2001 Menumasters Hall Of Fame: Richard Melman

Nation's Restaurant News, May 7, 2001

Lately, Melman has been trying to take that same fudge and put it into solid form so that people can take it to the movies. Thus far, the new idea has been a failure.

"I can't understand why it doesn't work," he says. "But I don't care if we make it 50 times; I am never discouraged when I want to do something. Sometimes I will put it away for a couple of months, but I will get back to it."

That drive to perfection is typical of Melman.

"My goal is to always be the best that I can be," he says. "I ask myself, 'How can I constantly improve?' One of the ways is by improving the food. I'm always monkeying around."

But 'monkeying around' has helped LEYE stay ahead of the public's appetite curve and remain prolific in concept development.

"We have the ability to give people what they want, almost before they know what they want," he comments. "You can call it trendsetting. I prefer to call it the ability to listen to people."

Richard Melman, who has created more than 70 restaurant concepts, says "We have the ability to give people what they want, almost before they know what they want. You can call it trendsetting. I prefer to call it the ability to listen to people."