Chris Sullivan, best known for co-founding Outback Steakhouse, is trying his hand at restaurant-concept creation again, this time with Carmel Café & Wine Bar, a two-unit Mediterranean chain in southern Florida.
The casual-dining brand — which features the cuisine of Spain, Italy, Greece, Morocco and France — opened its first location in November 2010 in Clearwater, Fla., and added a second one in Carrollwood, Fla., this September. A third unit is planned for Tampa, Fla., but Sullivan told Nation’s Restaurant News that growth isn’t the primary objective.
“We’re not looking to build the next Outback,” he said.
Carmel Café features 70 wines from around the world and such menu offerings as flatbreads, grilled lamb lollipops, veal sliders, Moroccan lemon chicken and a meze platter. The average per-person dinner check is about $27, and lunch checks average $11. Average unit volume for the 3,500-square-foot to 4,100-square-foot restaurants is $2 million.
Sullivan’s latest venture also includes a few operational twists as well, such as servers who wear their own clothes instead of uniforms, and customized iPads that allow customers to place orders, learn about the menu and see wine-pairing suggestions.
Outback’s former marketing chief, Nancy Schneid, and Terry Ryan, former Oceanaire Inc. chief executive, also are involved in the brand.
Nation’s Restaurant News caught up with Sullivan at the Clearwater Carmel Café, where he talked about finding a niche, embracing technology and how, when it comes to restaurant companies, bigger isn’t always better.
FAST FACTS
Hometown: Tampa, Fla.
Career Highlights: joined Steak and Ale in 1972; Bennigan’s general manager and Chili’s Grill & Bar operator before co-founding Outback Steakhouse in 1988; chief executive of OSI Restaurant Partners Inc. from 1991-2005; was a partner in Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Education: University of Kentucky, 1972
Personal: married, with children
Age: 63
Hobbies: golfing
How exactly did you arrive at this Mediterranean concept?
This business is all about finding a niche. Whether it’s Outback Steakhouse or Bonefish Grill, it’s all about niches. The question is: How do you stay relevant in this industry? People want to eat healthy food, but they also want to eat exciting food. Mediterranean food gives you flexibility with great flavors and colors. It’s perceived as healthier, and there [are fewer] fried foods. This is what we did at Outback. We found out what’s relevant and what customers liked.
What was the transition like from a big company to a small boutique concept like Carmel?
I loved building a big company, but at the end of the day I love working closely with talented people. It’s been a kick. … When you start anything new, you have to look at the unit-level economics. Each Carmel Café stands on its own. The worst thing you can do is start building a lot of restaurants [when] you don’t have it really wired.
Talk a little about the type of atmosphere you are aiming to create with Carmel Café.
We wanted an ambience that allowed people to feel comfortable but [was] also stimulating. We have murals with different colors. We wanted flexibility in the size of the restaurant.
Your employees don’t wear uniforms. How has that been received?
People feel best when they’re in their own clothes. Our employees come in and they feel good. Sometimes, the customers don’t know whether [employees are] management, servers or the bartender. They’ll ask, “Do you work here?” But everyone likes it.
How popular is the iPad ordering?
Using the menu pad is being bold. It’s integrated into our lifestyles, and within two to three years you’ll see it in every retail restaurant and being used in different ways.
What do you see ahead for restaurant operators?
This industry has been built on fairly inexpensive labor, but the cost to employers will increase [in the future.]
