Vandelay Industries

Friends of Branded!

Happy Saturday and I hope you had a great week.

It was 1992 and I’m bartending at Martell’s, a neighborhood joint on the corner of 83^rd street and 3^rd Avenue in New York City. Two guests sitting at the bar start chatting with me and one asks, “do you know who you look like?” I shake my head b/c I see no upside in front-running this question as I know an answer will all but immediately follow.

“Michael from Melrose” one of the women said, and her friend agrees (was that right way for me to have clarified that the two guests were female?).

Dr. Michael Mancini, played by actor Thomas Calabro, on the 1990s prime time drama “Melrose Place,” started out as a devoted and honest husband with a career-driven mind-set. While his character became very different over the course of the series, I was confident this comparison to “Michael from Melrose” was one solely based on my physical appearance and I’m not going to lie, I was good with this. Too good.

The very next night at Martell’s, and I’m again asked by a couple at the bar (a man and women this time) “do you know who you look like?” the woman asked. This time rather than remaining silent and waiting for the answer, I nodded, maybe with a little swagger, and said that I’ve recently been told that I look like “Michael from Melrose.”

No said the women, “George from Seinfeld.”

The bar giveth and the bar taketh.

But away from our physical similarities, Geoge Costanza (Jerry Seinfeld’s best friend, despite possible protests from Elaine and Kramer) and I do have something very important in common, we’re both in the import / export business.

George’s company, Vandelay Industries, had range, and initially dealt in the world of importing and exporting latex products, before moving onto the importing of potato & corn chips and the exporting of diapers.

Bringing this Top of the Fold (or in this case, maybe “Top of the Funnel” in for a landing (and I’m sure many of you have been wondering where the heck is this going), when it comes to the hospitality industry, borders are becoming more symbolic than real.

Don’t get me wrong, the restaurant industry has always been a melting pot, and that goes back to Italian red-sauce joints, to sushi counters, and to tacos on every corner, but lately, there’s been an acceleration of imports with the arrival of so many international brands and products.

I’m now going back to that moment in 1992. That’s right, I look like George Costanza, and I’ve also chosen to be in his line of work as an importer / exporter!

Let’s go!

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LDV Hospitality is a premier boutique restaurant group shaping the future of lifestyle dining, pairing award-winning culinary brands with world-class hotel partners. From New York to Doha to Tokyo, LDV delivers hospitality concepts that scale globally.

At the helm is John Meadow, Founder and President, who has spent 16 years building LDV into a trusted operator. His leadership team includes veterans from Jean-Georges, Patina Restaurant Group, and Restaurant Associates, bringing decades of expertise in brand development, licensing, and operations under one roof.

The company’s momentum is undeniable:

🌍 A portfolio of 20 restaurants and bars spanning 8 cities and 5 countries.

🍝 Scarpetta, LDV’s flagship, is internationally acclaimed and expanding into premier markets including Madrid, Rome, Tokyo, and London.

🏨 Exclusive hotel partnerships drive recurring opportunities in food and beverage concept development, licensing, and management across luxury properties.

👩‍🍳 Proven track record of creating, scaling, and operating iconic hospitality brands including Scarpetta, American Cut, and Dolce.

👉 For more information on this global hospitality group with a proven history of brand-building and a clear runway for expansion, reach out right here.

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