ABOUT ME
HOW I BECAME AN ATTORNEY
GROWING UP IN QUEENS,NY AS THE SECOND SON OF TWO GREEK IMMIGRANT PARENTS, OUR TWO BEDROOM APARTMENT IN ASTORIA WAS FILLED WITH LOTS OF GREEK FOOD AND A FOCUS ON EDUCATION. AFTER GRADUATING FROM STUYVESANT HIGH SCHOOL IN NEW YORK CITY AT THE RIPE AGE OF 16, I DECIDED THAT CALIFORNIA WAS CALLING ME AND VENTURED OUT TO UC BERKELEY FOR UNDERGRAD. AT BERKELEY, I FOCUSSED ON SPORTS BROADCASTING WITH A RADIO SHOW ON THE LOCAL STATION.
I WANTED TO STAY IN THE SPORTS INDUSTRY SO I DECIDED THAT LAW SCHOOL WOULD GIVE ME THE BEST CHANCE TO BE INVOLVED ON THE MANAGEMENT SIDE OF A MLB OR NBA TEAM. I APPLIED TO A FEW LAW SCHOOLS IN LOS ANGELES AND WAS ACCEPTED TO LOYOLA LAW SCHOOL. MY NETWORK WHILE AT LOYOLA VEERED ME AWAY FROM THE SPORTS INDUSTRY AND INTO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY WHERE I GOT MY FIRST JOB AT AVATOR RECORDS OUT OF LAW SCHOOL. EVENTUALLY, I FOUND MY WAY TO A MAJOR RECORD LABEL, WARNER MUSIC GROUP, WHERE I WORKED IN HOUSE FOR A FEW YEARS.
HOW I BECAME A CHEF/RESTAURANTEUR
WORKING AT WARNER MUSIC GROUP WAS A GREAT JOB FOR AN ATTORNEY BUT IT WASN’T FULLFILLING MY ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT. DURING ONE ANTSY EVENING AT WMG, I STARTED THINKING ABOUT HOW I CAN CHASE A PASSION AND CRAFT BEER WAS THE ONE I DECIDED ON. AT THE TIME (LATE 2006), LOS ANGELES WAS FAR BEHIND IN CRAFT BEER AS A CITY AND I THOUGHT THAT I CAN HELP BRING LA A CRAFT BEER SCENE. I DECIDED THAT I WOULD OPEN A CRAFT BEER BAR AND, EVENTUALLY, A MICROBREWERY.
I CALLED UP MY FRIEND, CHARLES LEW, AND ASKED HIM TO PARTNER UP IN A CRAFT BEER BAR THAT EVENTUALLY BECAME STOUT BURGERS AND BEER. AS WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF OPENING STOUT IN HOLLYWOOD, I HAD HIRED A FRIEND AND CHEF TO MAKE THE BURGER MENU. AFTER A FEW TRIES, I DECIDED TO FIRE HIM AND HIRE MYSELF AS THE CHEF. CHARLES APPROVED EVENTHOUGH I HAD NO EXPERIENCE AS A COMMERCIAL CHEF (HE JUST REMEMBERED MY DRUNKEN AFTER PARTY MEALS THAT I WOULD MAKE IN LAW SCHOOL). CREATING A UNIQUE AND DISTINGUISHABLE BURGER MENU WAS A LONG AND DIFFICULT TASK FOR A HOME COOK. I WOULD WORK AS AN ATTORNEY DURING THE DAY AND THEN GET HOME AND TRY EVERY COMBINATION THAT ONE COULD IMAGINE FOR A BURGER – DIFFERENT CUTS OF MEATS, VARIOUS CHEESES AND BUNS, AND HUNDREDS OF TOPPINGS. I EVEN ONCE MADE A SMOKED BACON/NUTELLA BURGER THAT I BATTERED AND DEEP FRIED!!! ALL THAT WORK PAID OFF AS THE BURGERS WERE A BIG HIT. AFTER A FEW YEARS AFTER OPENING AND BEFORE WE OPENED OUR SECOND STOUT RESTAURANT, I ENROLLED AT LE CORDON BLEU AND TRAINED AS A CHEF!
AFTER OPENING OTHER RESTAURANTS (3 MORE STOUT RESTAURANTS, THE MORRISON, AND BOBBY LONDON), WE CREATED A MICROBREWERY AND OPENED BOOMTOWN BREWERY IN 2013.
