Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel Pernice.
Hi Daniel, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started working at restaurants when I was 15 years old bussing tables at a Chili’s at Northpoint Mall. Fifteen years later, after multiple unsuccessful attempts to leave the restaurant industry, I found myself back in Roswell opening a new restaurant of my own with my brother, Ryan. Along the way, I got to work with some incredibly talented people in the industry. The Castellucci family (now of Castellucci Hospitality Group here in Atlanta) gave me my start as a server and bartender at one of their original restaurants, Sugo.
Waiting tables was mostly a way to make money during and right after college. Then around the time of the recession, I moved to New York City and started working at The Modern, a Michelin-starred Danny Meyer restaurant in midtown. There I eventually became a sommelier and got to work with an award-winning wine list and beverage program.
Around this time, I earned a couple of sommelier certifications myself in addition to opening Osteria Mattone in 2013. Now we have three restaurants in the group, including Table & Main (also Roswell) and Coalition Food and Beverage (Alpharetta), and currently planning our fourth, Casa Robles, opening next year!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Higher end restaurants such as ours are always on the front lines of any economic difficulty. As such, the 2008 recession hit restaurants particularly hard. For over a year, people were transitioning away from eating out at upscale restaurants to more affordable, casual restaurants as we saw a decline in discretionary spending. I joined The Modern in New York in 2009 while we were beginning to rebound from that time. After years of unabated growth, the Covid-19 pandemic brought everything to a screeching halt. Professionally speaking, I consider ourselves fortunate in that our businesses had several advantages working in our favor over the last 18 months compared to other parts of the world. Each of our restaurants, especially Osteria Mattone, have ample patio space for outside dining. That combined with the year-round patio-friendly climate we have here in Georgia meant we could seat a lot of people each night without relying on inside dining rooms. Also, the community in which we operate has been exceptionally supportive during this time. We’ve been able to maintain a vibrant takeout operation throughout the pandemic.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about RO Hospitality?
RO Hospitality is the name of our organization which operates several upscale restaurants in the North Metro Atlanta area. We see the restaurant dining experience as an all-encompassing form of entertainment for the senses. Our strategy is simple: to present everything one would expect from a night out at a restaurant, including food, beverage, service, and ambiance, and execute at a consistently high level. I’m most proud of the way our brand of hospitality strives to make itself an indelible part of the community. There’s no greater indicator that we’re doing our job well than to welcome back our regular guests time and time again. It’s difficult to strike the balance of remaining faithful and consistent to the standards we set and products we serve while keeping things fresh, fun, and surprising, but I think we do it well. Additionally, I’m particularly proud to have maintained a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for seven years at Osteria Mattone!
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Never be afraid to reach out and ask questions. You’ll find that some people are excellent resources for information or networking, others less so, but the only way to find out is to get their attention. It’s not enough to hope that someone will notice you or offer you what you want out of the blue. If you feel like someone can help you achieve what you want then you have to let them know.
Contact Info:
- Email: dan.pernice@osteriamattone.com
- Website: rohospitality.com
- Instagram: danielpernice
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rohospitality/
Image Credits:
Photos by Randi Curling, Andrew Thomas Lee
