After spending 23 years developing the largest orthopedic implant distributorship in Southern California, Rich sold his business in 2009 to devote more time to his family and his personal interests. One of the interests he developed while doing a lot of entertaining in his previous endeavor was food and wine. His interest in the field became so intense that he became an avid wine collector and home chef. He prides himself in knowing most of the latest techniques including sous vide cooking.

In the back of his mind while building his business, Rich had the dream of owning a restaurant.  Even though he carried the dream, he never acted upon it because he never met anyone who had the same passion for developing a truly outstanding experience for the enjoyment of food and wine that was beyond just consumption; that is, until he met Chef Amar Santana and Ahmed Labbate. Over the last few years, a mutual relationship and friendship was fostered and the common interests and talents of the group became so evident that the dream had to come to fruition. They all wanted to create an experience where the food became the “show” and where the environment compelled the customer to return.

Out of that dream, the Broadway concept was born. Three people coming together to develop a dining experience where guests would taste, smell, watch — and seek more encore performances.

Paul Roy began his entrepreneurial career in his early 20s when he and a partner started a frozen yogurt company in his garage. The company, Big Train, Inc., quickly evolved into selling specialty coffee products to a growing number of coffee houses, and set the industry standard for ice blended drinks and chai tea lattes, both in the United States and internationally. In 2006, a private equity firm purchased the company and Paul turned his focus towards managing his investments.

Paul and his wife, Pam, had the opportunity to work with Chef Amar Santana and Ahmed Labbate for several years while hosting charity events in their home. They became fans of Broadway by Amar Santana and saw the consistent professionalism and skilled execution carry through at both the events and the restaurant. Inspired by Chef Amar’s intense passion for food and Ahmed’s extensive management skills, they were thrilled to become investment partners in their new venture, Vaca.