Building Miami’s First Hand Roll Bar with Edouard Benitah of Pari Pari
In this episode, Alan talks with Edouard Benitah, co-founder of Pari Pari, a hand roll bar in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood. Originally from Paris, Edouard came to the U.S. in 2015, working his way up through the restaurant industry in New York and Los Angeles. He fell in love with the streamlined, high-impact concept of a dedicated hand roll bar after experiencing Kazunori in LA: minimal staff, efficient operations, and a focus on quality.
When he moved to Miami during the pandemic, he was surprised there were no hand roll bars in the city. Alongside co-founders Hugo and Ben, and Michelin-starred chef Yasu Tanaka, he began building the concept from scratch. The journey has been three years in the making, with over 54 inspections, complex permitting, and nearly $1M raised, but the payoff is a proof-of-concept flagship designed to scale to multiple Miami locations.
We cover:
- Why Miami was the perfect launch city despite massive permitting challenges
- How partnering with a Michelin-starred chef elevated the concept
- The three co-founders’ clearly defined roles: development, branding, operations
- Creating a brand experience that blends Japanese culinary tradition with French design
- How to time your PR and Instagram launch for maximum impact
- Lessons from working in New York, LA, and Miami’s different dining cultures
- Scaling plans and what it takes to protect brand integrity across multiple locations
Whether you’re opening your first hospitality concept or scaling a brand in a competitive market, this episode is packed with insights on branding, operations, and the patience required to survive the buildout phase.
Resources & Links
Pari Pari: https://www.instagram.com/paripari_miami/
Follow Edouard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edouard-benitah-502296a8/
Opening Soon Links & Resources
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