Local fan base
But it's his third point, about Miami locals, that seems to be one of the most crucial ingredients in a successful south Florida expansion.
"We have a very interesting, eclectic, and now year-round local support base," he says.
Evan Benn agrees: "I don't think the intent of these Miami outposts is to target New York tourists and snowbirds. I think it's more of a nod to the international appeal of both cities, and the recognition that Miami, like New York, is really hungry for great restaurants."
"Once upon a time," Carrino recalls, "we had clients whose outlook was, 'We don't need the locals.' We were mystified by that. "Locals are the ones who are walking into a restaurant on a Tuesday night, sitting at the bar having a bottle of wine and some appetizers.
"They're not coming in because the [big-name] chef is cool -- they like the food and, if anything, they have a relationship with the general manager or the chef de cuisine, the guy who's in the kitchen every day."