NYC Restauranteurs Bringing a Taste of Manhattan to Palm Beach County

Palm Beach County is living up to the cheeky nickname "the sixth borough" more than ever with many NY restaurants opening here. We sat down with two restaurateurs, Laurent Tourondel, of Scusi Trattoria and Curt Huegel, of Avalon Steak & Seafood, who both recently opened locations in South Florida to find out why they decided on South Florida and what the future will look like for their concepts.

Q: HOW HAS THE DEMAND FOR UPSCALE DINING VENUES SHIFTED IN NYC VS SOUTH FLORIDA? 

LT: During Covid, New York City was completely shut down where Florida was not; I am unsure if one can even compare the situations. Since the shut-down, fine dining experiences have paused in New York City where now it is more about casual dining, casual clothing; people are dining carefully as they still want to get out of their homes and return to a sense of normalcy.

CH: I’ve been looking to do something in Delray Beach for five to six years, very seriously for the past two years. Everybody that I talk to in New York is looking for space in South Florida. The way demographics are changing, it is a natural fit. Every day that I‘m at Avalon Steak & Seafood, I see people I know from up north. Delray Beach has something for everyone - ages 25-75 - all going in and out of the same places. I think COVID has forced people to try an experiment, that everyone was hesitant to try -- and it worked! I think what we are seeing is a real shift. Not to overuse, “the new normal”, but the world has changed in the past 12 months. I love NYC - I have 8 restaurants there. I lived in NYC for 25 years. NYC is resilient. It will change and I think both places will be better for this social experiment.

Q: WHAT CHANGES IN TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING IN THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY IN SOUTH FLORIDA? 

LT: Authentic pizzas are definitely trending right now…Gluten free doughs for pizza’s are also popular. Sharing appetizers and even main plates works out very well with our menu. Our new Jazz brunch at Scusi Trattoria in Palm Beach Gardens on Sundays is hitting a market that wants to kick back, relax, and make an afternoon of it. Guests caring about authentic, scratch cooking love the menu at Scusi Trattoria. High quality spirit-based cocktails are right on target as well. 

CH: Our idea was that we wanted to emulate a nice seaside resort with a steak and seafood restaurant. Fresh seafood sourced from local boats has been our inspiration. The reception to our more upscale, formal feel has been overwhelming. The restaurant has seemed to resonate with locals and people coming from NY. We wanted to provide an elevated dining experience in a well-designed but approachable environment. I think we were able to get there on both sides. Not too long ago, it was vegetarian, now it’s trending toward vegan dishes. As a new restaurant, you have to keep all of that in mind. I think you’ll start to see more of those types of restaurants opening in the area. The influx has just started. 

Q: WHAT DOES THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? 

LT: The future for LT Hospitality is growth and perfection. My job each day is striving to make each of our restaurants successful, and that is having an eye on all facets of the business. We are continually reviewing menus and making adjustments. We listen to customer feedback on every detail. We perfect each location, ensuring that a guest’s visit is memorable and entertaining with the highest quality of food and service. Food brings people together; it is how friendships and business deals are cemented, how milestones are celebrated, how people are brought together and how one experiences a travel destination. It is a priority for me that our team not only executes excellent dishes, distinguished service but also for customers to feel a genuine sense of kindness and gratitude that we have for them visiting us. 

CH: This is my first venture in Palm Beach County. Host is more of a collection of different places -- steakhouse in NY, a white-tablecloth Italian restaurant in NY, an Italian cafe, some bars - an eclectic mix of places I would frequent. I’m looking for more space in South Florida. From the time that I parked my car and got half way across Atlantic Ave, I realized this was a special place. 

Five Things to Consider When Buying New Construction

Buying a home is a complex affair, even if you have bought and sold dozens of homes in your lifetime. A new construction purchase adds a layer of complexity and comes with some very specific caveats to bear in mind when making a purchase. These are the five most common questions I get from buyers considering buying new.

