Have Your Celebrity and Eat It, Too
by Shari Ilsen on 13/05/09 at 10:14 am
Do You Know Where Mr. De Niro Likes to Eat?
One of the exciting aspects of visiting big cities like LA, New York, and San Francisco is the chance to spot a celebrity- the modern-day nobility of our stubborn democracy. These people are lauded, famous not for their birthright as in olden days, or even for their money necessarily (although the two ARE correlated), but for their success at a profession that could easily be argued as the least essential in our society- entertainment.
Note: I personally think entertainment is as critical as food, water, and shelter. The chemicals released when we are happy and relaxed save us from snapping and going on a murder/suicide spree when the “essentials” stress us out too much. Maybe they should begin each Middle East “peace” talk with some stand-up comedy or a screening of “Not Another Teen Movie.”
Another note: Some people are indeed famous because of their birthright and/or their money (cough- Paris Hilton- cough- the Kardashians…)
But I digress.
If you are looking to sight-see some celebrities, the best place to do it is at some upscale restaurant that’s listed as “the place to be.” Everyone’s gotta eat, right? What you may not know is that celebrities aren’t just patronizing these popular places- they’re buying them, opening them, and running them, as well. Celebrities breaking into the restaurant industry is becoming quite common. Below is a list of famous celebrity-owned eateries and their owners:
- Beso in LA: Eva Longoria
- Southern Hospitality in NYC in Justin Timberlake
- Dominick’s in LA: Ben Harper, Laura Dern, Rose McGowan
- Blowfish Sushi in LA: Julian Lennon
- Devito South Beach in Miami: Danny Devito
- Ana Mandara in SF: Don Johnson, Cheech Marin
- Teany in NYC: Moby
- Tribeca Grill in NYC: Robert De Niro
- Café Zoetrope in SF: Francis Ford Coppola
- Dolce in LA: That 70’s Show cast
While not nearly an exhaustive list, of course, it’s clear that this new trend crosses all boundaries of industry, genre, and generation. Not only that, but the celebs all have different levels of involvement in their projects- Francis Ford Coppola manages practically every level of his restaurants, whereas the That 70’s Show crew are basically investors that come in to eat really often. With such differing backgrounds and levels of involvement, what is it that’s motivating these celebs to dive into the biz?
Maybe they’re doing it to make a few extra bucks- after all, $10-20 million per movie can be hard to live on in this economy. But the truth is, the restaurant business is not, nor has ever been, a good bet for making money. And the Great Recession is keeping many dedicated eat-outers at home for the first time in decades, so restaurant turnover is hitting a peak. I think it’s safe to conclude that celebs are not buying restaurants just to pad their wallets.
Maybe they’re doing it for the added fame? After all, who doesn’t kiss up to the owners and managers of the most popular restaurants? But as mentioned not all the celebs are involved, or even publicly linked with their restaurants. Some are silent investors, and some even pretend to be patrons.
Restaurants are a staple of American culture. Eating out is a treat, a place to see and be seen, a place to take a break and have fun. Owning a restaurant is like a part of the American Dream- making it your life’s work to feed people and make them happy. Perhaps celebrities feel the pull of the Dream, as well. It’s not enough to make people laugh and cry and have fun in the theater or on the television. Restaurants are just one more way celebs can be America’s sweethearts.
Many of these celebrities open restaurants in a specific neighborhood- theirs. They create a place for their friends to come and hang out, a place that will create a sense of community in an industry that is often cold and competitive (I’m talking about Hollywood).
Finally, don’t forget that restaurant is not the only industry celebrities have bled into. Jewelry, perfume, music, clothing, philanthropy…celebrities are creative and driven, and success in one field merely whets their appetite to try something new- which they have the money to do (the rest of us don’t). Restaurants are one more way celebrities can express themselves and use our country for what it really is- their playground.
That may have sounded a bit negative- and I don’t necessarily mean it that way. These people work very hard and add real value to society. However, competing with them makes it that much harder for the rest of us, especially in this economy when supply is so much more than demand. Who’s going to buy home-made organic perfume when you can buy Britney Spears‘? Who would choose the locally owned family restaurant when you can eat at Robert de Niro’s? Of course, celebrities have just as much right to compete in the capitalist market as anyone else. But their presence makes it exponentially harder for the rest of us to tread water. Since they don’t need the money, couldn’t they take a hiatus and turn their creativity elsewhere for a while? How about investing in a soup kitchen as opposed to a restaurant? In a homeless shelter instead of a hotel? In AIDS research instead of a new perfume line?
As America’s sweethearts, we’ll love whatever they do, and flock to them no matter what. So while dining in Moby’s cafe, craning your neck to catch a glimpse of someone, anyone… maybe take a moment to think about how it could be different…
