GARDEN STATE LEADERS IN BUSINESS, CULTURE, AND THE ARTS SHARE PROFESSIONAL SUPERPOWERS, FAVORITE SUMMERTIME TREATS, AND GREATEST CONCERTS OF ALL TIME
BY ZACHARY WEG AND AMANDA McCOY PHOTOS BY TOM ZAPCIC
Ken Gold
Vice President of Acquisitions & Development, Inspired by Somerset Development / inspiredsd.com, bell.works
He might not say so himself, but the humble Ken Gold plays a key role in bringing many of New Jersey’s most complex and ambitious redevelopment projects to life. As vice president of Acquisitions & Development with Inspired by Somerset Development, a leading NJ real estate firm specializing in adaptive reuse and large-scale redevelopment initiatives, Gold served as one of the primary liaisons on Bell Works in Holmdel, a reimagining of the former Bell Labs building into a booming “Metroburb,” a two-million square-foot ecosystem of technology, office space, retail, dining, events, hospitality, and more. Today, Bell Works is a state-of-the-art community hub, a place to connect, mingle, network, create, play, and dine. “It blew me away,” noted the Rutgers Business School graduate of the first time he walked through the building in 2016. “You don’t appreciate the scale and grandeur of the place until you see it. You can look at photos, renderings, and videos, but you can’t really appreciate it until you step inside.”
WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSIONAL SUPERPOWER?
I’m highly logical. I’m very good at not letting emotions get in the way of important decisions and keeping a cool head.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SUMMERTIME DISH OR DRINK?
It depends on the location, venue and, temperature, but let’s go with a mezcal Paloma.
WHAT IS THE BEST CONCERT YOU’VE EVER BEEN TO?
Anywhere on Frenchman Street in New Orleans.
Randi Udell
Co-Owner, London Jewelers / londonjewelers.com
Growing up, while many of her peers were jumping rope or shooting hoops, Randi Udell was playing with precious stones. The fourth generation of the family-owned and operated London Jewelers, a legacy fine jewelry and timepiece boutique with 17 boutiques (and counting) throughout the tri-state area, Udell spent her afternoons after school in her family’s store, sitting on her grandparents’ laps as they assisted clients, enamored at a young age with the way each piece would sparkle and shine. “I literally grew up in the business,” said Udell, who joined the family operation full time after college.
London Jewelers has been in business for nearly a century (it was born as a humble clock shop in Glen Cove in 1926), and today Udell is involved in all aspects of the business, from managing the brand’s impressive social media presence to sourcing stones and helping clients design future heirlooms. “I don’t think you can get this experience anywhere else,” she noted. “We’ve been in business for almost 100 years, and you can’t do that without building a reputation for trust and honesty. Our clients know they are getting the best; we travel the world to bring back the top brands, like Rolex, Patek Philippe, Cartier, and Bvlgari. We’re there to hold your hand through the process. We have generations of families that walk through our door, which is special because we are a multi-generational business ourselves.”
WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSIONAL SUPERPOWER?
I’m also the mom of three girls, and I cook every meal for them before commuting to work every day.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SUMMERTIME DISH OR DRINK?
An Aperol spritz is my favorite drink. For the dish, my family and I often travel to Italy, and I love all the food there. In Capri, we have one restaurant we visit every time we are there, and it’s my favorite meal.
WHAT IS THE BEST CONCERT YOU’VE EVER BEEN TO?
SiriusXM does a concert series in the Hamptons, and I went to a Dave Matthews concert a few summers ago. It felt intimate and local. It was an incredible show!
Robert Greco
Co-CEO, CSI Group / csicpa.com
CSI Group derived its moniker from a steadfast commitment to “Confidence, Service and Integrity,” and as the co-CEO of the New Jersey-based financial services firm, Robert Greco promises the firm’s clients nothing less. Alongside his fellow CEO (and brother), Greco took over operations of the business from his parents, and today the firm offers a vast range of services for individuals and families throughout the Garden State including tax, financial, and estate planning services. “From taxes to retirement, let our family guide yours,” states the company’s motto, and Greco, a CPA, attorney, and IRS enrolled agent makes sure that his firm fulfills that duty with both care and expertise.
“What gives me pleasure is the tremendous amount of confidence our clients have in us,” said the father of five. “We take that to heart. One trait we look for in all of our client advisors and employees is that they have integrity.”
WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSIONAL SUPERPOWER?
My ability to juggle the demands of both my business and personal life.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SUMMERTIME DISH OR DRINK?
Pizza in our backyard wood-burning oven.
WHAT IS THE BEST CONCERT YOU’VE EVER BEEN TO?
Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden.
Anthony Schifilliti
Owner, Nino’s Coal Fired Pizza / ninoscoalfiredpizza.com
Born in Genoa, Italy, Anthony Schifilliti brings a refreshing old-world approach to modern dining. Schifilliti opened Nino’s Coal Fired Pizza in Brick 12 years ago, with a mission to provide Jersey Shore diners with authentic Italian plates and bubbling pies in a cozy, familial setting. The eatery’s namesake pizzas are a fan favorite, to be sure, from classic Margherita style to specialty options like meatball parm or fresh fig and goat cheese, but the eatery also serves a variety of soul-quenching Italian staples based on Schifilliti’s family recipes. All pasta is made fresh in house, and Schifilliti sources many ingredients straight from Italy, like San Marzano tomatoes and olive oil. Authenticity, he said, is key. “Success, to me, is seeing a beautiful meal prepared,” he added. “When I walk over to my customers and see the reactions on their faces, the satisfaction, the excitement: there’s no better feeling than knowing you gave them that.”
WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSIONAL SUPERPOWER?
It’s the ability to make someone happy. I have a motto in our restaurant: “Treat our customers like kings and queens.” Whatever they need, we take care of.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SUMMERTIME DISH OR DRINK?
I love a homemade pasta, which we make here. We make all our pasta home made, like a nice fettuccine with a little garlic and oil, very light, or a nice linguine with fresh clam sauce.
WHAT IS THE BEST CONCERT YOU’VE EVER BEEN TO?
The Vienna Symphony in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral.
Elizabeth Jacobson
Managing Partner, Feast Italian Kitchen / feastnj.com
Elizabeth Jacobson’s ardor for food began to simmer at a young age, learning how to craft recipes as a child in her mother’s kitchen. After graduating with a degree in journalism, Jacobson enrolled in NYC’s French Culinary Institute, a decision that would soon spark a long and fruitful career in the restaurant industry. “I hoped and dreamed about becoming a New York Times restaurant critic one day,” she recalled. “After I graduated, I decided that I needed more specialized knowledge in the food industry in order to attain my goal. I graduated second in my class from the French Culinary Institute. I fell in love with cooking professionally.”
Today, Jacobson has had her hands in nearly every aspect of the industry; she launched a successful catering business, worked as a pastry chef and front-of-house manager in several notable NYC hotspots (including Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill and BOLO), and volunteered with a myriad of culinary nonprofits on fundraising events, including Table To Table, the Food and Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado, and New York City Food and Wine Festival. Her talent and passion eventually caught the eyes of New Jersey restaurateurs Steven Botta and Angelo Bongiovanni, who brought Jacobson on as a managing partner of Feast Italian Kitchen in Old Bridge. She’s also an investor in many of the duo’s other concepts, including Beach Tavern, Osteria Molo, and the soon-to-open steakhouse, The Chop Shop.
“Feast is a very special restaurant,” she added, noting her responsibilities run the gamut from financials and ordering to recipe testing and changing light bulbs. “We are so thankful for our customers: loyal regulars and new ones. We opened seven months before COVID and couldn’t have made it without their support. They continue to be a big part of the secret sauce to our enduring success.”
WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSIONAL SUPERPOWER?
My attention to detail that I have mastered over the many years working in the restaurant industry. Every detail counts, from the moment I walk into the dining room I look at the tables – are they in alignment? Are the glasses polished? Are the servers’ uniforms ironed? Is the bar stocked and ready for service? Are the hostesses smiling and ready to welcome guests? Do the plates leaving the kitchen reflect our best presentation? There is nothing that gets past me.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SUMMERTIME DISH OR DRINK?
That’s easy! Anyone who knows me can answer that question: Aperol spritz! My sister even bought me a pair of pajamas with Aperol spritzes printed all over them! It’s the perfect summer drink. It’s crisp, refreshing, and light. I love the bitterness of the Aperol paired with the sweetness of the prosecco, and just a touch of soda to lighten it up. It’s a beautiful shade of orange that screams summer!
WHAT IS THE BEST CONCERT YOU’VE EVER BEEN TO?
Funny you should ask that question now. I hadn’t been to a concert in years, but I’m sitting in my hotel room in Vegas writing this after going to a Garth Brooks concert last night! I’m not a huge fan of country music, but I thought it might be fun. Garth and his band were amazing and put on a spectacular show. The venue was electric. Everyone in the audience (except my sister and me) knew the lyrics to every single song. Talk about a fan base. I definitely would go and see him again!
Helen Maragos
Owner, Anemos Greek Cuisine / anemosgreekcuisine.com
While visiting her ancestral Greece with her mother over a decade ago, Helen Maragos was casually scrolling through listings in her home state of New Jersey when she spotted a space in Manalapan for sale. Maragos knew almost instantly she had found the site that would eventually become Anemos, an authentic Santorini-inspired eatery that pays homage to the owners’ Greek roots. In 2014, Maragos and her mother, Bessy (a seasoned chef and restaurateur herself), celebrated Anemos’ grand opening.
Inside the 100-seat restaurant, guests sip complimentary shots of ouzo (a dry, anise-flavored aperitif) before diving into authentic Greek delicacies like melitza nosalata (grilled eggplant dip), spanako pita, and moussaka, a hearty eggplant lasagna stuffed with ground beef and lamb. One year ago, the team added an addition to the restaurant, The Banquet Room, that is utilized for private parties and special events.
“I believe in a healthy balance, and that’s exactly what my mother and I have,” Maragos said of Anemos’ recipe for success. “What I bring to the plate is a lot of creativity. I develop new concepts on traditional dishes, adding a modern twist and flair to the dishes and to the vibe of the restaurant.”
WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSIONAL SUPERPOWER?
The energy that I bring to the business. I have a very contagious, positive energy that motivates my staff.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SUMMERTIME DISH OR DRINK?
From my restaurant, the strawberry salad. I always add grilled shrimp!
WHAT IS THE BEST CONCERT YOU’VE EVER BEEN TO?
Prince. That was a really amazing concert. He was an incredible per former, and I’ll never forget when he sang, “Purple Rain.” These purple streamers came down from the sky to fill the entire auditorium.