China White Interview Essay

Matt Shendell is a good example of person whose success in the hospitality business has no limits. He got his first job working at Limelight in 1990. He started working there to make extra money, but he became enamored of the industry. He started doing some promoting, working doors here and there, then moved on to Danceteria. He also went to University of Delawar and was supposed to go to law school, but he wanted to open a bar before he did that. So he opened a place called China White on 31st and Madison. It went really well. He did a place called Shampu and kept going until he and his team are where they are now. In one of his interview he said that he “always had an affinity for the business, and it went into the right direction.” On the opening night of China White in 1997 they had Derek Jeter, Marky Mark, and Cameron Diaz in attendance.

In one of his interview he said that he learned everything on the fly. From there they opened a club called Nativa on 19th Street, and his first real food place was called Dip, which was on 29th and Third. It was a successful fondue bar. Then they purchased Jet East in the Hamptons and made the hottest nightclub in the Hamptons called Dune. For Dune, they partnered up with Noah (Tepperberg) and Jason (Strauss), the guys from Strategic Group who own Tao and Marquee. The new place brought them to another level. In 2009 they decided that they wanted to get in the big sports gastropub business. They got a space on 26th Street in Manhattan, which became the Ainsworth. That was when the whole brunch thing really took off. It turned Sunday football into a Sunday football brunch party, and now it’s the hottest party in the city. Then Matt Shendell and his team found a great spot next to the World Trade Center which became The Fulton. They built 6,000 square foot old world gastropub with lanterns and great design. They also covered all our TV’s with antique mirrors and