You could call Jimmy Gherardi an unlucky guy. Or the luckiest guy in Cincinnati.
At times, he's been both.
As the chef and owner of J's Restaurant in Hyde Park "” an establishment that's
been around a quarter century "” the ever-ebullient Gherardi has seen terrific
times and troubled moments. But he's still around and so is J's. Gherardi consults
for Walt Disney World in Orlando, has served fare backstage for such rock luminaries
as the Rolling Stones (on the band's Voodoo tour), and is the winner of a James
Beard award.
First off, will you admit to ever making a mistake?
"I've been Disney trained. I've sat in on sessions about Imagineering. One of
the things you learn is you do make mistakes. Have I made mistakes? You bet
I have. Have I had failures? Yes. Remember, the bankers thought Walt Disney
was nuts at first, so they wouldn't finance him. He took incredible risks. The
Disney philosophy is take a risk, and if it doesn't work, shut it down or recreate
it."
So what's your biggest mistake? "Trying to open
a restaurant across the country. We opened J's in Great Neck, Long Island, [and]
opened it to great reviews in The New York Times and other papers. But
I couldn't do both. I run my restaurants very personally, so people in New York
expected me there. All that travel wasn't good for J's in Cincinnati. It wasn't
good for J's in New York. ... I still do consulting, but I do it here. I don't
travel much."
What's your biggest challenge? "We've survived
23 years. During all that time, there would be rumors that J's is going out
of business. It's a volatile market. Look how many restaurants have gone out
of business just this year. I've been offered some of these empty spaces at
very reasonable rates. But I won't jump. The biggest challenge is to stay focused
on what you do best."
Your most valuable business lessons? "While you
definitely need good lawyers and CPAs, what every business really needs
is a good negotiator. That's one lesson. And, get totally hands-on, keep a seven-day
week even when things are working best. We've just opened a cooking school here
in the restaurant. ... My philosophy is to evolve, to revamp. I try not to look
back. But you do have to remember what you aren't looking back on, so
as not to make the same mistake again."
Any final comment? "When you acquire wisdom, you
don't make as many mistakes. But it takes a tremendous amount of mistakes to
gain the wisdom."