Chris Bredesen, George Loren, Lou Giovannetti

South Bay restaurant proprietors Chris Bredesen, George Loren and Lou Giovannetti opened their first eatery in 2010 and today own seven locations: Primo Italia in Torrance; Captain Kidds Fish Market & Restaurant, Riviera Mexican Grill and R10 Social House in Redondo Beach; and The Rockefeller in Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. Chris, George and Lou are South Bay natives and together have 75 years of experience in the hospitality industry.

What role do your families play in your work?

Family is everything to us. We all have children of different ages, but we focus each day on the same goal: to run successful businesses in order to support our families and our employee families. We also make time to be with our wives and kids and ensure our wonderful employees have time to do the same with their families.

Describe your leadership style. 

As a group, we lead our teams by working with them. We are active owners who physically work at each location. We think this shows our employees how much we care. When an owner spends time on-site and works directly with their employees, hand in hand, the team is more likely to go that extra mile knowing that we are all “owners” of these businesses. 

How do you ensure your business is successful?

Communication is the #1 thing for running a successful business. We want all of our employees to be heard, and we let them know that they are the reason these businesses are successful. They may have ideas to improve operations, and we want to know their ideas! As humans we all want to be heard and appreciated, and that starts with making sure communication channels are always open. 

What is the best advice you’ve received?

Chris: The best advice I have received was from my father: “OWD” – Ocean Wet Daily. It means get in the water (surf, swim, etc.) to start your day refreshed and clear-minded. This allows you to tackle the issues of the day in a positive manner. 

Tell us your favorite quote.

Chris: “In your 20s, try everything. In your 30s, figure out what you do best. In your 40s, make money with what you do best. Try not to do too much in your 50s.”