The Fuddruckers and Macaroni Grill creator and longtime restaurateur made the list not for the reasons some may think. His current venture, 15-acre Trinity Groves, built up an underdeveloped community from nothing when it first launched in spring 2014. Consumers had to cross a bridge that was rarely used before to get to it. “We are starting businesses, bringing opportunities to West Dallas and most importantly, creating careers,” Romano told Restaurant Business that first year.
The formula: fostering new concepts by giving emerging chefs and restaurateurs the chance to get guidance from experienced industry veterans.
The hope is that those concepts can grow outside of the West Dallas market, as well. “The idea is the restaurant industry and real estate developers will come here to shop for new concepts and ideas that are being born right here,” Romano has said of his vision. “It is a creative laboratory for entrepreneurship and innovative thinking about food.”
“We are looking for the ideas that are going to make people come to that place.”