Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
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"Las Vegas was a very different place back then," Ladeki says. "There were only about 150,000 people living in the city, and not much beyond the Strip except for desert." He depa r ted Caesa rs to join t he Pr incess Hotel in Ber muda but admits that he was "growing tired of the pressure of working for big companies and wanted to open something of my own." Financing his first restaurant himself and putting in long hours, Ladeki offered something new and innovative to the food scene around San Diego at the time: pizza cooked in a wood-burning oven. "I didn't have anyone as a partner, and I barely had any savings, so I took out a Small Business Administration loan for $300,000," he says. "I built out everything on my own. It was all homemade. I used booths that I sanded down and painted myself." The first Sammy's was an instant success—it took less than three months to pay off the loan—and additional locations throughout Southern California soon followed. "For the second location, in Del Mar, the owner of the original location wanted to have a Sammy's as the anchor, so they built it for me," he says. "It was the same with the third location: I paid for the equipment and furniture, but the developer paid for everything else." In 1997, Ladeki brought his popular pizza concept to Las Vegas with a location on West Sahara, and later in Centennial Hills, on South Rainbow, and on West Flamingo. And as the brand expanded, so did the menu, with the addition of small plates like chicken lettuce cups, crab and shrimp dip, and hummus—a Ladeki family recipe. "People started making meals out of the tapas," he says. "Over the years, I watched people get- ting healthier and make better choices about what they eat. We now sell more salad than pizza." For his part, Ladeki uses only the freshest local ("125 miles or less") products at all of his restaurants. "No hormones, all natural, and organic when possible," he insists. With the opening of the breezily upscale new 8,000 -square- foot Sammy's Restaurant, Bar & Grill, devoted customers now have even more choices, including a 10 -ounce New York steak, a tender lamb shank, and shrimp with organic grits. "I wanted the menu here to be bigger and better," Ladeki expla ins. "This w ill be t he Sa mmy's protot y pe going for- wa rd. People's eat ing habit s a re cha ng ing, a nd we're changing with them." But the food isn't the only draw at the Henderson location; it a lso features live enter t a inment , creat ive cockt a ils like t he ora nge mojito a nd t he Pea r Persuasion, a st rong craft beer menu, and a gaming tavern. "We have a lively bar area, and the atrium is just stunning," he says of the more than 3,000 -square-foot "living room," complete with oversized furniture and f loor-to-ceiling win- dows. "People love sitting in that room." Ladeki included. "I eat about four lunches and four dinners a week here. My wife and I are always inviting people to join us." He hints that you'll be seeing more of him soon; Ladeki has his eye on Summerlin, Downtown, and the Strip. "I'd like to do a Sammy's pizzeria, or a Sammy's salad bar," he says. "I want to make it easy for people to come and get a delicious lunch or dinner with no hassle." Whatever he decides to do next, what's certain is that the expansion will continue in the Ladeki way. "The best partner is the bank: They give you the money but don't tell you how to run your busi- ness. I have had great experiences with banks. I wanted to do it my way." Sammy's Restaurant, Bar & Grill, 1501 N. Green Valley Pkwy., Henderson, 702-567-4000; sammysgreenvalley.com V PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDY MARX (LEACH) Robin Leach joined Ladeki to celebrate the opening of the Henderson location last September. The original Sammy's Woodfired Pizza location, in La Jolla, California, in 1989. *healthy habits "I'm at the restaurants so often that it's important for me to eat healthy, mostly protein and greens. One day I'll have a steak or chicken with sauce on the side, the next day it's a salad with chicken or a bowl of white beans that the chef prepares for me. They are delicious!" *savvy investor "I bought the land and building for the new location of Sammy's Restaurant, Bar & Grill just like I had done with the first Las Vegas location. It just made sense for the business. These are also the only two locations that also have gaming." *asian influence Adding to his international portfolio, Ladeki also owns Roppongi Restaurant & Sushi Bar, a Japanese fine-dining restaurant in La Jolla. "Roppongi is a completely different concept for us." *love affair "I have always loved Las Vegas. I practically live at the Bellagio, Wynn, and Encore. You can get anything you want, anytime. There is so much luxury. The most amazing shows, the best steak, the best Chinese food—it's like Disneyland for adults!" VIEW FROM THE TOP Sami Ladeki's inclinations and inspirations. continued from page 55 56 VEGASMAGAZINE.COM POWER STRIP 055-056_V_SP_PowerStrip_Spring14.indd 56 2/10/14 5:01 PM