Groot Hospitality Founder: David Grutman – Miami, Hospitality, & Why You Should Take It Personal
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
What's the reward? Is it the money? Is it this? Is it that? No, it's the look on someone's face when you create a great experience for them.
Dave, you're the man that has the key to Miami. You ready? I'm ready. Entertainment plus meal. So
I like to call it festive. It's very south of France as well.
Well, it's very Miami. It's very Miami. What it takes to be a great guest at one of your restaurants.
Why do people say I hold the keys to Miami’s hospitality scene?
You know, I think to be a great guest you have
tipping doesn't just have to be financial, even just a word of acknowledgement to the person. Okay.
That sounds good. You know what you do? Great. Give just give them a little bit more money. That's that's your verbal tip. That says everything.
People are often lining up outside the door at many of your establishments and trying to get in. And they try to use status, name dropping. People
come to me before at the front door and they go, I know David Grubbman. I'm like, Really? You do? Tell me about him. Good guy.
How does that feel to have people bet on you versus on the concept? It feels Around the world with your host The Stad Guy, we welcome you back to the Stad Guy podcast, sharing stories of excellence with those in the know for those who just know. Dave. You ready? I'm ready. Okay. It feels so good to be in your home today.
Thank you. I'm so happy you got to we got to do this here. I
know it feels
good. Yeah, it's it's like uh well it's home, so that's always the best feeling. But to be able to talk with you here in the house, it's great. It's better.
You know, it it's meant to only be a house to me and not a home. Right. But it feels like a home. It's a very homey place.
Great.
I like I like what you've done with uh with the space. It's really it's it's a little warm, right?
How does David read people and spot the angle before they even speak?
Very, very cozy. I uh recently spoke to a friend on the podcast, Enrico Buonacore, who's the founder of Linguisteria, and he was talking about when he expands restaurants, his number one priority is to find the people that have the keys to the cities. Right, of course. He expands them. And you're the man that has the key to Miami. Well
it's very nice for you to say. I I I love the city, as you you know. I am always out there pushing, pushing Miami, but Miami's coming to its own now. I don't really have to push so much. Everybody kind of knows that this is the place now, which is great.
It is. I feel it. It feels good here. Yeah.
It's the best.
Yeah. I saw something last night. I know you're a very hospitable person. Right. And it really runs through your blood to make sure everyone's having a good time. You actually didn't even sit down while everyone was seated and eating and enjoying their dinner. You were just making sure everyone's happy.
Yeah, listen, um So excited to have all these people in Gecko. And for me, I love serving, man. I'm here. That's what I love to do. I'm I want for people ask, what's the reward? Is it the money? Is it this? Is it that? No, it's the look on someone's face when you create a great experience for them.
I love that.
And that's what kind of feeds my energy. Has that always been the case for you? Always. From when I was a bartender to to now. I'm in this business because seeing the look on someone's face when you you really deliver on an experience for them is something that money can't buy. It's just it's really special.
I feel that in your house as much as in uh in your establishments.
I like
that.
I mean we have a whole our our ho our home is set up for hospitality. I w always want it to be an extension of Isabel and I.
So Well, right before we we started rolling, you'd mentioned how important the gut feel you get from people is. Right. I'd love to know more about that.
So it's a great it's a great question. Uh People always will come to me that I've met and been like, oh, this person's amazing, or this person. And I'm always like, I I sometimes don't get that same feeling. And being in the nightclub business, you have to size up people super quick and you have to really get a read and a feel on people. And I feel like because I've been in nightlife for so long, I and every scammer, every bot, you know, has tried to whatever, I feel like I have a pretty good.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:16
2
Why do people say I hold the keys to Miami’s hospitality scene?
0:16–1:32
3
How does David read people and spot the angle before they even speak?
1:32–7:22
4
What lessons did the ‘dead‑on‑arrival’ Komodo restaurant teach about risk and location?
7:22–12:20
5
Why does David believe festive beats formal in a restaurant experience?
12:20–17:08
6
What does ‘taking it personal’ and playing the long game mean for his business?
17:08–20:04
7
How can a guest become a great guest at one of Groot Hospitality’s venues?
20:04–30:52
8
Which investments succeeded, which failed, and what did he learn from both?
30:52–48:23
Speakers
1 identifiedMore from The Gstaad Guy Podcast
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