From Waiter to Empire: How Stathis Antonakopoulos is Reinventing the New York Diner

Stathis Antonakopoulos, the founder and CEO of Carnegie Hospitality Group, joins the show to share his journey from working as a busboy in Greece and a college waiter in New York City to building a thriving hospitality empire that encompasses Carnegie Diner & Cafe, Delos, and Voco Roofbar. While historic 24-hour diners across New York City continue to close their doors, Stathis has cracked the code on modernizing the beloved NYC staple. He breaks down how Carnegie Diner delivers high-dining quality and organic ingredients at accessible prices, the operational systems needed to scale without sacrificing quality, and why putting people first is the ultimate key to retaining a 1,000+ employee team.https://www.thenycalliance.org/https://www.instagram.com/thenycalliance/ 0:00 - Intro0:23 - Carnegie Hospitality Group2:00 - Stathis’ experience working in the family business6:09 - Opening Carnegie Diner13:06 - The Soul of a Diner16:00 - Stathis’ approach to menu design20:08 - Hiring and training 26:40 - Real estate and location31:28 - The leadership traits of a restaurant owner38:16 - Stathis’ marketing strategy41:10 - The biggest challenges of running a restaurant44:02 - Dealing with the government and politics in hospitality51:50 - Where does Stathis like to eat?#newyorkcity #restaurant #politics #hospital #business #smallbusiness