Jay's Steakhouse, Fort Lauderdale — the VIP Pre-Opening

On May 2, 2025, Jay's Steakhouse opened its doors for a VIP pre-opening night in Fort Lauderdale — a first look at a historic Lutheran church converted into the city's next destination dining room, led by Jay Shirodkar of Yes Hospitality Group. Matteo Cammisa worked the room with close-up magic, and appears in World Red Eye's photo coverage of the evening alongside Shirodkar himself.

A pre-opening is a specific assignment. The room is full of press, partners and the people whose word will decide how the restaurant opens, and the space itself is still making its first impression. Close-up magic fits that night precisely: it needs no stage in a room being photographed, it forms small groups where strangers were standing separately, and it gives guests something to describe besides the interiors.

Matteo has since performed tableside at Jay's through the dinner hour — the classic steakhouse register of white tablecloths and unhurried evenings, where a two-minute impossibility between courses becomes part of the meal. Fort Lauderdale rounds out his South Florida presence, alongside Miami, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Sunny Isles, Hollywood and Naples.

Press: See the coverage: Jay's VIP Pre-Opening Celebration — World Red Eye

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