Leilani Scharff is a superstar when it comes to opening and running restaurants. Before becoming vice president of operations for Brezza and Bar Zazu at Resorts World, she had helped open and run more than a dozen restaurants for star chefs including Bradley Ogden and Michael Mina. A couple of years ago, she joined chef Nicole Brisson and helped open Brezza and Bar Zazu.
“I have a lot of experience opening restaurants,” the California native says with a smile. “I love it. I love food and beverage. But I also think there’s something really special about cultivating a restaurant team, opening a restaurant—it’s a labor of love.”
As VP, it is Scharff’s job to be at both venues each day, checking in with the managers, teaching new hires about the culture of the brands, attending marketing meetings and menu meetings—basically doing it all!
“My job is to ensure my management team has what they need to do their job, and my management team needs to make sure the servers have what they need to do their job. Being able to see all that work and translate all the way down to the guest and hear the guest say, ‘Oh my gosh, every single person I talked to was happy, was knowledgeable—it made the experience.’ It makes it all really rewarding.”
To say Scharff works hard is an understatement, but it’s easy to tell that the work she puts in is the work she loves doing. “I always say, ‘Work is my character trait,’ and I’m OK with that,” she says. “I have to be unapologetic about that fact, because I really love my job and what I do.”
Libation: Golden Espresso Martini: New to the menu for the season is the high-end Golden Espresso Martini, made with Selva Rey premium aged rum, Courvoisier cognac, Caffe Borghetti espresso liqueur, Licor 43, espresso cordial and made-in-house cinnamon whipped cream. “It’s gorgeous and delicious,” says Scharff.
Benefit: At the end of a Brezza meal, ask to enjoy drinks on the patio by the fireplace overlooking the Strip.
Click here for your free subscription to the weekly digital edition of Las Vegas Magazine, your guide to everything to do, hear, see and experience in Southern Nevada. As part of your subscription, each week via email you will receive the latest edition of Las Vegas Magazine, full of informative content such as restaurants to visit, cocktails to sip and attractions to enjoy.
