Since 1998, local Sam Fox has opened more than 125 restaurants around the country—including 17 here in the Valley—a unique entertainment concept, and soon, a hotel.
“There are ideas are percolating in my head all the time,” explains the creator of locales such as Flower Child, Culinary Dropout, Zinburger, and The Henry under the Fox Restaurant Concepts (FRC) umbrella. “And when something pops up, I try to develop that idea into [something] that everyone can go to and enjoy.”
It’s no wonder Fox was named one of the 50 most influential people in the restaurant industry by Nation’s Restaurant News.
In fact, the entrepreneur partnered with Dr. Andrew Weil on the concept for True Food Kitchen, opening it first in Phoenix in 2008, then around the country, and selling it in 2017 to Centerbridge Partners. Today, Oprah is a partner.
Fox sold FRC—which now has 6,000 employees across 12 states—in 2019 to The Cheesecake Factory, although he remains its CEO. And, under his newest company, which he named Author & Edit Hospitality, he recently opened The Twelve Thirty Club in Nashville, Tennessee along with Justin Timberlake. The destination is a multi-level, progressive experience of dining, entertainment, and design.
His latest venture is the luxury hotel concept he’s building here in Arcadia, not far from where he lives.
Oh, and Fox is also an 12-time James Beard Award nominee, and a New York Times bestselling author.
Not bad for someone who dropped out of college.
Fox was born in Tucson and moved to the Valley 22 years ago, and although he opens locations all over the country, he has no plans to live anywhere but Arizona.
“We have deep roots here,” he says. “And for a big city, I think it’s really easy to live here. When I’m in Phoenix, I’m grounded and I’m at home. I love the ease of getting around the city and the friendly nature of the city.”
Fox’s wife grew up in Phoenix and is a graduate of Xavier College Preparatory, which is the school their daughter now attends. Their son is a student at Brophy College Preparatory.
“My wife is one of six, so my kids have 17 cousins on my wife’s side,” he says.
While the Fox children have grown up dining in restaurants and trying new foods because of their dad’s involvement in the industry, Sam himself also grew up in the industry.
“I spent my childhood doing my homework in booths in my parents’ restaurant,” shares the third-generation restaurateur.
He also went treasure hunting for change under the seats at night, and later, waited tables and helped in the kitchen.
He began college at the University of Arizona, but quickly realized how much he missed working in hospitality. When he dropped out between his sophomore and junior years, he used his tuition money to open his first restaurant, which he called Wildflower American Cuisine.
“It was something I just gravitated towards at the time,” he says of the concept of that first venture. “A sports bar with a lot of beer!”
Opening Wildflower was a labor of love, and one of the most difficult things he’s done, he says.
“It was such a financial struggle early in my career,” he shares. “Those hard times really laid the foundation for who I am and how I run my business today. But when I was in those hard times, it was really hard to see where I would be today.”
If only he knew then that he would be the only three-time recipient of the Hot Concept Award.
“I don’t think there’s an exact formula for [coming up with restaurant concept ideas],” he says. “I think it’s something that just comes to me through my travels, eating experiences, talking to my employees or guests. It can be something I see, even a building.”
It’s the pull of the people that draws Fox to the industry, he shares.
“It’s the interaction with people, whether they’re guests or employees,” he explains. “That human element is amazing. I enjoy being in the restaurants talking to our guests and employees and learning from them all the time. I always ask myself who is going to want to come here, and who is going to want to work here. I always try to incorporate that into my designs.”
His latest project is The Global Ambassador, a luxury hotel with a worldly flair, where every detail was meticulously planned by Fox himself.
Of course, five unique dining venues—with cuisine influenced by the Mediterranean region including Greece, Italy, and Morocco—will be part of the hotel.
It was after being continually approached to open restaurants at various hotels (he never did) that Fox began to think about creating his own destination. His main objective in its creation was how it would fit into the community.
“I think you’re going to be really surprised at how welcoming it is for the community,” he says. “We encourage people to go there whether you’re staying there or not.”
A 141-room property—currently being built at Camelback Road and 44th Street—is slated to open in 2023. It will feature a Wellness Center complete with an expansive fitness level and ultra-luxe spa, plus a first-of-its-kind Member’s Club. Most notably within The Global Ambassador will be an impressive 18,000 square foot restaurant that overlooks the iconic Camelback Mountain.
“I’m building, designing, and running the hotel,” Fox explains. “Living here in the community, I feel like this will be a legacy project for me and my family, and we’re incredibly excited about sharing it with the community we live in.”