The Case for Bold Action: Johno Morisano on What It Took to Build the Country’s Best Restaurant

What if the best restaurant stories aren’t about food—they’re about identity, risk, and reinvention?

Johno Morisano didn’t set out to open a restaurant—he set out to escape. But a chance encounter with a Greyhound bus station, and later, chef Mashama Bailey, sparked something deeper: a creative and cultural reckoning that became The Grey.

In this conversation, we unpack how Johno turned personal uncertainty into professional clarity, why the partnership with Mashama worked when others would have failed, and how building a restaurant from scratch became an act of redemption. We get into what it really takes to thrive in a small market, how to build a business that feels like it belongs, and why chasing growth without meaning almost cost him everything.

This isn’t about real estate or restaurants. It’s about what happens when you finally stop running—and start building.

For more on The Grey and his work with Mashama Bailey, visit thegreyrestaurant.com.
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