In 1992, while working at the Golden Nugget Hotel, I met Paymon Raouf, who operated a small 900-square-foot space selling deli goods, groceries, and a few sandwiches. I recognized in Paymon a genuine person with incredible passion and enthusiasm, so I offered him advice during my visits, hoping to help him improve his business model. By 2000, Paymon's operation had grown to 5,400 square feet, and he hired me to oversee the existing restaurant and open the country's first hookah lounge. In 2016, I founded Restaurant Consultants of Las Vegas, and Paymon's is now considered a client.
Paymon's Fresh Kitchen and Lounge has dominated the Las Vegas Review-Journal's "Best of Las Vegas" polls, winning a staggering 30 awards across eight different categories. Paymon’s was included in the Las Vegas Review Journal’s “Top 100 Restaurants” for 2024.