Some of our recent blogs have discussed our certified Angus hand cut steaks, the launching of our famous crab cake online store, a really awesome craft beer and a super holiday meal.

But we promised that our blog at Luna Del Sea was going to be a collection of weekly entries from our employees and management team on the restaurant business itself.

In the restaurant business much like every other business, great employees need great leadership. When we hire an exceptional employee, we make it very clear from day one that we have your back. We lead by example and promise to teach you the restaurant business.

So for this week, our manager Antonio will be interviewing Tony Assadi, owner and operator of Luna Del Sea.

Antonio: What was your first job in a restaurant?
Tony: “I started as a dishwasher in Timonium, Maryland at a restaurant called Father’s Gay 90’s in 1976 and after two weeks I was promoted to line cook. After that, I decided to go to work for Beefsteak Charlie’s in Towson Plaza as their Lead Front of the House Server.”

Antonio: What is your favorite part about owning a restaurant?
Tony: “Meeting new people everyday and making them relaxed and enjoy their experience when they choose to dine with us. I also love creating new and healthy dishes with the freshest ingredients that keep me and my guests young and energetic.”

Antonio: How has the restaurant business in downtown Baltimore changed over the past ten years?
Tony: “I find that our customers are more educated about the quality of food the we serve. The quality of our certified Angus meats, fresh seafood and organic vegetables are all very important to me and are now available from our suppliers on a daily basis. Diners in Baltimore really care about quality.”

Antonio: What new trends do you see happening in the restaurant business?
Tony: “I see the service aspect of what we do slowly being minimized in the future. The technology is already there with tablets and point of sale systems but we still like to give the personal touch and customer service that our guests deserve.”

Antonio: How do you keep your existing guests happy while attracting a new generation in the process?
Tony: “I try to personally greet each and every customer just to let them know that I am here. I truly care about making sure that we rise above and beyond their expectations when they dine with us.”