Xavier Teixido and Davis Sezna, restaurateurs

I was hired by Xavier to run the Columbus Inn in December 1986. Davis and Xavier had taken over the year before and were also running Kid Shelleen’s and Klondike Kate’s. At that time, 1492 was one of the hottest restaurant companies in the area, and all three restaurants did very well. Kid Shelleen’s, which had been open for a couple of years, was packed every night, and it was not unusual for them to have a line outside late at night to get in. Davis ran the business side and was very creative from a concept-vision standpoint. He traveled extensively, loved hospitality and had a passion for atmosphere. He especially loved the feel of a great bar with classic drink offerings. He is very charismatic, a lot of fun to be around and one of the best joke tellers you will ever meet. Xavier is as talented and knowledgeable a food and beverage person you will encounter anywhere in the country. He had previously worked in some great restaurants in Philadelphia and New Orleans. He is very passionate about food and wine and possesses extensive knowledge in all areas of restaurant operations. He ran the day-to-day operations and was exceptional in his ability to inspire people. They had a unique blend of talents, and I believe that if the two of them had stayed together, they could easily have been running 40 or 50 restaurants today. What I remember best about working at 1492 was that we were doing some really cool things in all of the restaurants, producing high quality food and beverage and service experiences and, while doing so, having a lot of laughs. 

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