In this episode, Gadiel sits down with Dominican entrepreneur Ariel Espinal, one of the minds behind New York staples MamaSushi and Leña in the Bronx and Harlem. Ariel shares how he went from a 13-year-old towel boy at a country club to running packed restaurants, what actually makes a restaurant succeed, how he survived opening during the pandemic, and why failing in Florida became one of his best lessons. If you’ve ever dreamed about opening a restaurant, starting a business from nothing, or just love hearing real immigrant success stories rooted in Dominican culture and New York hustle, this conversation is for you.
Ariel Espinal – Dominican entrepreneur and restaurateur, part of the team behind MamaSushi and Lena in New York City.
In this episode, we talk about:
How Ariel went from a 13-year-old towel boy at a country club to working his way through New York’s restaurant scene
Why he walked away from automotive school after realizing he was already making “mechanic money” as a runner
The behind-the-scenes story of MamaSushi Harlem and how a viral video helped blow it up
Opening MamaSushi Bronx and Lena in a historic Italian neighborhood
What really matters when choosing a restaurant location and building a concept
Surviving the pandemic with a brand-new restaurant and negotiating with landlords
A failed Florida restaurant, what he learned, and why you “can’t be afraid to fail”
How his biggest fear (being homeless) keeps him hungry and focused
Why being a giver – with customers, staff, and community – is one of his keys to success
00:00 – From Country Club Towel Boy to Restaurant Boss
07:55 – The Moment He Chose Restaurants Over College & Mechanics
15:50 – “I Wanted to Quit”: Almost Walking Away from MamaSushi
21:20 – Building MamaSushi Bronx & Opening During a Pandemic
33:40 – Why Failing in Florida Made Him Better (and His Biggest Fear)