George Poll has spent decades building some of Long Island’s most celebrated restaurants. Alongside his brother, he’s crafted iconic dining experiences from Bryant & Cooper Steakhouse to Toku Modern Asian, blending culinary creativity with sharp business acumen. Recently, George took his expertise to Miami, where the journey to open Toku wasn’t exactly smooth sailing—facing all the challenges that come with launching in a new city.

This episode is a masterclass in the fine balance between tradition and innovation, the intense planning behind every design choice, and the hurdles that come with launching each new restaurant. Through stories of teamwork, resilience, and a relentless drive to improve, George offers listeners an unfiltered look inside the restaurant business.

George Poll is an alumnus of BU School of Hospitality Administration’s first graduating class and serves on the school’s Dean’s Advisory Board member. George also played on BU’s football team, which is no longer, but that story is for another podcast!

Email us at shadean@bu.edu

The “Distinguished” podcast is produced by Boston University School of Hospitality Administration.

Host: Arun Upneja, Dean
Producer: Mara Littman, Executive Director of Strategic Operations and Corporate Relations
Marketing: Rachel Hamlin, Senior Marketing Manager

Music: “Airport Lounge" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0