurants in the country.” While he detoured briefly to pursue an acting career in Los Angeles, he returned to the family business, helping to launch one of the 29-unit luxury steakhouse’s most successful outlets, the West Side Palm in Manhattan.
As executive vice president, Bozzi Jr. works with EVP and chief operating officer Walter McClure, focusing chiefly on human resources, marketing and culinary operations. However, more recently he also has been channeling some of his energy into the company’s PalmCares Philanthropic Program. As a part of that newly created national program, the Palm formed a fundraising alliance with Dress for Success Worldwide, a nonprofit organization seeking to promote the economic independence of women by supplying them with professional attire, a support network and career development skills.
The Palm pledged to raise $25,000 for the organization by donating 10 percent of the proceeds from a specially created salad menu and wine selections in September and October. One week before the fundraiser ended, the Palm had already raised twice that amount.
What prompted you to establish PalmCares?
Basically, we sat down and asked ourselves what have we done to give back to the community. One of the great things about the Palm is that it has done wonderful things for our families and the people who work here. And while individual properties always did things in their local communities, we decided we had to organize things to give cohesiveness on a national level. Dress for Success is just the first alliance.
Has it been successful?
FAST FACTS EDUCATION: bachelor of science in communications from the University of Southern CaliforniaEXPERIENCE: Worked in the front-and back-of-the-house in Palm properties since 1985; was a page at NBC for a year in New York; pursued acting career in Los Angeles; joined Palm full-time in 1994; was named executive vice president in 2006AGE: 41BIRTHPLACE: New YorkPERSONAL: enjoys tennis, films, travel, dining out, working with philanthropic organizations
It’s been a tremendous success. We’ve sold over 8,000 salads and 750 bottles of wine and raised over $50,000.
What’s next for PalmCares?
We plan to continue our partnership with Dress for Success. We also want to identify and team up with organizations that address hunger. Our operators are motivated to give back, and I’d like to see all 28 involved in something that inspires them.
What else is in the future for the Palm?
Internally we’re planning on introducing same-sex benefits like domestic partner health care benefits for employees in 2008. It’s something that’s the right thing to do, and it’s appreciated by the people it touches.
Anything happening on the expansion front?
A lot. We’re almost done with a deal to open a new restaurant in the Financial District [in] downtown [Manhattan]. Also we’re looking at possible locations in Europe—particularly in London—and some Asian and other U.S. markets.
Sounds like you’re pretty busy.
We are. We’re also developing a secondary concept, possibly for 2008. It would be more casual with a lower price point and lighter menu and quicker service. It could work in venues that we’re not in now, like airports.