Jonathon Eismann

Jonathon Eismann, Buyer, Celebrity Chef/Owner

Pacific Time, where Chef Jonathon Eismann has been serving food inspired by the Pacific Rim for 10 years.

"It was and still is occasionally terrifying," says Eismann, who last year also became chef/partner at Thom, a restaurant in 60 Thompson Hotel in New York's Soho."The first five years were skin of the teeth.The off season still is."

Eismann says he's seen dozens of restaurants open and close in 10 years."Unfortunately, you don't need a license to become a restaurateur.If you did, I think you'd see a lot fewer restaurant failures.We went into a new restaurant last night.It's a theme restaurant and their theme's got them by the tush.The door wasn't attentive and they didn't know where to seat us."

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When Eismann graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, he was voted most likely to succeed.

"There's no secret to my success.I approached it as a blue-collar profession.For the most part, I'm owner operated.We focus on consistency and good food and good service, good ambiance and clean surroundings.It's not because we painted sea lions on the walls and have a DJ."

These days, says Eismann, he sees restaurants open with what he calls "daddy's cash."

"People just open these restaurants, and they don't know what they're doing," he says."They just don't.Give me $2 million bucks, and I'll have a blast with it.They have incredible funds behind them.They'll lose a million a year."

But it's these splashy over-designed spots that draw tourists and keep South Beach in the national spotlight.
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Eismann had one South Beach failure.He opened a drugstore-style diner, with a strict no-smoking policy, that quickly opened and closed."I opened a family-style restaurant in a city with no families."