I went under cover to reveal some juicy tidbits about one of Ladera’s residents with great epicurean taste, Ripide’s Rockin’ Sushi & Teppan Grill’s owner Dan Lauriano (shown right with his wife Dawn and their two children Savanna, 4-1/2, and Brandon, 7).

I was intrigued at how in this economy, when other business are down sizing or closing their doors, Dan is able to open up another restaurant, The Derby Deli & Dueling Piano Bar in the Kaleidoscope Mall on Crown Valley Parkway.

The key to running a business is providing personalized attention to your customers. And someone who goes out of his way to make this happen every day is Dan Lauriano.

Also committed to community service, Dan and his Riptide Rockin’ Sushi & Teppan Grill and the soon-to-open Derby Deli & Dueling Piano Bar are Platinum Sponsors of the Taste of Ladera for the second straight year.

I wanted to learn more about one of Orange County’s real entrepreneurs so I snagged a moment with Dan’s beautiful wife Dawn who gave me great insight into what makes this man so accomplished and more importantly so beloved by his friends, family, and community.

"Very few people in this world are lucky enough to find the career that is the perfect match," Dawn explains.

"Dan is one of those lucky individuals who was born to do what he does. Not only does he feel so passionate about it, it comes naturally, every aspect.

"He has amazing chefs, but he jumps in and comes up with recipes. He created the menu front to back and did all the graphics on his own. He doesn’t miss a detail.

"Employees and customers love him," Dawn continued. "He goes way beyond the call of duty. If an employee has car problems, he’ll lone them the money for repairs.

"His employees feel good going to him and talking to him. He comes across as this rough and tough guy, but deep down he has a huge heart and is always helping, wanting to give everyone that extra special treatment."

I then set my sights on Tony Ying, who helps Dan build out all the construction; Patrick Reilly, General Manager for the Derby; and Adrian Guerrero, Dan’s District Manager for all three restaurants.

Patrick told me, "Anyone who looks at the margins will tell you that you don’t start a restaurant to make money. You must love the creative process of starting a new venture and seeing it through to success."

Patrick describes Dan as a high functioning and highly creative individual. "His canvas is the restaurant business."

Patrick shed some light on how Dan got into the business.

"After graduating from USC, Dan went crusin’ around and toured with his band as a drummer and used that experience to create something special. He combined entertainment and great food all in one. His first business was Rockin’ Taco."

When I asked them what they thought about his customer service, they both agreed, "He’s honest. He puts his heart out there, he won’t tell you what you want. I’ve worked for a lot of people; he’s not about posturing. He thinks about everything. This is a guy who knows what he’s doing. I’ve never worked for anybody like that."

A smile crosses Patrick’s face as he said, "Plus, he’s funny . . . and he prepares. When we play flag football, he’ll come in as quarterback 20 to 30 plays on index cards."

I was starting to get the picture that Dan Lauriano is just a genuine great guy!

The managers continued, "His philosophy on customer service is using everyone’s strength; he wants an opinion from everyone at the table. Working for him, he demands that you’re on top of your game and you’d better have an opinion. If you don’t have one, you’d better get one."

While out and about through Ladera’s community, I found several Ladera Resident’s who were happy to share their opinions on Riptide.

"It was overwhelming; we love the food and the atmosphere is always a party." Dan Ambrose, a regular patron, says. "Sit at the teppan grill or have sushi, it’s something for the entire family."

Fran Falino and Dan MacMillin, from the Fran and Dan Show, said, "Ken Cruz was named ‘Best Sushi Chef in Southern California’ by the Japanese Restaurant Association."

Ladera residents are fortunate to have such a great guy with a strong sense of integrity in our community, who continually is seeking ways to make Ladera an even better place to enjoy!

As I said earlier, each year Dan is a sponsor of the Taste of Ladera. But what nobody knows is that he also donates 100% of his proceeds, not just his profit!

I don’t know about you, but can’t wait until The Derby Deli & Dueling Piano Bar opens in May. It

will be a New York style deli with Dan’s signature high energy atmosphere. No menu item is over $14.95. Everything is done in-house from the seasoned pastrami to the homemade mustard and freshly baked breads.

Dan’s goal is to be as good, as New York’s best – the famous Carnegie Deli.

And if the past is a view into the future, there’s no doubt that Dan will succeed.

(Michelle Patterson is founder and managing partner of TouchPointe, headquarter in Ladera Ranch. TouchPointe is a senior level consulting and recruiting firm, specializing in the placement of finance, accounting, IT, and human resources in both interim and permanent positions. You can contact TouchPointe at 949-218-0866 or at www.touchpointe.com.)