TRENDY TWISTS TO BASIC FORMULA BUILD FOOD EMPIRE HANSON'S 6 EATERIES THRIVE IN TOUGH CITY; HIS SECRET RECIPE: AFFORDABLE STAPLES.(Company Profile)

Crain's New York Business, January, 1999 by Sanders, Lisa

Some restaurateurs aspire to create the next Le Cirque or to rival the haute-cuisine empire of Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Not Steve Hanson. The president of B.R. Guest Inc. in Manhattan has opened a succession of popular eateries here with a very different model in mind. "The Gap puts out a great, stylish product that's affordable," he says.

"That's exactly what I try to do." What denim, khakis and white cotton T-shirts are to Gap, pasta, fresh seafood and vegetables are to Mr. Hanson. All menus at B.R. Guest restaurants abundantly use these staple ingredients. Chefs at six different locations-from Atlantic Grill on the Upper East Side and Isabella's on the West to Union Square's Blue Water Grill-improvise new dishes, but always offer perennial favorites,...

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