Restaurateur Ben Sabouri: ‘The customer is why you go to work’

Matt Moore, left and Ben Sabouri developed MTO Cafe with the vision to serve fresh comfort food quickly.

Ben Sabouri is co-founder and partner at Shift Hospitality, which develops and manages restaurant and nightlife venues. He has worked for some of the top hospitality and entertainment companies in the country, and along with business partner Matt Moore, opened downtown’s MTO Café (which stands for Made To Order) in 2013, then added a location at Downtown Summerlin.

How did you come up with the vision for MTO Café?

I wanted to create a place where you got a high-quality product at an affordable price with a comfortable environment.

As locals, do you feel you have an advantage in knowing what type of atmosphere and food Las Vegans are looking for?

I think locals are hyper aware of what we are looking for in a town that is so service- and customer-driven. I do believe we have an advantage, therefore we have a huge responsibility to have a strong focus on the guest and their experience. No detail is too small, and I tell our staff all the time, “The customer is why you go to work.”

MTO Café started downtown, and now you have a location in Downtown Summerlin. What are your plans for the future?

Every day, focus on being better than the day before. If you do that, the rest will work itself out.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

Never being satisfied. When we are good, we can be great. When we are great, we can be amazing. When we’re amazing, we can be perfect. Once we are perfect, we need to repeat it every minute of every day, and then we’re off to a good start.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Watching people eat our food. There is nothing that makes me happier than seeing someone clear their plate and smile.

What do you do after work?

I try to go to other restaurants and see what others are doing. From food to service, I think you have to keep an open mind and keep educating yourself.

Describe your management style.

Firm but fair. No one is above anyone when it comes to getting the job done. If I clean the bathroom, so do you. No excuses.

Where do you see yourself and your company in 10 years?

As a larger hospitality company with a strong following and continuing to do what we love.

What is your dream job, outside of your current field?

Biochemist. I am consistently amazed by what the body and brain are capable of.

I recently read a great article on how many of the studies and efforts being made in modern science today were being pursued in the 1400s and 1500s. One takeaway is that everything we see in nature not only has a harmony and balance but also creates zero waste.

Whom do you admire and why?

Easy question: my parents. I wish everyone was as lucky as I am to have been raised and loved by both of them.

My dad worked for the U.S. government for 30 years and during his service, my family lived all around the world. It was a great way to grow up but very different because we moved so often. Moving around frequently taught me how to adapt to my surroundings and learn how to quickly read people. No one is better at that than my parents. Whether it was an honest person or shady character, my parents never let someone else’s actions affect the way they treated them. They were always fair and gave people a chance.

I haven’t always lived up to that high standard, but I try every day.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

Laziness. When I got my first real job as a dishwasher, I learned the difference between a hard worker and a lazy one. The fact that one person can have a ripple effect on so many people on different levels made this very important to me.

If you can’t get the dishes out, you can’t cook, serve, clear or seat a restaurant. Learning that lesson quickly became the cornerstone for how I approach work and the people I surround myself with.

What is something that people might not know about you?

I read five newspapers every morning before I get out of bed. I love reading. As a business owner, reading is the cheapest way to get educated. I read The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Las Vegas Review-Journal, USA Today and Las Vegas Sun, all online.

I find the time to read because it’s something I like to do, and I don’t have a TV. I set a goal a few years back that I wanted to read one book a week for a year. During the first few months, I realized the only thing holding me back was watching TV, so I cut it out. I added newspapers and magazines to the mix, and now it is just habit.

What’s the hardest part about owning a restaurant?

Trying to be everything to everyone. Keep it simple and focus on what you are good at. Then figure out how to get better at that every day.

What are the biggest differences between doing business downtown and doing business in Summerlin?

Doing business downtown, you get a really different mix of people, from tourists to businesspeople to hipsters. In Summerlin, you’re a fully driven local business — and there are more yoga pants. At both places, the message is the same: Be thankful for every guest who walks through the door and give them an experience that makes them want to come back and tell others.

What advice would you give someone looking to expand a business?

Surround yourself with good people. You are only as strong as the weakest person on the team. Invest time, effort and patience in creating a strong core team, then expansion will take care of itself.

What is your favorite restaurant in Southern Nevada, besides your own?

I love Steiners. I have been going there for 10 years and have never eaten anything but the burger and chicken nachos. I feel like Norm from “Cheers” when I walk into the place.

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