1. Rialto Owner Dishes on Finding
Success in Boston's Restaurant
Scene
By Douglas Reeves

2. Introduction
• James Beard Award winner Jody Adams, the sole
owner of the Boston mainstay Rialto, recently talked
with The New York Times about how she’s found
success in the restaurant business. Rialto, which has
50 employees and generates about $4 million in
revenue each year, has operated in the Charles Hotel
on Harvard Square for 20 years. Adams, who is
married and has adult children, said that owning
restaurants requires a “completely unpredictable
way of life” and an ongoing commitment to work.

3. Boston's Restaurant Scene
• Adams attributes her longtime success to paying
attention to the daily details, including making sure
that her restaurants don’t waste food and that they
make necessary adjustments to operate
economically. She said Rialto has avoided the
notorious turnover rate for food service employees
by providing a safe and secure environment for
them, and she noted that some of the restaurant’s
staff have worked for Rialto since it opened. Adams
focuses on hiring talented people who have passion
and a commitment to the restaurant’s mission and
who can work well with the kitchen staff.