How a General Store Became One of NYC’s Busiest Restaurants — And What Technology Helps Them Grow

Amir Nathan, a Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded chef and co-owner of Sami & Susu, opened the restaurant during COVID as a general store before evolving it into one of NYC's premier dining spots, navigating financial scrapes, industry chaos, and the grind of New York hospitality.

Watch to learn about taking financial risks, reinventing a restaurant, and bringing Israeli flavors to New York City.

Sponsored by:

• TOAST AllIn1 Restaurant POS

Chapters:

[04:16] - Pivoting from a General Store to a Restaurant

[09:15] - Financial Scrapes and Learning to Stay Afloat

[13:20] - The Story Behind the Name

[18:24] - Restaurant Technology

[27:31] - Future of Sami & Susu

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

Episode Links:

Amir Nathan LinkedIn

Jordan Anderson LinkedIn

Sami and Susu

Sami and Susu Instagram

Sami and Susu Facebook

Sami and Susu Michelin Bib Gourmand

Key Takeaways:

Adapting Under Pressure: Opening Sami & Susu as a general store during COVID felt limiting. Shifting to a full-service restaurant let Nathan and co-founder Jordan Anderson cook their way to earning a Michelin Bib Gourmand honor.

Build First, Perfect Later: No deep pockets, no polished plan. Just a belief in what they were doing. Sami & Susu evolved into a critically acclaimed restaurant by sticking with a plan.

A Name with History: Named after an Israeli TV show that symbolized coexistence, Sami & Susu reflects Nathan’s roots. So does his love for cooking, something he’s had since age 8 when he first fed his family.

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ABOUT AMIR NATHAN —

Amir Nathan is the co-founder of Sami & Susu and a seasoned restaurant general manager, operational executive, and consultant. With over a decade of experience in some of New York City’s most acclaimed and fast-paced restaurants, he got his start working in kitchens in his native Israel before going on to open three restaurants in Manhattan. Highlights include working with James Beard award-winning teams from Maison Premiere and Via Carota on developing and launching high-profile downtown restaurants. Nathan was also the co-founder of Timna, a modern-Mediterranean restaurant in the East Village that received critical acclaim. Now, as he prepares to launch his next venture, Shifka, he also provides consulting services for a range of hospitality projects, specializing in building a restaurant’s operational structure from A to Z.

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 Shaquille O’Neal, Rob Dyrdek, Emeril Lagasse, Mayim Bialik, Jon Taffer, Robert Irvine, Toast co-founder 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