Over the past couple of posts I’ve shared the vision behind Culinary Oasis and introduced you to the team helping bring it to life.
Today I thought I’d share the part that first sparks my imagination whenever I start a new venture…
The destinations.
Because for me, great hospitality always begins with great places.
Places that stop you for a moment.
Places where you instinctively slow down, breathe deeper, and start imagining what could be created there.
Over the years I’ve learned to pay close attention to that feeling. When it shows up, it usually means something interesting is about to happen.
⸻
Hawaii
Many of you already know the story of our properties on the Hamakua Coast of Hawaii’s Big Island.
What began as a private retreat eventually evolved into Hamakua Hotel and the nearby Waterfalling Estate.
Those two properties have taught me an enormous amount about hospitality over the past several years.
How powerful location can be.
How meaningful great food can become when it’s paired with extraordinary scenery.
And how magical it is to watch people celebrate important moments of their lives in places like that.
Hawaii will always be the foundation of this journey.
⸻
The Italian Riviera
The next chapter brings us to one of the most iconic coastlines in the world.
The Italian Riviera.
Tucked between Portofino and Cinque Terre sits a remarkable property called Villa Riviera Resort.
The first time I drove up to the property as the sun was setting over the Mediterranean, something very familiar happened.
Everything slowed down.
I stopped thinking like a real estate investor and started imagining what the place could become.
Guests arriving for unforgettable weddings.
Friends gathering for extraordinary dinners overlooking the sea.
Long tables, great wine, and laughter carrying late into the evening.
It felt exactly like the kind of place Culinary Oasis was meant to include.
⸻
Miami
And then there’s Miami.
Over the past couple of years Lori and I have spent a lot of time exploring the incredible energy that has developed in the Brickell area.
It has quickly become one of the most dynamic luxury neighborhoods in the United States — filled with world-class restaurants, beautiful waterfront views, and an increasingly global population.
One project in particular has captured our imagination. A new development called 888 Brickell by Dolce & Gabbana.
It’s a fascinating concept - a luxury residential tower that also operates as a five-star hotel experience.
What makes it especially interesting is that the residences can be configured in ways that allow owners to participate in the hotel program while still enjoying private ownership.
When I first learned about the concept, the entrepreneurial part of my brain immediately started spinning.
Could a small collection of residences inside a building like this become an urban Culinary Oasis club? A hotel within a hotel, if you will.
A place where investors and guests could stay, gather, and experience the same kind of chef-led hospitality we’ve been building elsewhere?
The idea is still evolving… but it’s a very intriguing direction.
⸻
After exploring hundreds of properties around the world over the past year, one thing has become clear to me.
Great hospitality is not just about buildings.
It’s about how people feel in a place.
The view.
The food.
The company around the table.
The memories that get created there.
When those ingredients come together properly, a property becomes something much more than real estate.
It becomes a destination.
⸻
I’ll continue sharing more about this journey as it unfolds.
Some of you may simply enjoy following along.
Others may find yourselves wanting to experience some of these places firsthand.
Either way, I’m excited to share the adventure with all of you.
By now you guys are all familiar with my two properties in Hawaii and I have shown you a lot of my favorite photos of Villa Riviera in Italy. Here are a few of Dolche & Gabbana in Miami.
Today I’m meeting with the developer to discuss purchasing an entire floor that would be exclusive to Culinary Oasis guests & investors. This project breaks ground this year. 
