Episode #261: Elio Orsara, Founder Elios Locanda Italiano

1. “If my motivation is to make the best product, the money will follow as a consequence.”


2. “A leader must give up ego and put the right people in the right place—even if it risks their seat.”


3. “You have to read the atmosphere; the same person may need a different approach each time.”


4. “To be a leader, you have to suffer, take the hard way, and do the work yourself first.”


5. “If you don’t care about people, then don’t do this job—leadership is a people business.”


Elio Orsara began his career at the Grand Hotel San Michele in Calabria, then worked in Milan and London, opened his first restaurant in Spain, joined the Love Boat with Princess Cruises in the U.S., worked in Italian restaurants in Los Angeles, moved to a high-end golf course in northern Italy, became a supervisor at the Shin-Kobe Oriental Hotel in Japan, produced restaurants for the Daiei Group, and in 1996 opened Elio Locanda Italiana in Tokyo.


Awards and Honours


1998 – Ristorante Italiano


1999 – Best Italian Restaurant, ICCJ


2006 – Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Cavaliere)


2009 – Calabria Excellence Award


2011 – Italian Hospitality International Certification


2012 – Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Ufficiale)


2017 – Ambassador of Stocco di Mammola


2019 – Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Commendatore)


Elio’s philosophy of leadership is rooted in lived experience, resilience, and a deep respect for people. His journey from a young dreamer in Italy to a successful restaurateur and multi-business owner in Japan shaped his view that leadership is not learned in theory but forged through hardship and personal accountability. He believes true leaders must first endure and overcome challenges themselves before guiding others. For him, leadership is less about rigid formulas and more about adaptability, emotional intelligence, and a willingness to keep learning.


Central to his approach is the belief that leadership is fundamentally about people. In the hospitality business, technical skill matters, but without genuine care for customers and staff, success cannot be sustained. Elio treats every guest as an individual, reading the situation and adjusting his approach to create comfort, trust, and connection. He applies the same principle to his staff, emphasizing empathy, education, and personal growth. For young recruits, he looks for ambition and motivation, preferring those who aspire to run their own business rather than settle into a lifetime of employment.


He invests heavily in training, even sending staff to Italy to deepen their understanding of food culture, and he maintains loyalty through long-term relationships, profit-sharing, and respect for their personal lives. His restaurants enjoy unusually high staff retention, which he attributes to creating a family-like atmosphere and recognizing each individual’s value. He rejects the insecurity that causes some leaders to avoid hiring people more capable than themselves, instead surrounding himself with complementary strengths to cover areas where he lacks expertise.


Elio’s leadership style blends influences from multiple cultures—American business acumen, Japanese service philosophy, and Italian warmth and passion. From the Japanese, he learned patience, discipline, and the value of sustained effort; from the Americans, an entrepreneurial mindset; and from his Italian heritage, the importance of hospitality, human connection, and pride in craftsmanship.


He is pragmatic about the realities of business risk, having weathered major setbacks, including the challenges following the 2011 Fukushima disaster. In such crises, he believes leaders must not only manage the business but also sustain morale, finding ways to keep teams engaged and feeling purposeful. His decision to deliver food to disaster-stricken areas after Fukushima exemplified this—addressing both community needs and staff motivation.


Delegation, for Elio, is about trust and timing. He identifies capable individuals within his organization, aligns their responsibilities with their skills, and gives them both autonomy and a share in the rewards. While expansion is necessary to create opportunities for ambitious staff, he avoids diversifying outside his area of expertise, focusing exclusively on the food business where he can lead from a position of deep knowledge.


Ultimately, Elio sees leadership as an act of service—serving customers, employees, and the broader community. It requires humility, constant self-critique, and the courage to make decisions that prioritize people and quality over short-term profit. For him, success comes when a leader creates an environment where both people and business can thrive together.