Celeste Fierro and Jonathan Segal

The strategy worked. At age 21, when most are excited for a taste of legal liquor, Segal was getting his taste for entrepreneurialism with his first company. He played a role in a basement-born business founded on the ideal of Internet payments called WorldPay, later purchased by the Royal Bank of Scotland. It was the first of its kind and the predecessor to PayPal.

But Segal’s real passion lies in hospitality. Since the opening of its first venue in January 2004, The ONE Group has opened upwards of 24 hospitality hotspots, has partnered with brands in 10 different venues and boasts five hotel service contacts. It will open its first international venue in 2012.

With more than 30 years of experience under his belt and his feet thoroughly soaked in the industry, it seems Segal can’t be stopped. He is a man who propels his passion to thrill his guests by recognizing and utilizing all aspects of art, fashion, and music in his venues. Passionate as he may be, Segal can’t do it all on his own.

Enter Fierro.

“I was introduced to Jonathan Segal through a mutual friend,” Fierro said. “Timing was perfect for us to both venture into the restaurant business. We had a concept for a restaurant that was a one-stop shop; the ambiance of it would be perfect for pre-dinner drinks, coming to for dinner, or the after-dinner spot. Whenever you came you’d feel great energy and end up wanting to stay.” This innovative idea morphed into the pair’s first joint venture, ONE Little West 12th, in the heart of New York’s Meatpacking District.

Fierro is known for bringing A-listers to each of The ONE Group’s venues – a key factor in the brand’s expansion, which is progressing at a breakneck pace.

“It’s tough and exciting at the same time,” Fierro said. “We have an amazing team at who spend lots of time researching projects during the development phase, which sets us up for success when we open.” This research includes spending three months in the new city, learning the culture, industry and power players in that particular market.

“Every market has a different ‘personality,’ so spending time getting to know what will and wont work is part of the learning curve,” Fierro said.

But it seems the players in The ONE Group are star students. Their long list of successful hospitality hotspots include Coco de Ville, Bagatelle, Tenjune, Gansevoort Park Avenue NYC, Gansevoort Turks and Caicos, Gansevoort Miami Beach and STK and STK[out], an impressive list of openings in the midst of a downtrodden market. The group’s new Italian eatery, Asellina, in New York’s Flatiron District also recently opened its doors.

“Asellina is great – it’s lighter Italian food, with homemade pastas, fresh fish, a great wine selection and fun cocktails,” Fierro said. But opening an Italian restaurant wasn’t easy in a town like New York.

“I’m Italian and I’ve always wanted to open an Italian place,” Fierro said. “If you can do Italian well in New York, then you know you’re headed in the right direction.”

Despite its early success, The ONE Group doesn’t show signs of slowing down. In fact, with the uptick in the economy, The ONE Group plans to continue their rapid expansion. On the horizon for opening are a Bagatelle LA this summer, a Bagatelle NY in the fall and an STK in Atlanta.