What's your story leading up to The Entourage Group, Yossi? 

I’ve been in hospitality since I can remember. I was 14 or 15 years old, working in kitchens and bars, just trying to make some money. I fell in love with it all: the socialising, the long nights, meeting so many different people every night. I couldn't see myself doing anything else, so I continued to make progress, then started managing places, then opened places in Tel Aviv, where I was born and raised. In 2001, I started doing concept restaurants all over the UK for a brand called Chino Latino. From 2002 to 2008, I worked in restaurants in Nottingham, Leeds and London. In 2008, I started a joint venture with my current business partner of 17 years, Liran Wizman, and we started a pan-Asian restaurant in Amsterdam called MOMO. That was the beginning of The Entourage Group. In 2012, we started IZAKAYA, a contemporary Japanese restaurant, then a burger restaurant called THE BUTCHER, and then a speakeasy bar. 

How do you come up with the concepts for your restaurants?

We see what's missing in the city and then create the brand from scratch. It’s like writing a full script for a movie – building new worlds and characters, and it all needs identification. If you don't have a clear view of the identity of your brand, nobody else will. You need to be very, very clear.

What are the traits you need to succeed in hospitality?

It starts with a lot of dedication and hard work, and that never ends. It's 24/7 – a never-ending story. It's also about consistency. You have to build a full experience and offer good value for money. You need to stand for quality. There are no shortcuts. If you don't have enough experience, it's a very high-risk business, and you will end up relying too much on other people. I have done every element of this business – dishwashing, cooking, waiting and bartending – and it's all about the details. You might think a glass is a glass and a plate is a plate. It's not. Everything needs to match.