1. Getting A Good Deal/Negotiability

Like most people, you probably want to know that you are getting the best possible price. The negotiability in selling price will vary from development to development, determined primarily by market conditions, demand for the exact unit you desire, and the policies of the project financiers. In general, there is very little flexibility in the asking price for a new construction offering. It is almost always easier to receive credits, additional included options, and other consideration not related to the purchase price. Knowing how to best structure the deal going in will yield you the best net price.

2. The Model vs The Standard

As with many things in life, the display model is the ideal in every way. With new development, model homes often showcase features that aren’t even offered by the developer. Beware: the models are designed for you to fall in love and do not accurately depict what you will actually receive. To manage expectations, I like to walk through a model with my buyers and point out specifically what is/is not included. When possible, it is a good practice to arrange for a walk through of a unit that is being delivered very close to the “base model” for reference. On a typical single family home, you can plan for 25% of the purchase price in upgrades. Today’s luxury condominiums are increasingly delivered move-in ready, though the “standard” in many areas is to deliver with concrete floors and primed drywall; this is referred to as called “decorator ready.” 

3. Deposit Structure 

Once you decide to make a purchase, there will be a deposit required to go to contract. The initial deposit is typically between 10% and 30% of the purchase price (depending upon the stage of construction when you go to contract). Some developers will require multiple deposits along the way, some only require an initial deposit with the balance at closing. Because there is no standard structure in place, it is important to get clear about this with your agent. 

4. Financing Options - Purchase 

With the cost of capital at all-time historic lows, many buyers who are in a position to purchase without financing are choosing to close with financing and use their capital elsewhere. Some developers will accept a contract with a contingency for financing, others will not. In general, the new homes communities in the opening price points of a given market have developers willing to accept contingent deals and the luxury developments will not. If you are considering a purchase with financing, this may be a very important caveat for you. 

5. Timing/Delivery 

Once you sign a contract, the next thought for most buyers is moving in. It is important to note that all timelines offered by a developer are subject to change for a multitude of reasons. There are circumstances in which the delivery of a unit may be years later than planned. For those with abundant flexibility (and patience!) this may be a lesser issue; for most it is a major consideration. One can negotiate certain contractual terms reserving additional rights to cancel should delivery be delayed, though most people just want to know the unit will be delivered. A few indicators of better likelihood of an on time delivery include: secure financing in place through completion, developer viabilty, contractor viability, and sales velocity. 

A Conversation with Jose Cabrera, Signature Flight Support

Q: TELL US ABOUT HOW YOUR TRAFFIC OVER THE PAST YEAR.

A: While COVID disrupted our market, the Signature network has started to see an increase in operations, Boca specifically has seen a strong recovery throughout. We are seeing a large influx of people who have never flown in a private plane who no longer want to travel with hundreds of people as well as people who are looking for the privacy and convenience that private aviation allows. Boca Raton’s airport is popular because it’s boutique feel and location, just 10 minutes from the beach.

Q: HOW HAS THE ADDITION OF CUSTOMS CHANGED THE BOCA REGIONAL AIRPORT?

A: We’ve noticed growth in the amount of young families that are using the airport for quick trips to the islands, South America and Europe. Many people are shifting their primary residence and businesses to Palm Beach County and keeping their planes here. CEO’s who live in Boca Raton are using our airport as their base of operations.

Q: HAVE YOU SEEN A SHIFT IN THE DEMAND FOR SERVICES?

A: There’s been an overall surge in business and leisure flights including newcomers to private aviation with lighter to medium jets and increased charter flights. 

Q: WHAT’S NEW WITH SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT?

A: We’ve introduced Signature Assure. Safety has always been a top pillar, but now we take it to another level, exceeding industry standards. We’ve made many changes to our operations, including the use of an electrostatic sprayer that kills germs on surfaces for up to 30 days that we use bi-weekly. We’ve also introduced Signature RENEW, our company-wide global sustainability initiative, invigorating the journey toward net-zero carbon emissions.

Q: WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF PRIVATE AVIATION?

A: I’m most excited about EVTOLs (Electric Vertical Take-off and Landing) aircraft. These drone-like vehicles will carry you anywhere. We’ve partnered with UBER to supply the infrastructure.