R ESTAURATEURS
P H OTO : J A C LY N WA R R E N
Randy Alonso, Chris Hudnall 20
21 MIAM
RESTAURATEUR AWARD
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raaaaaaaaaandy / chudnall10 / lostboydrygoods Randy Most important rule in restaurant management: Always keep the glasses full. Most fun part of your job: Creating spaces that people get to share experiences in. Restaurant trend you’d like to see: I'd like to see restaurants/bars exploring more Sherry options on their menus. Restaurant trend you’re sick of: QR codes Advice to your younger self: I would tell myself to get into the hospitality industry sooner. Chris Most important rule in restaurant management: You don't need fireworks and production to be successful. Focus on your product and your people (guests and staff culture). Most fun part of your job: The people Restaurant trend you’d like to see: I've always had a love for open-fire kitchens. Watching the beauty and romance of cooking everything on open fire intrigues me and makes me wonder why more chefs don't focus on mastering the skill. Restaurant trend you’re sick of: Deconstructing everything Advice to your younger self: You don't know everything—just listen.
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LOST BOY DRY GOODS
The story of Lost Boy Dry Goods by Restaurateurs Randy Alonso and Chris Hudnall starts with the Downtown Miami neighborhood. In 1965, Alonso's father fled Cuba, where he owned a department store. He and Alonso's grandfather opened the store in a cavernous building on Flagler Street, steps away from where Lost Boy stands today. Alonso studied engineering at Duke University but entered the family business in 2006. With a vision to build the neighborhood, he opened Lost Boy Dry Goods, a second store down the block that sold denim and cowboy boots. When the retail landscape changed, the family closed both stores. But after putting in so much work to make Downtown Miami a destination, Alonso didn't want to give up the denim shop space or the name. He'd always dreamed of having a bar but didn't know the business. Enter Hudnall, a longtime hospitality professional from Arizona who began in the industry as a 16-year-old busser. In 2005, he started his hotel career with Morgans Hotel Group at the Mondrian Scottsdale. As the hotel struggled, he transferred to the Mondrian South Beach in 2008. Two years later, he led the opening beverage team at Soho Beach House. He became the North American director of bars in 2014. Additionally, he has consulted for restaurant groups, hotel operators, and commercial real estate developers. Hudnall and Alonso founded Lost Boy in 2018, intending to become the neighborhood bar for people who love well-made cocktails and beer. Their next venture is a gin and tapas bar/ restaurant, Tropezón, coming this spring, in addition to six other openings scheduled through 2021.
