Our buddy Eddy is an Aussie living in New York City. Eddy moved to New York in 2009 and was eager to make it in the hospitality industry. A few years after co-owning his first bar, he got a short-term role with a tequila company that put him onto working with Justin Timberlake's 901 brand.
He now has his own restaurant Chinese Tuxedo, a modern Asian fusion restaurant nestled in Chinatown, Manhattan.
Eddy on Instagram:
@yourbuddyeddy
Eddy's Restaurant:
www.chinesetuxedo.com
Verbatim from the transcripts — each quote links to the moment.
“That's why they call it work, you know, that's why it's a job.”
“You know, if you're buying a $100 dinner, it's $120. And if you can't afford the $120, you can't afford the $100 dinner. That needs to be the mindset.”
“Everybody out there is on your side.”
“Do good work and let the work speak for you.”
“A really good operator, if a good operator is doing a good job, you shouldn't know who they are.”
How should you deal with nerves before a big public appearance?
Remember that people generally want you to succeed rather than fail, so treat the fear as unnecessary and just 'have a crack' rather than letting anxiety stop you.
How should Australians handle self-promotion and job interviews, especially abroad?
Eddy advises acting as your own greatest advocate, especially in job interviews, since false humility won't serve you; he encourages Australians to reject the cultural pressure toward false humility while still backing up confidence with real substance.
How do you keep a business partnership from falling apart?
Establish clear 'informing principles' with your partner early so decisions become easier, maintain strong communication about each other's strengths and weaknesses, and stay solution-oriented when crises hit rather than dwelling on blame—save emotional reactions for after the problem is solved.
How do you balance detail-oriented communication with not being overly nitpicky in a team?
Recognize your own strengths and weaknesses (macro vs. micro thinker) and build a team with complementary skill sets you can trust and empower to cover gaps, rather than trying to do everything yourself.
While gutting the space for Chinese Tuxedo, Eddy and his contractor partner Jeff uncovered decorative columns and original wall details from the mid-19th century Chinatown Opera House, which had been covered up for over 100 years, shaping the restaurant's final design.
Eddy recounts being nervous backstage at a 3,000-person internal brand conference for 901 Tequila, where Justin Timberlake noticed his nerves and reassured him with the line 'everybody out there is on your side,' a principle Eddy says he still applies to his work.
Eddy describes a string of building crises at the restaurant—including a kitchen fire, a frozen sprinkler head that later flooded the kitchen, and an electrical fire under the street that blacked out the restaurant on a Friday night—and how staying solution-oriented got the team through them.
Drawn from the episode transcripts.
Eddy Buckingham, who had a bar/nightlife background, teamed up with his Chinese-American general contractor Jeff after lunches at Chinatown dim sum spots convinced them there was no high-end Chinese restaurant to rival top French or Italian dining rooms in New York. They found an old Chinatown opera house space in 2014 and spent 2.5 years renovating it, uncovering original 19th-century architectural details, before opening Chinese Tuxedo in 2016.
From episode 192→He recommends establishing clear 'informing principles' with your partner early on to simplify decision-making, maintaining open communication about strengths and weaknesses, and staying solution-oriented when problems arise (like fires or floods) rather than dwelling on blame—saving reflection and venting for after the crisis is resolved.
From episode 192→Every episode featuring Eddy Buckingham on The Daily Talk Show.
