March 27, 2017

Meet Chef Tony Hyde of Sattdown Jamaican Grill in Studio City

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chef Tony Hyde.

Chef Tony, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I worked for Whole Foods Market, doing recipes for the main kitchen and worked in their stores as a chef for about six years. One day the company had an accident with one of their holding refrigerator case, so I developed a bracket to solve the problem with the cases, but once I tried to sell it to the company, my invention was stolen by the manager at the Santa Monica store and was replicated, then sent to all the other stores. This is when I decided that I had to get my own business going. I heard about a restaurant that was for sale, in Studio City, so I took what was left in my 401k and bought the restaurant. The bracket that I developed for whole foods, I then used for my logo for the restaurant. It has been seven years since I opened the restaurant and it is a lot of long hours, but it’s mine and I am very happy to have it. My grandmother always tells me that when someone do something to you try and find the good in it, so because of what Wholefoods did, it forced me to go on my own and this was a great move for me, because I was just featured on Eye on LA Channel 7 two weeks ago and it has brought me some good customers.

Has it been a smooth road?
When I got in the business, it was a very hard road with not having enough money for purchase and to pay the bill as they come and it seem like every month some equipment was broken down. One day LA Times came to eat and do a review on the restaurant and we got so busy that I could not handle all the customers we had gotten.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with sattdown jamaican grill – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
My restaurant serves Jamaican Cuisine and we specialize in Jerk chicken and Oxtails.
I am most proud of my hard work after been taken advantage of by the food giant, Whole Foods Market and now I can take care of my family and save for my family future.

What set me aside is the love and passion I put in my food, by using safe seasoning and product.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I like the fact that we have so many very prominent people in my area that love to spend money on good food.

What I hate is the excessive taxes I have to pay and now I have to pay sales taxes before I have a chance to collect them.

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