I'd like to move to florida (Miami, Hollywood: rent, lawyers, house)

[City Guy997S]

Originally Posted by Ste68

Hello, my name is Stefano and I am Italian, i want to move to Florida and i'd like information for to open a restaurant business since i'm a chef.
Which city do you recommend?
Thank you

That is great.....Molto fantastico!

I would recommend selling your villa in Italy and probably your Ferrari and Lamborghini collections as well. You could bring your 145 ft Benetti yacht though as Miami will have plenty of dockage for it. There have been some tremendous success stories for Italians coming to America with their old world receipes! Olive Garden, Romano's Maccaroni Grill, Sbarro and even Ragu have been great successes! To wash it down, try Ernest and Gallo's wine served in an old world jug with a handy screw cap!

Viaggio di successo in America

[City Guy997S]

Originally Posted by Ste68

I visited Florida three times in the two last years, I visited Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Daytona, Key West and other. It's very difficult to choose because are all beautiful. Now I want to have opinions about people who live in Florida.

You must have visited Daytona on a moonless night during a power outage.......

[BadShotCaller]

Originally Posted by Ste68

Hello, my name is Stefano and I am Italian, i want to move to Florida and i'd like information for to open a restaurant business since i'm a chef.
Which city do you recommend?
Thank you

First, I would stay out of Miami initially. Find a chef's position in another city, like Tampa, Ft Myers, or naples to get a bit more experience with Florida life. Miami is costly for startup and generally living there. Try places like Ritz Carltons to make good contacts locally...then establish a presence and knowledge of the region. The restaurant biz in FL is brutal and volatile...frankly, I wouldn't do it with my own money at all...I'd just work for someone else and get steady pay.

[Ste68]

I'm not just a Chef, I'm a restaurateur. I have a restaurant in Austria and I'd like ope n a restaurant in Florida. It's possible?

[AnnRyan]

Originally Posted by Ste68

I'm not just a Chef, I'm a restaurateur. I have a restaurant in Austria and I'd like ope n a restaurant in Florida. It's possible?

Yes, of course it is POSSIBLE. But Miami is full of failed restaurants.

Be smart, get a partner who has deep pockets to take on half (or more of the costs). Get the inside scoop on what makes a sucessful business here by recruiting key staff from competing businesses. Make sure that you have a great business plan.

As an example of how to do it right, I cite Divietos in Doral. (yes, I know we're the suburbs).

Divieto Ristorante

Their parking lot is full all the time, they produce good food at a good price, in a convenient location.

[Sunbiz1]

Originally Posted by Ste68

I'm not just a Chef, I'm a restaurateur. I have a restaurant in Austria and I'd like ope n a restaurant in Florida. It's possible?

Try Naples or Marco Island, less competition and always a need for high quality European fare.
As other's have mentioned, the restaurant biz is tough in Florida due to much of it being based upon tourism.
Recessions even in Europe affect vacations in the Sunshine state.

[oronzous]

Stefano, newcomers Italians opening business in Florida are afraid to venture out of Miami Beach. Or maybe they think that's the only place to be.

So Miami Beach is already full of Italian restaurants. But that's a tough place, with lots of competition and the tourism is seasonal.

I'm not an entrepreneur so my advice is worthless, but I think that business areas like Brickell or Boca Raton are better places for a restaurant. If you really like tourist area the above suggestions (Naples, Marco Island, west coast of Florida) might give you less competition.

Try to know your audience. Doing the most 'genuino' thing doesn't always works outside of Italy. For example, everybody likes pizza, but very few appreciate a 'napoletana verace'.

And lastly, get legal advice. Pay for it. I'm also subscribed to the 'truffe a Miami e dintorni' group, but the stories I read there are more about people being naive and trying to start a business they have no experience with, in a country they don't know.

[SanyBelle]

How about South Miami or Coral Gables?

[Ste68]

Originally Posted by AnnRyan

Yes, of course it is POSSIBLE. But Miami is full of failed restaurants.

Be smart, get a partner who has deep pockets to take on half (or more of the costs). Get the inside scoop on what makes a sucessful business here by recruiting key staff from competing businesses. Make sure that you have a great business plan.

As an example of how to do it right, I cite Divietos in Doral. (yes, I know we're the suburbs).

Divieto Ristorante

Their parking lot is full all the time, they produce good food at a good price, in a convenient location.

Thank you AnnRyan for your advice. I don't need a partner and I have a staff very competitive. I need of advice by people to live in Florida. I have been three times in Florida in the last two years, I have eaten in a lot Italian restaurant and excuse me but the quality is very less.
Your opinion, how much money needed for to open or to buy a restaurant out Miami.

[AnnRyan]

Originally Posted by Ste68

Thank you AnnRyan for your advice. I don't need a partner and I have a staff very competitive. I need of advice by people to live in Florida. I have been three times in Florida in the last two years, I have eaten in a lot Italian restaurant and excuse me but the quality is very less.
Your opinion, how much money needed for to open or to buy a restaurant out Miami.

Honestly, it can be done as cheaply as $150K and the sky is the limit if you go high end.

If you really want to do quality, you definitely should avoid south beach, and instead opt for one of the wealthy communities of Coral Gables, Doral, or Weston.