The secrets behind this restaurateur's success

About this episode

Ryan O’Donnell discusses his restaurant successes and community engagement strategies with host David Manilow.

In addition to his thriving city restaurants such as DeNucci’s, Gemini and Sophia Steak, Ryan O’Donnell has significantly impacted high-end suburban dining around Chicago. In this episode, host David Manilow talks about this and more with the founder and CEO of Ballyhoo Hospitality. Hear how O’Donnell continues to learn and evolve as he opens Zenzi Den in Glenview. Plus, he’ll share his decision-making process for future projects and how he engages in the community with taste tests before officially opening.

People in this episode

Host: David Manilow

Guest: Ryan O’Donnell

Topics covered

• restaurant success
• entrepreneurship
• community engagement
• high-end dining
• decision-making
• business growth

Keywords

• restaurant
• entrepreneur
• Chicago dining
• Ballyhoo Hospitality
• Zenzi Den
• community taste tests
• business decisions

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Ballyhoo Hospitality

Books & works: DeNucci’s, Gemini, Sophia Steak, Zenzi Den

Places: Chicago, Glenview

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