However you put it, David Grutman is a big part of life.
A Florida native, he is known as “Mr. Miami” for his vibrant hospitality and culinary creations, as well as his seemingly endless and genuine relationships. He can be seen dining with Tom Brady, hanging out with family friends David and Victoria Beckham, and cheering on Lionel Messi at Inter Miami games.
He is the founder of Groot's Hospitalitywith its flagship creations, including Miami Beach's hottest nightclub, LIV at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, The Goodtime Hotel (which he brought to life with Pharrell Williams) and must-see restaurants like Gekkō (which he created with Bad Bunny), Papi Steak, Komodo and Casadonna.
However, as much as Grutman loves the 305, the expansion of his business has led him to spend more time on the road lately. He says Travel + Leisure that his favorite places to travel for business are Las Vegas and Dallas.
“I didn’t really like it for leisure travel, but I understand the appeal,” he told T+L of Las Vegas. “Now that I have four businesses there, I see how competitive it is. It makes me want to go there so much. Most people say, ‘Oh, two days and that’s it.’ I could stay two weeks or more now because I love the business of Las Vegas.”
In April 2023, Groot Hospitality opened a Komodo branch in Dallas. And, between late 2023 and early 2024, the company opened Komodo, Papi Steak, LIV and LIV Beach in the new 3,600-plus-room resort. Fontainebleau Las Vegas.
But when it comes to traveling for pleasure, the father of two often makes it a family affair with fellow nightlife guru and friend Noah Tepperberg, co-CEO of TAO Group, recalling the recent trip the two families took to Corsica.
“We chartered a catamaran… it was an 80-foot Sunreef catamaran, and we ended up staying at Domaine de Murtoli,” Grutman recalls. “There were three restaurants, and I was blown away by each one. I’ve never had such an incredible experience in terms of the food and the atmosphere.”
Other favorite destinations for Grutman include Alula, Saudi Arabia, Florence, Italy and a special spot at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport — the Air France La Première Lounge with a menu from multi-starred chef Alain Ducasse.
“It’s my favorite restaurant in all of Paris… they have this chicken that they roll and cut in front of you and these bow-tie noodles with truffles and ham,” he said. “I go there just for the experience… it’s crazy.”
Reflecting on a recent trip to Florence, during which he stayed at the Florence Four Seasons, he says, “I usually go there, visit the Duomo, and go out. This time, I spent four days at the Florence Four Seasons… I don’t even know if I saw the Duomo, I loved it so much.”
What makes a perfect vacation, according to him? “Family, luxury and aesthetics all rolled into one.”
“With my two daughters, I just want to make sure they're going to have fun and enjoy the experience. And I also want to be able to relax,” he said.
And when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle amid his travels and whirlwind adventures in the nightlife industry, Grutman tells T+L he tries to stay as disciplined as possible, with his passion for tennis providing a helping hand.
“At this point, I’m really trying to figure out what time I’m going to eat my meal, go to sleep, and as soon as I land, I’m going to hit the tennis court with my Prince tennis rackets,” he said. “I always ask the hotel concierge to book me a court and a trainer every day I travel. I try my best to book a trainer for the weight room. But with my rackets with me, at least I know I’m getting cardio.”
Grutman is a big tennis fan and has worked closely with Prince since 2019. He is now creative director and co-owner of the brand.
“For me, I like things that remind me of my childhood memories,” he said. “When I was in middle school and high school, I loved watching Andre Agassi and that whole era of rock and roll tennis. And Prince was a big part of that for me. Everybody played with Prince and that was the rebel brand. It wasn’t stuffy, it was fun. To be able to revive Prince and remember his legacy and bring it back to life today has been great.”
As the saying goes, there's no place like home and that applies to Grutman. His favorite places to dine include Miami Slice pizzeria and the cozy Boia De Italian restaurant. Back in Magic City, he happily says, “The best thing about living in Miami is that you can't wait to go home.”