Celeste Fierro and Jonathan Segal

Although STK is now considered a wildly successful steakhouse with five national locations, Segal is adamant about not concentrating on the concept of a steakhouse – rather, he chooses to focus simply on the concept of dining. Just five years after arriving to New York and two years after creating The ONE Group, he approached the design team for the very first STK in the Meatpacking District

“Design me a steakhouse that doesn’t look like a steakhouse and a menu that caters to females,” he said. From this outside-of-the-box mentality came the brand’s most prosperous holding to date. STK can now be found in Miami, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York and will launch in Atlanta in November. A second STK in New York is slated to open this summer in Midtown. But STK’s success isn’t just about steak. Making it a female-friendly eatery was a big part of the draw.

“To counter with the usual masculine feel of steakhouses, we designed STK with a sexy palate of black, crème and purple,” Fierro said. The menu also features small, medium and large steaks to cater to any appetite.

In fact, Fierro keeps in mind the female market in relation to all of The ONE Group’s eateries.

“We wanted to create venues that women can enjoy as part of their night out,” she said. “Whether you’re going out for drinks, dinner, dancing or all three, our goal was to make it perfect for all of them. At our new Italian restaurant Asellina, instead of white tablecloths and heavy pastas, we designed it with rustic earth tones, lower lounge tables for seating and fresh, healthy pastas and salads.” Like the furniture arrangements at Tenjune, a lounge in New York, most of the company’s seating choices and structural designs bear the curves of a woman’s body.

Segal is an intellectual no doubt, but also a playboy of sorts, as he caters his every decision to the fluctuating whims of his female audience. But he doesn’t worry about attracting the other half of his audience.

“Dangle a woman in front of them and most men will follow on their knees with dog collars around their necks,” he said. His partner Fierro, has obviously influenced the gentle Brit in his way of thinking.

When it comes down to it, The ONE Group’s secret to success is two-fold.

“It’s all about the image, vibe and experience you create, making sure your guests are comfortable,” Fierro said. “And at the end of the day, it’s really all about relationships with our guests that’s most crucial.”