Sam Mustafa, CEO of Charleston Hospitality Group shares his experience.

Wow, what a week it’s been in Las Vegas at the Nightclub and Bar Convention!

It’s been a few years since Charleston Hospitality Group was represented here and it feels good to be back in the city that doesn’t sleep, especially as the country is getting back to normal.

The Nightclub and Bar convention in Las Vegas is the Restaurant industry’s largest and most important bar, nightclub, beverage and now restaurant event of the year.

This annual event attracts over 40,000 industry professionals, suppliers and experts from the bar, nightclub, beverage, and hospitality industry. In addition, this event gave my executives at Charleston Hospitality Group the opportunity to connect with suppliers, conduct business deals and gain the tools & insight that is essential for my staff to be successful in this dynamic, ever-changing industry.

Workshops, Work Environments and Worthy Cocktail Menus, OH MY!
There was a lot to do in just a few days, with some great seminars and workshops on the Food & Beverage Industry’s growing trends from leading experts in their fields.
CEO Sam Mustafa and Chief Marketing Officer J Michael Walker attended the “Designing Spaces” workshop with Tobin Ellis, Ronn Nicolli and Ryan Doherty, who together have led the field in Las Vegas Bar modern design and concepts for the last 20 years.  While one of the most foundational elements of restaurant design includes efficient movement and circulation of employees and guests, there is a lot more to consider! Below is what Ellis and Nicolli have to say about effective restaurant design.

5 Basic Elements of Restaurant Design

1) Efficient movement and circulation of employees and staff
2) Connectivity from the frontend and backend of the restaurant
3) Comfort for diners and staff
This includes:
-Proper heating and ventilation
-Restaurant lighting
-Acoustic
4) Optimum utilization of space
This includes:
-Number of tables
-Correct variation of tables inside, outside and bar seating
5) Safety: Keeping guests and employees safe at all times as it relates to industry and local standards

JohnKing Grill’s AGM, Adam Wehr and our Charleston Hospitality Group’s Executive Assistant, Amy Briere attended a special cocktail workshop with none other than Mia Mastroianni (Bar Rescue) and Phil Wills. There they learned the growing art of new cocktails and have brought back a wealth of information to include in future menus at Charleston Hospitality Group’s restaurant concepts. During this workshop, they studied that the key to increased profitability for any bar is the ability to sell drinks at the highest profit margins possible. The way to do this is through calculating the profitability of a new drink recipe, creating engaging menu design equipped with interesting descriptions, creative drinks names and competitive pricing.

In Vegas, You Network with Celebrities. It’s The Thing To Do.

There were also many sights and sounds to see at the exhibitor booths this year, highlighted by Sammy Hagar & Rick Springfield’s new liquor brand, Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum . Rick was especially a cool guy posing for a quick photo. Who would’ve known that these singing legends also have a passion for Rum?

In addition, sharing the “Red Carpet” with the successful Jenny McCarthey as she represented her sparkling cocktail brand, “Blondies” was another valuable experience and business connection.Who knows! You may even see Charleston Hospitality Group partnering with their signature lines and adding their products to all of our restaurant’s cocktail portfolios.

But Wait There’s More…

It wasn’t all business, Tuesday Night’s after party was LIT at Omnia Nightclub at Caesar’s Palace where 50 Cent dropped by our table, patting backs and posing for a few photos as we celebrated a successful business trip.

What was exceptionally rewarding as a CEO, was seeing the development of my executives in an atmosphere outside of our headquarters. Being able to provide them with this experience, learn from the best and take this new industry knowledge back to our restaurants is something that resonated deeply with my team and myself. Not to mention, they learned a thing or two about the importance of networking and how it relates to business. This experience encompassed and enhanced our core values at Charleston Hospitality Group and the standard that we hold all our employees to.

What can we say, Viva Las Vegas! Until we meet again next year!

Sam Mustafa is the the CEO of Charleston Hospitality Group and Toast! All Day Franchise. Named one of the nation’s 100 most influential CEOs by Nation’s Restaurant News and frequent speaker on Joe Pardavila’s Podcast on ForbesBooks Radio. Sam is one of the leading voices in the Restaurant Industry.

Bibliography
1) The Restaurant Times. “Importance Of Restaurant Layout In Increasing Your Restaurant’s Efficiency.” The Restaurant Times, POSist, 24 May 2021, www.posist.com/restaurant-times/restro-gyaan/elevate-guest-experience-with-a-stellar-restaurant-layout.html.