The Digest | New Jersey Magazine
Issue link: https://magazines.vuenj.com/i/1542454
industry, Demetri finds the creative aspect of the work to be the most fulfilling. "I've always been obsessed with the details in creating something and seeing it to the end, introducing guests to something they didn't expect. It's the surprise factor we've always built our careers on that, 'yes, I'm in New Jersey, but I feel like I'm in New York or Miami,'" he describes. With hospitality in his background, "we want to feed you, we want to take care of you," Demetri shares, but he notes that "we are nothing without our team." "I don't like the word owner," he states matter-of-factly. "I don't use it. I'm going to work with you, side-by-side; let's get through this together." Demetri's strong work ethic and humble spirit have served him well as he shares that "the industry is built on human beings" and the ability to "pull the best out of everybody" comes down to being able to recognize that "everybody is different and accepts guidance and leadership in a different way." However, a personal value that he considers non- negotiable is honesty. "I can't watch over somebody because I don't trust them," he explains. "If you're doing it with honesty and we build this trust, it's not about making mistakes. at happens; it's if we know you're coming from the right place." In an ever-changing world, technology continues to change the face of how we do business. Demetri recognizes that success is "in finding that middle ground" between reliance on technology and maintaining the human connection that sets a good restaurant apart. "As fast as the world is moving, if we hone in on good old-fashioned hospitality, they're [guests] going to crave that middle road." Demetri is aware that while technology has its advantages, human beings still appreciate the connection of speaking to another person at the other end of the line. "When we were opening up Madison Modern Social, we had a two-week conversation about whether we should have phones or not…new restaurants are using email, text, but our argument was let's stick to having a phone number," he recalls. VUENJ.COM 45