A Hospitality Trailblazer Created a Safe Space for Celebrities to Eat Out in NYC

Dara Mirjahangiry is a hospitality veteran and founder of the popular New York City hotspot, Sei Less.

Sei Less became an idea after a chance conversation between Mirjahangiry and then Brooklyn Nets player, Kevin Durant.

Watch now to learn about branding before and after social media, “white glove” service, and making waves in the media space.

#entrepreneur #toast #restaurantinfluencers #seiless

Chapters:

[01:35] - The Sei Less Origin Story

[04:51] - First Idea to Own a Restaurant

[06:54] - Building a Network

[12:33] - Providing White Glove Service

[15:57] - Why Pop Up Shops?

SPONSORS:

RESTAURANT INFLUENCERS IS PRESENTED BY TOAST —

Restaurant Influencers is brought to you by Toast, the powerful restaurant point of sale and management system that helps restaurants improve operations, increase sales and create a better guest experience.

• Toast AllIn1 Restaurant POS

***

OVATION WAS VOTED THE #1 GUEST FEEDBACK PLATFORM FOR RESTAURANTS —

Visit to learn how Ovation’s Guest Feedback Platform actually drives revenue with actionable insights.

• Ovation Guest Feedback Platform

Episode Links:

Sei Less Online

Dara Mirjahangiry Instagram

Dara Mirjahangiry LinkedIn

Sei Less Instagram

Sei Less TikTok

Takeaways:

Social Media Changed Branding and Networking - Dara Mirjahangiry began his hospitality career prior to the digital revolution spurred on by social media. However, the interactions he has with others was enhanced by the implementation of digital media strategies.

Elevated Service for All Parties - Creating a white glove experience for a wide variety of patrons could be an extremely difficult task to accomplish. Dara Mirjahangiry has successfully done so by leading with food, comfort, and hospitality.

Jumping Into the Media Space - Every business has the capability of being a media company. Dara Mirjahangiry and partners have seen value in the podcast space, and are creating a hub for those participating in podcast endeavors.

***

ABOUT DARA MIRJAHANGIRY—

With over 15 years of hospitality expertise, Dara Mirjahangiry launched Sei Less in January 2022, drawing upon his diverse career journey that began after graduating from Syracuse University in 2005. Prior to his hospitality career, he worked in finance and mortgages, but returned to his passion for hospitality following the financial crisis of 2007. Starting as a waiter at Philippe Chow, he swiftly earned renown as "the concierge to the stars" within New York City's dining scene. In 2015, Dara propelled his career further by launching Jue Lan Club, transforming the former LimeLight space into a hip culinary hotspot. His dedication to personalized service and guest satisfaction garnered a loyal following from music, sports, fashion, and art luminaries. At Sei Less, Dara continues to elevate the dining experience for celebrities and enthusiasts alike, with plans to expand the brand nationwide.

ABOUT RESTAURANT INFLUENCERS —

Restaurant Influencers is a weekly video podcast series presented by Entrepreneur Media and Cali BBQ Media. Every week host and restaurant owner Shawn Walchef (@shawnpwalchef) talks with business leaders like Rob Dyrdek, Emeril Lagasse, Kim Malek, Meredith Sandland, Jon Taffer, Robert Irvine, Aman Narang, and more, about their secrets to Smartphone Storytelling, marketing, branding, and how to show up where customers are engaging online.

Published by Entrepreneur Media

Produced by Cali BBQ Media