February 27, 2004

By Mike Emery
Staff writer

Jeremy Wladis won’t mince words when discussing the restaurant industry. The owner of the Restaurant Group admits that the long hours and hard work aren’t for everybody, but when surrounded with quality people, the experience can be extremely rewarding.

“It can be a tough business. You have to surround yourself with good people,” said Wladis. “Getting a solid group of people is always a challenge in this business, but I am fortunate to have a great collection of individuals working with me.”

Working with trustworthy people has benefited Wladis. It’s something he became accustomed to as a student at the University of Houston’s Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM).

The college recruited Wladis while he was attending State University of New York at Delhi in the early 1980s. At the time, HRM’s dean, Gerald Lattin, had been meeting with junior college students around upstate New York to familiarize them with UH’s offerings in hotel and restaurant management.

When approached by Lattin, he had already been involved with food-service management and the restaurant business. As a teenager, he worked for his father’s grocery store and catering business. Wladis also experienced the hustle and bustle of restaurants by working at a college hotspot near Syracuse University.

When he arrived in Houston in 1984, he found the city and the university to be quite different from what he was accustomed to in upstate New York. The change in environment was a boon for Wladis, as he met a variety of industry professionals and experienced faculty members.

“Being in a big city and having the opportunity to meet big players in the industry was an advantage,” he said. “The professors were very enthusiastic and passionate, which was great.”

Wladis is the owner of the Restaurant Group, which is comprised of three enterprises: the Firehouse Pub and 520 Avenue Bistro, both in New York; and Fuel Pizza Café, a chain of six New York themed pizzerias in Charlotte, N.C.

While pleased with his company’s ability to effectively market its restaurants, Wladis always strives for perfection.

Whether it’s creating an inviting dining atmosphere or serving superior dishes, second best is not an option for the Restaurant Group.

While the nature of the restaurant industry can be tough, Wladis takes it in stride. His experience, combined with his UH education, prepared him for such challenges.

Still, the best way to maintain a successful business is being surrounded by top-notch professionals, such as the ones he encountered during his college years.

“I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Houston,” he said. “I had to adapt to the city and the university when I first arrived, but I took advantage of all its resources and was able to learn from very talented people who loved what they did.”